Christmas Dazzle

Happy holidays everyone!

I'm here in London to celebrate Christmas and I honestly don't think there is a better city to spend the holidays in. Everywhere you turn there are festive decorations, twinkle lights, and definitely holiday cheer! One of my favorite things to do during this time is to take a walk through different neighborhoods and look at the homes who have put up decorations. 

Here are just a small handful of the beautiful homes I saw on this morning's walk in Notting Hill. Enjoy!

PS Los Angeles really needs to step up it's holiday decorating game.

K xo

Budget Friendly Bins

Happy Monday!

Ok, so Monday's aren't usually associated with "happy" but we can try to change that right? Today I am bringing you a great product find, these fabulous storage bins from Target. 

These cabinets are in a garage and we wanted something stylish but also tough enough to hold some heavier tools and office supplies. What's great about these bins are they are thick enough plastic to be sturdy and the perforated design is stylish and keeps things looking tidy. 

They are listed online which I will link below, but are only available to purchase inside Target stores. They also come in a really nice white color. The best thing, they are only $7.99! 

K xo

Room Essentials Storage Bin

Light It Up

Hi everyone!

If you caught my Instagram story this weekend you might have seen that my vision of a candle plate centerpiece has finally come to life! We have a beautiful wood table outside (that was actually the table my husband and I sat at during our wedding), and I wanted something simple and pretty to put in the center when we are entertaining and still need room for the important stuff...food! 

I didn't want to spend a lot, and I wanted to find a plate that I wouldn't be upset about if it was to get scuffed up. In total I spent about $27 for three packs of candles and the plate.

Surprisingly finding the plate was difficult. I searched Target, online retail shops, and Amazon with no luck. Then I hit the jackpot! CB2's Bento collection is great and affordable. The "bento matte black rectangular platter" is $9.95 and 17.5" long which is great for a table centerpiece! 

Next, I just organically arranged the candles in a cluster and added different pillar heights to add some interest. Perfect!

You can find the plate and candles I used linked below and remember...you can never have enough candles! Happy decorating!

K xo

bento plate

pillar candles

Stylish Small Storage

One storage item I can never have enough of are stylish small containers. They can tidy up piles of change, become a home for your car keys and sunglasses, or add some pizzazz to your room. Here are four of my current favorites! 

One (psst click me!)   

Secrets? Gluten? Calories? I'm in! Jonathan Adler's porcelain canisters are amazing! The perfect place to stash some sweet treats.

two

Use these little bowls to stylishly store your loose change or keys by the front door!

three

I'm always on the hunt for stylish jewelry containers and these handy boxes do the trick.

four

I dream of HAY trays. They are fun, funky, and functional. You can build your own design and  arrangement by nesting them inside a larger tray. 

K xo

Nailed It

Ok, I have been stingy. It's time I shared one of my favorite London beauty spots with you! 

Being born and raised in Southern California I am use to seeing a nail salon on every corner. Some better than others, but for the most part you know exactly what to expect. When I first started bouncing back and forth between LA and London I was shocked by how difficult I found it to find a nail salon that I liked and that gave me the same quality I was spoiled with back home. 

I came across DryBy on Instagram and fell in love with the sleek decor and shiny shellac nails (try saying that fast!). DryBy has taken nail care to a new level. The service is always amazing, from being greeted and offered a drink to the finishing touches on your nails, you will be fully taken care of. Every single nail technician who I have had the pleasure of getting has been so friendly and most importantly a perfectionist! Edo is my absolute favorite, she has transformed my nails the last few times I have visited. The last shellac I had done lasted over three weeks without peeling or chipping! 

DryBy also has a blow dry bar upstairs where you can have your hair washed and styled. I have tried this service as well and it is equally as relaxing. They use top products which smell amazing and won't damage your hair. Cost wise, you get what you pay for. In California a gel manicure is much cheaper, but I have yet to find a place that offers the quality of service that DryBy provides. 

Tips: 

- BOOK AHEAD. The space is cozy and there are a limited amount of chairs that provide nail services, but this is NOT a downside because you get someone who will take the time with your nails and make sure they are perfect. Plus the space is not hectic and great for a girls catch up or some solo relaxation. If you are going with a friend mention this over the phone so you can sit next to each other. 

- PLAN FOR TIME. In a rush? Keep in mind a shellac manicure takes around an hour, give or take if you have previous shellac on your nails. A blow dry is a bit shorter. Take a friend and enjoy a coffee or glass of prosecco! 

- TRY SOMETHING NEW. DryBy offers so many color choices your mind will be blown. They also can do some pretty awesome nail art from marbling to intricate designs. Go on their Instagram @drybylondon to get some inspiration! My favorite colors are "Creekside", "Winter Glow", and "Field Fox".

Visit http://www.dryby.co.uk for details!

PS Can DryBy please open in Los Angeles?! 

K xo

Wonderland In London

Hi everyone! 

If you have been on Instagram and have seen a trendy, plush, baby pink dining room, chances are you have seen a picture of Sketch London. This past weekend I finally had the chance to visit Sketch with a girlfriend of mine who was visiting from Los Angeles! After seeing the photos of this pink wonderland Sketch seemed like the perfect place to have a girls afternoon. Now let's get to the good stuff, the details!

FOOD

Our first item we were presented with was caviar and a boiled quail egg accompanied by "soldiers" (small slices of toast you dip into the soft boiled egg). Personally I don't like caviar, but the plating was really cute and the egg was delicious. My friend who is a vegetarian was given cauliflower "caviar". 

Next up came a tray of assorted finger sandwiches and desserts! The sandwiches themselves are a bit of a twist on a traditional afternoon tea selection. The chicken and the duck egg and mayonnaise sandwiches were by far my favorites out of the four flavors. The other two sandwiches I left behind (which for those of you who know me, is shocking)! All of the mini desserts were very good, the only thing I did not try was the bubblegum flavored marshmallow twists. I personally think the only thing that should be bubblegum flavored is gum! 

Now the scones. Oh my gosh, they were scrumptious. My friend and I were plotting how to smuggle some home because they were so good.  Both the plain and raisin scone were warm and fluffy, almost biscuit like. They were to die for! 

Lastly, we were served a slice of Victoria sponge cake and pistachio cherry cake. To be honest both tasted a bit dry and after a bite we abandoned ship.  

The tea itself was delicious. My friend who has worked in a very well known New York tea house said that it was steeped to perfection. She enjoyed the Chai tea while I had the Moroccan Mint which was so good! 

SERVICE

Call or go online to book in advance. The staff member who helped me book our table over the phone was very nice and helpful when I mentioned I would be dining with a vegetarian. Every member of staff we encountered was exceptionally friendly and informative. The only downside was that no one checked on us after the food was brought to our table. We were told at the beginning of tea that we could change our tea flavor or order more items whenever we wanted to, but we had to flag someone down to get more tea and the extra sandwiches I asked for were never brought to the table. 

There is an in house "Tea Master" who is happy to answer any of your questions and to suggest something special if you want to try something new. I would take advantage of this and be adventurous with your tea selection! 

ATMOSPHERE

I would challenge you to find a more whimsical, gorgeous, and funky space than Sketch. We had tea in the Gallery but made a point to visit the Parlour and Glade rooms, each of which was impeccably decorated and had a great vibe. A classical trio played music starting around 12:30 in the Gallery which really added to the experience. All of the amazing artwork and ceramic tableware in the Gallery is by artist David Shrigley. I wanted to bring it all home with me! (PS it is all for sale both at Sketch and on their website.)

 Bathrooms. Oh yes, the famous egg pods bathrooms. Honestly, these reminded me of an airplane toilet or being in a portable loo! It does make for a great picture, but if you have time and need to go there are some magical restrooms following the paint splattered stairs. This is the most interesting bathroom I have ever been in. Black light and crystals adorn the walls, even the toilet paper is suspended by crystal chains. These restrooms are definitely worth a visit! 

COST

Afternoon tea for two was £131. Definitely more on the pricey side for tea, but you're also paying to having the experience of Sketch. Join everyone else and take advantage of the photo-friendly atmosphere and stock up on bathroom pod/tea drinking selfies. 

I would definitely visit again and try brunch or have a drink in the Glade. If you have an upcoming girls day, an out of town visitor, or even a date Sketch would be a unique place to go! 

For more information visit:

sketch.london

K xo

Cats and Coffee

It's the weekend! Ok, almost. For most of you with 9 to 5's you should be clocked out by now! If you are looking for something different to do this weekend I have two questions for you. 

1. Do you like coffee, tea, or cookies?
2. Do you like furry cuddly animals, specifically felines? 

If you answered YES then I have the place for you to visit! Crumbs & Whiskers on Melrose in Los Angeles is an amazing cat cafe that hosts plenty of furry friends waiting to be showered with attention.

Crumbs & Whiskers rehome cats from high kill shelters and give them a free range happy place to hang out and wait for their forever family. Every cat here is available for adoption! You can go online and book a time slot, which is highly recommended, and then go hang out with some cool cats while sipping a delicious chai latte. 

Here is the rundown, you will have to pay a fee to get in, but this fee helps C&W run the cat cafe. You are supporting the staff, the business, and most importantly the cats. Any delicious treat you order will be an additional cost. 

When you first enter you will sign a very short waiver, order some goodies and wait to go in! You will go in with a group of people, our group was small enough that everyone had a chance to play with all of the cats. Once inside you will listen to a very quick run down about the cats and house rules. Then you are good to start petting all the cats! For animal lovers like myself this is heaven. Our drink order came within 15 minutes, C&W is partnered with an outside food provider so they aren't preparing anything on site. 

Consider what time you want to visit, my friend and I went during the afternoon and the cats were taking their afternoon naps, so if you go earlier they might be more lively! 

Overall Crumbs & Whiskers is a great establishment and a really fun place to visit with friends, a new date, or even by yourself! In our group we had a man come solo and all the cats flocked to him. 

Cats and coffee, what more could you ask for!

For more information about Crumbs & Whiskers and their second location in DC visit the website below or check out @crumbs_whiskers on Instagram.

http://crumbsandwhiskers.com

Happy weekend!

K xo

You Too Can Be An Artist

It's true! 

I came across Alli Koch on Instagram a few weeks ago and instantly fell in love with her photographs and artwork. When I saw she put out a book where normal, semi artistic, but not overly gifted people like myself can master her floral achievements I was thrilled! Thanks to Alli we can all tap deeper into our artsy side. 

Yesterday the book arrived and it does not disappoint. The book itself is very well made and cute too. The hardcover version is spiral bound which makes it easy to lay flat on a table or workspace while you practice. The instructions are simple and easy to understand. On top of everything else, the flowers we can learn how to draw are gorgeous!  

"How To Draw Modern Florals" is perfect if you are wanting to polish up your drawing skills, want to make coloring pages, create artwork that you can embellish with hand lettering, and so much more!

I purchased my copy on Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/How-Draw-Modern-Florals-Introduction/dp/194451550X/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

Alli Koch can be found on Instagram @allikdesigns  

Grab yo pens, grab yo pencils, grab yo paper! 

Happy doodling!

K xo 

Plant Party...And You're Invited

Succulents aren't going anywhere!

After staring longingly at every terrarium and cactus I came into contact with I decided to take the plunge. I would own a terrarium! 

Recently cacti and terrariums have become increasingly popular and it doesn't seem to be a trend that will fade away anytime soon. Our house needed a little green pick me up so I set out to make a black thumb friendly, cost effective terrarium. Guess what? It's totally possible to do! 

Set off to your local Hobby Lobby and get ready for some fun. (Or if you like online shopping like me, order away!)

What you will need:

-terarrium of your choice: Hobby Lobby has many different fun shapes and finishes, I chose the "Small Square Gold Metal & Glass Terrarium" 

-artifical succulent: I only needed one "succulent pick" to fill my terrarium even though I purchased two. For those of you who want a real succulent always remember to go to your local hardware shop and take a look. I recently took a trip to a well known home furniture and accessories store and they were selling their small cacti for anywhere between $10-$20, ouch! That's not even counting the $40 terrarium. 

-bag of moss: I chose the "Green & Red Moss Variety Pack"

-scissors: you can cut the bendy "stem" of your artificial succulent if you need to, my tip is to bend it and use it to keep your succulent in place

Worlds Easiest Instructions:

-Go ahead and place your succulent inside the terrarium and position it. You can use the metal bendable "stem" to help your succulent stay propped up. Don't worry this will get covered with the moss!

-Open your bag of moss and pick out your favorite pieces. I chose to leave the red color out of my terrarium. Scatter the wood chip pieces on the bottom and then continue to layer the fluffier moss on top. This will give your terrarium a realistic look. 

-Spin your terrarium around and make sure your moss is covering your succulent stem. 

Congrats! You're now the proud owner of a maintenance free terrarium! How cool are you? In total my terrarium cost less than $25 and I had an extra succulent and moss left over. Don't forget that Hobby Lobby usually has a 40% off coupon, use this for your terrarium if it isn't already on sale. 

Happy planting!

K xo

Summer Shopping: Iceland

Hello all!

This summer I took a trip back to Iceland to see it in a completely different season. It was absolutely gorgeous. The landscape is unreal, the food is delicious, and the people are so friendly. Reykjavik is a beautiful city and this trip I discovered some amazing shops I wanted to share with you. Keep reading and start planning your Reykjavik shopping adventure! 

First up: My Concept Store

If I could move into a store and live there it would be in this shop. My Concept Store has the most amazing and special home accessories as well as gift items. They carry a lot of local artists which I love. I picked up one of these gold brushed mugs. So cool! The vibe of this store is so modern, sleek, and cool all while being very inviting. If you're in Reykjavik go! 

Website- myconceptstore.com (The store itself has MUCH more than the website.)

Location- downtown Reykjavik, Laugavegur 45

Home goods galore! Hrim

Look no further for amazing stationary and quirky home decorations. I loved this store and it's wide selection of fun items! Whether you're looking for a fun Icelandic greeting card, a new necklace, or notepad Hrim has it. There's also the larger store on the same street that carries more kitchen and household goods. 

Website- hrim.is 

Locations- Hrim Honnunarhus - Laugavegi 25

Hrim Eldhus - Laugavegi 32
 
 

Aurum!

Arum is located on one of the main streets in Reykjavik. I wandered in this shop and was so excited by the products they carry! Unique gift items such as specialty soaps, home goods like the cool copper hangers pictured, and more can be found inside. It is definitely worth stopping in for a look! 

Website- aurum.is

Location- Bankastraeti 4 101, Reykjavik

I hope you get the chance to visit Iceland and take advantage of all it has to offer! Check out grapevine.is for local Icelandic news and travel tips. 

K xo

Makeup Hack: Foundation Frustration

Hi guys! Are you ready for some Spring cleaning? 

I have been tackling a personal organizing mission, going through my bathroom items! Storage in UK bathrooms is far less than what I have been spoiled with in the states. 

As I was going through makeup, hoping to discard bone dry foundation bottles and too dark creams (I can't tan to save my life), I realized that one of my number one used foundation bottles had TONS of hidden product still inside that the pump was no longer able to push out. 

As an organizer I believe in decluttering and not holding on to items that you do not need, but seeing this trapped makeup that I use every day at the bottom of the bottle drove me crazy! 

Instead of tossing it right away I decided to try to extract what was left and use it all up before moving on to the next bottle! How many of us throw away makeup products because we think they're empty? I know I've done it! 

-First step is to try pumping out all the makeup normally (if your bottle has the small push pump). This will easily clear out anything that you can use straight away. 

-Next, can you turn the bottle upside down? Maybe balance it on its cap? This will bring all of the liquid product to the cap. Be aware that when you unscrew or open the top you could have a lot of product come rushing out! I wouldn't wear your nicest outfit while doing this. Trust me, because I did! 

-After a few hours all of your makeup will have settled to the bottom and be easily accessible once you open the cap. I had my bottles rest overnight. 

-Now take your small travel screw top container, like the one pictured above (you can by these at any drug store), and open the lid. 

-Loosen the lid of your makeup slowly and place the open bottle over the new small plastic container and shake that baby out! I even rested my makeup bottle over the container so it could drain all of the liquid makeup out. Give it a few taps if you need to.

-Tip: use the pump to scrape out any excess makeup that is slow to come out of the bottle. Don't be afraid to use your fingers!

Tadaa!! You're finished! Now chuck that empty bottle in the trash and enjoy a few days more worth of makeup! It's a bit of work but if you're using an expensive foundation or just want to get what you paid for, like me, it's worth the extra 10 mins of work! I'm sure you can do this for any liquid beauty products such as lotions and foundations.

Do you have any makeup hacks that you use? Comment below and let me know! 

K xo

Travel Tips

Hi guys! I have spent the past month traveling to Iceland, Los Angeles, New York, and London. I thought I would share a few of my travel organizing tips that I use when I'm on the go! ✈️

1. Don't overpack! I've made this mistake so many times. Plan out your outfits before you leave. Bring clothing items that you can mix and match! Writing a quick list can help you rule out the extras. 

If you HAVE to bring those three extra sweaters you can't live without, use SpaceBags! Remember, if you don't have the roll up kind you will need a vacuum to make everything you packed will fit back into the suitcase! 

2. Use packing cubes. I LOVE packing cubes. They make it easy to keep clothing items separate and organized. You can also just grab a cube out quickly and go! 

Example: A "bedtime" cube. Put your pjs, comfy socks, and anything else you need in one cube and then you won't have to scramble to get everything you need for bedtime. This helps especially when you get in really late from a flight! 

Also, (if you don't have access to a washer on your trip) keep a cube for "dirty clothes" to keep them separate from your clean clothing. 

You can purchase them off of amazon. Just type in "packing cubes"…the "Amazon Basics" brand are my favorite.

3. Keep toiletries in a waterproof/leakproof zip up compartment. Muji and Target sell great options, and you can always use Ziploc baggies and then double bag them! The last thing you want to deal with when you arrive at your destination and open your luggage is see that your blue mouthwash has leaked all over your beautiful clothes! (It's happened to me, sigh.)

These are just a few of my go to tips for packing! I hope these will help you with your next trip. Feel free to ask me any of my favorite products or if you have any travel questions. Happy traveling!

K xo 

Get With The Calligraphy Craze

New Years Goal: Be more on top of regularly posting blogs! 

Ok, so now that that is out of the way, happy new year everyone! I hope you are feeling refreshed and recharged. I had the opportunity to take some amazing workshops in the fall that I would love to share with you! I really wanted to embrace being in London and take advantage of all the fun things the city has to offer. 

First up is Quill London's "Modern Calligraphy" workshops. I had the opportunity to take both the beginning and intermediate classes on the same day. These workshops are so much fun! I have wanted to try my hand at calligraphy and as you have probably noticed, calligraphy is taking the social media and stationary world by storm! 

Some of the many things I enjoyed about the classes were the delicious treats provided (food makes me VERY happy), the fact that the price of the workshop included ALL materials needed to continue on practicing calligraphy at home, and the location of the workshop. The workshops were held in Islington, just a short walk from the Angel tube station at a very nice pub called The Blacksmith and The Toffeemaker. There is a lot around this area so if you wanted to grab a quick coffee on the way or get snack afterwards you have plenty of options.

Everyone at the workshop was so kind and friendly. Our instructor was Imogen Owen. Imogen is a very established calligrapher who runs her own letterpress studio! She is fantastic. I suggest checking out her Instagram and website (link below). Imogen is a great teacher and so much fun. I also had the chance to talk to everyone at my table and met some wonderful people. Being new to London the workshop was a great way to get out and socialize!   

Overall these workshops were amazing. I would suggest starting with the "Beginners Modern Calligraphy" one weekend and then advancing to the intermediate on the following weekend if you can. My hand was quite sore after doing both workshops in one day (that's almost five hours of calligraphy)! It will also give you the chance to practice. 

Check out Quill London's website for dates and prices. They also offer a couple of different courses such as brush lettering and paper flower making.

Let me know if you have any questions about the workshops (or anything else you can think up)! 

K xo

Quill London- Instagram @quilllondon Website quilllondon.com

Imogen Owen- Instagram @immieowen  Website imogenowen.com

Next up on the blog…screen printing workshop and flower arranging class!

Digital Organizing Machine

June 5, 2015

Technology obsessed.

Most people today are. We have our laptops, our music players, iPads, and cell phones attached to our hands 24/7.

Have you ever thought about whether these pieces of technology were organized and functional? You know how slow your phone works when it’s clogged up with thousands of pictures and messages! It’s as important as ever to think about being digitally organized. If these devices are an important part of your life you want them to be working fast and clear of digital clutter.

Here are some tips to help us minimize those pesky digital headaches!

Cell Phones:

-PHOTOS: Sync photos to a desktop/laptop computer or external hard drive at least once a month. Thousands of photos will slow down your phone and also consume a lot of the available memory. Before you sync, think about going through the photos on you phone and deleting ones you don’t wish to keep. It will make organizing them later a lot easier if you have less “trash” photos!

-MESSAGES: Do you still have messages from 2011 in your cell phone? Don’t be ashamed, I did too! It was only upon syncing my phone that I realized all these texts take up a LOT of space! There can be multiple megabytes worth of space taken up by old text messages. If they aren’t needed for information or sentimental purposes delete the whole stream! You will be amazed at how doing this will clear up space and help your phone run faster.

-APPS: Some apps store info on your phone, like a picture editing app or a messaging app. Once again go through and delete any unneeded messages and photos and clear up some space!

Laptops:

-DESKTOP: This is the main screen on your computer where all those icons and folders are! How does your desktop look? Do you have twenty miscellaneous folders and pictures scattering the screen? Try condensing those folders and file pictures into appropriate folders as well. If you screen has a clean look you will be more motivated to get some work done and focus on the task at hand.

-PHOTOS: I’ve been on a mission to organize thousands and thousands of photos on my computer. Filing them into folders as you upload them can really help cut down on disorganization. Delete anything you don’t need! Those pictures will take up a lot of space on your computer so having the important stuff in order is key. Have all of your photos in one or two places on your computer, whether it’s in iPhoto or a separate folder on your desktop. You don’t want to be searching for a specific photo for an hour!

Happy organizing!

 K xo

Vancouver Gems

The Cross Design and Decor and Parliament Interiors located in Gastown, Vancouver

May 23, 2015

While visiting Vancouver this week I ended up embarking on a mini adventure! Instead of taking a cab home after a morning of visiting the Vandusen Botanical Garden, my boyfriend and I decided to walk the six miles back to our hotel so that we could catch a glimpse of the Vancouver skyline from across the water. Now just so you know, when I say we “decided” to do this it was because we had forgotten to get out any Canadian money for the cab ride home! Whoops.

It was amazing what we would have missed if we had gone straight back to the hotel.  Sometimes walking around a new city with no thought out plan of action is the best way to discover little hidden gems.

While on our hundred mile journey (it felt like it, because I had chosen to wear sandals that day), we stopped at a few adorable home decor shops. I tend to focus mostly on the actual process of organizing, but I am a firm believer that having a few amazing pieces of decor can instantly liven up a room. Interior design is a passion of mine and these shops did not disappoint!

Rove Concepts-

Funny enough, a few weeks ago we ordered our dining room table from this company not knowing anything about them beforehand. We literally just happened to walk by their showroom located on Oak Street. They have such cool, modern, and classic furniture designs. Very friendly service as well! Check them out here: http://www.roveconcepts.com

The Cross Design and Decor-

AMAZING treasures for your home! If I could somehow live inside this shop I would. It is 8,000 sq ft of heaven. Anything cool you can think of and many things the brain could never dream up you will find here. I noticed they have a lot more in the store then they offer on their online store so if you are ever in Yaletown it is definitely worth a visit. Here’s their website: http://thecrossdesign.com

Parliament Interiors-

Do you like adorable succulents in modern sleek pots? Do you like sleek copper bowls and fun wall art? If you answered yes to any of these questions you are in luck! Parliament is a trendy little shop in Gastown that we visited. They had a whole section of succulents that were so perfect I considered trying to smuggle one across the boarder to get it home. Ok i’m not THAT adventurous, but a girl can dream! I feel like this shop has a better selection of smaller items to decorate with inside the actual store versus their online store so add it to your list of places to visit! http://www.parliamentinteriors.com

I hope you find some inspiration from these cute shops! Let me know if you have any questions…

Oh, and yes we did end up making our way to that spectacular view!

K xo

Closet Talk

May 7, 2015

How is your relationship going? Having a rough patch? Avoiding the mess?

I’m talking about your relationship with your closet of course!

You should love your closet and all the goodies you keep in it. When you look at your closet it shouldn’t make you want to stay in your pjs all day because the task of finding “that” shirt you wanted to wear today might take you hours to actually locate. (If you do hang out in your jammies all day, because of a non-closet related reason, that’s all good. I do it too!)

So, do you and your closet need some therapy to get back on the right track?

That’s what organizers are here for! My dream is to have you open up your closet and feel relaxed, happy, even excited! Closets can be fun, but most importantly should be functional. If you can’t find your work clothes ten minutes before you leave, or that top you wanted to wear on a first date, it’s going to be frustrating!

Creating more space is also important. The picture above are some of the bulky (but beautiful) wood hangers that I used for a closet makeover. All of the clothes hangers in this couples closet were wood, but to make more space for hanging clothes we found a compromise. Isn’t that what relationships are all about?

On her side we used the thinner felt hangers that have become so popular, and on his side we used the more masculine wood hangers! This created more space for hanging her clothes and still kept around the hangers he preferred.

You can buy the thin felt hangers in so many retail stores now! Places like Target, Marshall’s, Home Goods, and even on Amazon if you want to shop online. They come in almost every color so you can also spice up your closet space by adding some color.

I wish you and your closet a long and happy relationship!

Contact me if you have any questions!

K xo

Wrapping Up The Mess Pt 1

May 5, 2015

RIP Tissue paper…

Torn tissue. Sad squished bows. Crinkled gift bags.

Who else knows this situation all too well? Unfortunately I do!

As an organizer I know you probably envision everything in my house to be lined up and orderly. I won’t lie to you, most areas are, but wrapping items have always been a sore spot for me.

I have tried keeping everything nice and neat. I place tissue paper inside gift bags, place those gift bags inside a nice plastic storage tub, and tuck them away in a cabinet. Somehow everything still gets crinkled, ripped, or lost!

During the NAPO conference I spotted something that caught my eye. A product that seems to make all your wrapping paper headaches disappear. The Wrap iT! A clever product that has fun pockets and an area for all the big and little things. Best part is, you hang it up and you’re done! Being conscious of space is part of what I do and I love that this product takes a large amount of wrapping paper, craft supplies, even toys and books and condenses it neatly into one package.

I’m sharing my unorganized dirty little secret with you because i’m looking forward to receiving my Wrap iT and transforming the clutter! See, even organizers have personal projects we work on.

Stay tuned and I will try the Wrap iT and see if I can banish my wrapping paper blues for good!

K xo

Embrace The Instagram

April 25, 2015

BOOM! The “Embrace The Space” Instagram is now up and running

One of the many pieces of knowledge I took away from conference last week was to create separate social media accounts for personal and business use.

So here it is! I have created a strictly business (still fun, of course) Instagram page. Now you won’t have to look at my delicious food or my adorable two French Bulldogs. Because who wants to look at those kinds of things when you can check out some cool organizing tips and projects!

Follow me on Instagram @embracethespace

K xo

Shoot For The Stars

April 23, 2015

Towards the end of March things got a little crazy.

My home in Los Angeles sold, my flight back got moved up a month, and I pretty much had no idea all the chaos that would ensue.

Through all the schedule changes one amazing thing did happen…I was now in LA in time to attend the NAPO Annual Conference & Organizing Expo. It’s basically Disneyland for professional organizers. I had debated whether or not to attend just because of everything going on but let me tell you, it was the smartest choice I made deciding to go!

As soon as I stepped into the hotel on day one I was greeted by so many friendly NAPO members. In fact Ann Gambrell (one of the five founders of NAPO) herself told me to definitely not enter the elevator I was about to step into or I would get lost. She pointed me in the right direction and soon enough I was registered and ready to learn!

I had signed up for the buddy program since this was my first time attending conference and am also a newer member of NAPO. I don’t know how Beth Fuchs did it, but she paired me with two great women who I’m sure I will continue to have relationships with for many many years. Deann Bolinder was my veteran conference buddy and April Knox, also a new member to NAPO, was on our buddy team.

The entire conference was an amazing experience. I met so many kind people who were so open to helping April and I answer our many burning questions about the business. Each day I attended some great sessions and went home feeling inspired.

Going to conference was an eye opening event, and I have no doubt the information I learned will help me be a better organizer. At the end of the day every organizer at the conference had the same goal, to better learn how to help others.

I’m looking forward to seeing everyone next year in Atlanta for the NAPO 2016 conference!

K xo

Back To The Sunshine

April 15, 2015

Hello month of April!

I was planning a trip back to sunny Los Angeles during the month of May, but our home we had on the market sold quickly. Before I knew it, I was on a plane and am back a month earlier! I am officially becoming the queen of moving. Moving can be stressful, especially when you leave packing until the last minute, which I won’t say I did (but I did). The sight of cardboard boxes makes me shiver after many intense hours of piling 4,000 sq ft worth of items into them! Thankfully there are many great moving companies in Los Angeles, our favorite being Gentle Giant. They will pack up your household items, artwork, and furniture as well as move everything!

The timing of everything worked out well and I am glad to be back in LA earlier then expected! I am now able to attend the NAPO 2015 annual conference and organizing expo in downtown Los Angeles! I will be there this Wednesday through Saturday.

Hope everyone has a great week!

P.S.

Here are a couple of packing/moving tips!

-When packing your suitcase for a trip I like to make a note of everything I’m packing. It gives me a chance to weed out any unnecessary items that I might not need. Also it gives me a chance to think about what I’m packing before it’s actually inside the suitcase. Try breaking the list down by categories, for instance if you’re packing clothing start with a “Shirts” or “Bottoms” column and so on.  I also like keeping this list with me in my handbag so when my luggage arrives I know that I haven’t lost anything!

-Moving can be a great opportunity to see what you have in your home that you don’t use or need. Go through room by room when packing and make a trash and donate pile. Only take items with you that serve a purpose! You don’t want to fill your new home with items that will fill up valuable space. I did this and we filled a truck with trash and also had trash bags ready for donation!

K xo