Spring Cleaning Time!

This is not a drill. Spring is here so you know what that means right?

SPRING CLEANING!

I may or may not have a lot of clothes (denial, yes I know) so Spring cleaning is such a hassle for me.

I truly feel every time I transition my clothes out I find less space that I do previously which is beyond me, honestly. However, the time has come for us to pack away the winter coats, bulky sweaters, and boots just in time for the warm weather.

Now, if your like me than space can be limited so organization is a such a staple for me.

First thing first, the 1 year rule is going to come into full effect during this time, and to be honest this is somewhat of a struggle for me. The 1 year rule is that if you have not worn or the clothing does not bring your joy in the last year then toss it! Yes, I know this is difficult we all have those pieces that we hold on to because we are waiting for that moment to fit into it or the perfect occasion and yes that MAY be true (you should still considering tossing). But for the other pieces that has been taking up space for years you can donate them to either a family member or Goodwill and if it’s in pretty good condition you can resell it.

So by now you should be in a chaotic mess, don’t worry we are working through it. You should have about 3 different piles (toss, donate, and sell) in addition to the clothes that you are keeping here’s where the fun part come in ORGINIZATION!

During my spring cleaning last year I had purchased these AMAZING under the bed storage bins, they have wheels for easy navigation and very slim that does not take up too much space. I truly love them, they are durable enough to hold all my chunky sweaters. I personally have two that I break up between Fall/Winter and Spring/Summer for the overload I couldn’t pack into my closet. Pro Tip: Whatever you have multiples of skirts, shorts, long sleeves, etc. you can take out a couple pair at a time and pack the rest away in your bin so that you have space for other pieces.

In addition to the storage bins a clothing rack is also second most important it gives the visualization of your clothes so pieces don’t get lost in the background, it is front and center so you HAVE to wear it. I recently found these pants hangers that has raised end and easy slip that I also use for skirts as well they are super slim so they do not take up much space on the rack while making room for all other pieces.

The last thing to do is to fill in the gaps don’t go overboard with this one you are just finding pieces that you truly need after clearing out the old. Funny story, I used to have extra hangers after doing the one year clean out so I would buy extra clothes totally things I didn’t need just to fill all the hangers I had remaining and over stuff my closet again with clothes I’ll never wear (let’s just say I stopped that a long time ago after bank statements).

Coming from me who has a little more then too much clothes juts know, I GET IT. But hopefully these small tips can be implemented in your spring cleaning this year.

P.S Drop a comment with your favorite closet cleaning tips.

Hope it helps-

SMG

No Resolutions Only Intentions.. 2021

Ok, we’ve finally concurred 2020 and I must say, WHAT A YEAR! I remember in the beginning of 2020 I wrote a email to myself with the word of the year and a list of goals that I want to accomplished. The word that I predicted was: Vision. I was so sure that “this year was going to be my year” as everybody else in the world. But then, we were hit with things I don’t think any person could predict global pandemic, racial pandemic, virtual school, and the infamous working from home. All the goals I set I quietly diminished. But in the mist of all the constant changing I learned one of the biggest lessons, and that was to give myself Grace. When you break down the definition of the word grace it states “a disposition to kindness and compassion” so when you think about it this was something that we all needed. To understand the value of showing Grace to not only yourself but to others too we are all trying to navigate even me.

So we made it to 2021..

Let’s go over our 2021 checklist shall we?

1. Vision/ Execution board- The foundation of all your intentions for the year that you want to concur. Use this as a blank canvas as you are starting fresh for the new year.

2. 2021 Planner - Now that you have all of your goals written down, how are you going to concur them? A planner is so essential it holds you accountable (which is something I STRUGGLE with) but it’s a great thing to plan out your day and set those big visions into daily goals.

3. New Year cleaning ( getting rid of anything old) - Being and working in clutter is never a good thing and a cluttered mind can not be productive. Somethings that you can declutter is your social media, unfollowing accounts and people that does not serve you purpose or make you feel good about yourself. Clean out your closet (this a hard one for me) but if you haven’t worn it in 1 year then it serves no purpose it’s no good for you. Lastly is your space, that can be your bedroom or any space that gives you the ultimate peace. Clean out that junk draw, get some new organizational pieces, and create a sane space.

   I hope these few things helped you navigate this new year. While we are only in the first few weeks it’s okay to not have it all figured out. Yes be intentional but also be present in the moment the best I think all have learned is to live in the moment.

   Hope it helps!

Quarantine & Chill 2.0

If you haven’t noticed most states are back on lockdown, number of cases is increasing daily and it looks like we’ll be home for the rest of the year. Now, if you’re like me you probably feel like Groundhog Day. Where you are stuck in a time warp and it’s the same thing happening over and over again.  In times like this it can be very hard on your mental health. More anxiety and anxious moments of not knowing or being able to see love ones and waiting to hear what’s happening in the world can be triggering.   

I have gathered some things that you can do to take your mind off of the events of the world. Remember all you can do is be present, not overthink what tomorrow can bring, and try your best to keep yourself safe during this pandemic. 

Workout

Just to be honest, I hate working out just like the next person. However, I am honestly sad that gyms are apart of the new restrictions to be closed. I just recently joined a new gym F45 and started to find my routine with exercising. In transparency during the last lockdown stress eating had became my new friend and the pounds were a bonus bestie. But as we are here once again we should try to utilize different ways to move our bodies to keep those extra pounds away! Some different ways are going for a walk, having a Zoom class with friends/trainer, or YouTube workouts. Some of my favorite YouTubers are Chloe Ting and Madfit I like both of these ladies because everything is done in real time, meaning that they are doing the exact moves and able to give that extra boast of motivation.

Start A New Show

After hours of Zoom meetings, conference calls, and hours of staring at a computer screen at the end of the day you need moments to decompress. It’s always good to find something to relieve the day and mine is watching a showing. There are a plethora of new shows that you can binge! So, get the biggest glass of win and I’ll go over just a few. I have been in love with interior design, organizing, and finding anyway to better my space. Get Organized with The Home Edit has me on The Container Store almost everyday looking at new organizing solutions to unclutter my space. Another favorite is Dream Home Makeover I am IN LOVE with the McGee family the attention to detail in every space that they decorate is AMAZING I could move to Utah right now.! But I love taking her knowledge and finding cool new pieces to elevate my space to provide me good energy and Zen.

Try A New Recipe

Cooking is a great stress reliever, for me at least. The process of taking ingredients and making something amazing that you will enjoy is amazing. With the holidays coming, it this is the perfect time to try some new recipes to share with love ones even if it’s over FaceTime. A new food bloggers that I have been learning new recipes from is The Modern Proper they have some of the best soup and most of their dishes take 30 mins or less they recently posted there 40 Best Thanksgiving Side recipes, so check that out to try a twist on Thanksgiving classics. Another food blogger that I have been following is Just Add Hot Sauce (Alex) she is always showing new recipes with fresh ingredients and authentic Puerto Rican cuisine. She also has live segment “cooking with friends” on her Instagram plus she answers every question (trust me I know). Fresh pasta coming right up!

I hope these few suggestions give you some new ideas to decompress and some distractions from the difficult transition. Also remember you are not alone in having these emotions as we are all trying to navigate to make it through the day. Take a moment to take a deep breath and give yourself grace.

Hope it helps!

What’s Your Mental Forecast?

I remember listening to a podcast and the host mentioned that “mental health is super taboo even in this day and age of self-care, people are scared to say hey I’m not doing good”. And when I thought about it I couldn’t agree with it more, I think that people don’t talk about their mental health because it stops them from being “perfect”. It shifts the way that people view them so they mask it because who doesn’t want to be “perfect”?

So, we spend so much time masking or hiding our feelings that when it is time to show up we don’t know how to show out because everything is covered and we can’t efficiently express ourselves. 

That’s what ignited this “Mental Forecast”, I used to ask my girlfriend in college how they felt but in terms of weather as a conversation started to honestly and wholeheartedly express the things that are hard to say out loud. 

In truth it was more for me than anybody else, I have such a hard time with expressing how I feel and I keep so much bottled up so I thought that if I could break it down into something everybody can identify with than it’s easier. Let’s face it, everybody knows weather forecast they have experience rain, sleet, or snow (if you’re lucky) and it makes the hard stuff easier to talk about. 

 Literally you could take something so heavy and put it into the perspective of something so simple and start the conversation of healing and understanding yourself mentally and spiritually. So, while you have a moment by yourself or an intimate moment with a close group of friends take a second to really resonate with where you are mentally and while you have that find something that would help or keep it afloat.

I hope it helps! 

25 Things I’ve Learned By 25

Alexa, Play Ratchet Happy Birthday by Drake. I was once told that if you tell God your plan then he’ll laugh at you, and I know that he’s not laughing but Golden Year during a Pandemic? That’s something to remember. From my past 25 years on this earth ( yea I sound real old), I have had many set backs, fails, triumphs, and amazing experiences but in the mist of all of that I have had GROWTH. 

So with that being said I have curated a list of the 25 things that I’ve learned by 25 :

1.    Take every opportunity that presents itself

2.    Save now because girl Student Loans will come 

3.    Take time to learn how you want to express yourself to others 

4.    Be honest with yourself ALWAYS

5.    Always give the energy you want to receive

6.    Travel while you can and make memories because they will last forever! 

7.    Enjoy your college years TRUST IT WILL fly!

8.    Be intentional with communicating, everything is a two-way street

9.    Take risk if needed it will always be a learning experience

10. Make scarifies

11.Be the authentic you 

12. Always stand in your truth 

13. Never stop perfecting your craft

14.Keep POSITIVE and Uplifting people in your circle 

15. Build with those around, Pro Tip: they are around you for a reason

16.Be Optimistic and don’t dwell on the past 

17. Learn that it’s ok to not be OK 

18. Establish a morning routine

19. Remember your mental health is more important than a paycheck 

20.Always stay ten toes down

21. Create a space that YOU LOVE 

22. Create a self-care routine 

23.If you fail it’s okay 

24. Do the WORK the accolades will come 

25.ALWAYS BET ON YOURSELF AND WORTH