BEDKNOBS & BAUBLES

Weekend Roundup

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Weekend Links on Bedknobs & Baubles
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Forty-five fall décor ideas.

I love this pastel plaid topcoat. It’s an unexpected palette for fall, plus it’ll work wonderfully in the spring.

Angela transformed her builder-grade beige tiles with paint in this inspiring DIY.

Turkey is moving forward with plans to flood a 10,000-year-old city, forcing residents to relocate.

What to say when someone asks when you’re going to get married.

One of my biggest annoyances in our home office is the number of cords that are on the floor that I have to keep the cat from chewing on. I love Ashley’s tips for cord management.

As if we need another reason to shop at Target. (And don’t forget that the hottest pieces from past designer collaborations will be reissued on Sept. 14!)

This bag is far outside of my price range, but it makes me so happy! It looks like the crochet throw blanket my parents had when I was growing up! It also comes in white.

Korean beef bowls look like an easy weeknight meal. It’s also paleo and Whole 30 approved.

I’m in total agreement with this! I didn’t have to pony up the money for Global Entry (which includes TSA PreCheck) because I have a credit card that covers it, but I’d do it again in a heartbeat and I don’t even travel that often compared to some people.

Finds Under $50:

Earlier This Week:

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What I Do Every Day For a Happier Life

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What to do for a happier life
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A few weeks ago, I was nearing a breaking point with stressors that kept snowballing. I was frustrated with my failing weight-loss journey, overwhelmed with my to-do list at work, felt like I wasn’t getting along with anyone, down on myself for not being further along with home-improvement projects, and annoyed by the piles of clutter around the house. Not exactly earth-shattering or unique challenges, but I felt so paralyzed by it all that I didn’t know where to begin. It seemed that every step forward was in vain because nothing was righting itself and staying that way.

One morning after a particularly discouraging number on the scale, I went downstairs to make breakfast and passed our dining room table which is a glorified dumping-ground for items during the week. I sighed and thought, “That’s it. I’ll take a few minutes to pick this up and then I’ll make a healthy breakfast.” Those were two small things that I could do that would be a step in the right direction and address both problems.

The idea of doing at least one thing every single day to take care of myself and my home kept coming up, and I finally started being more intentional about it. It has made me so much happier overall to look back at the end of the day knowing that there was at least one thing that I did to improve my wellbeing and my environment. They don’t have to be major accomplishments either. Sometimes something as simple as making a healthy meal and cleaning up afterward checks both boxes. Other days are more ambitious with cycling for nine miles (my longest non-stop stretch yet!) and cleaning the bathroom. Heck, even turning in early and getting a full eight hours of sleep is a win. This helps me acknowledge the good things I do rather than fixate on the things I haven’t gotten around to yet.

I wouldn’t say it has become a mantra — yet — but I do find myself thinking, “Do at least one thing to better myself and one to better my home today.”

For the former, diet and exercise are the easiest ways to address that, but I don’t think it needs to stop there. Emotional health and working on passion projects fall under that purview, too. Here are some of the things I’ve done for myself:

  • Go for a walk
  • Bike longer than the last time
  • Plan healthy meals for the week, and make sure to eat a low-calories breakfast and lunch on days we have evening plans
  • Read a book
  • Dedicate time to a hobby (the blog!)
  • Do a face mask
  • Allow time to go to bed early
  • Give myself permission to say “no” to invites if I need a night to myself to keep my sanity

On the home front, most of things I’ve been doing have been to keep up on the cleaning chore list. Here are some examples:

  • Pick up clutter
  • Clean the kitchen right away after cooking
  • Scrub the bathroom
  • Make progress on a larger home project
  • Dust surfaces
  • Make the bed
  • Put laundry away and hang rejected outfits back up

In any case, this has been working for me and I thought I’d pass it along if you’re also looking for a digestible way to break down some of your larger goals or just keep up on your task list. I’d also love to know some of the ways you deal with stress and how your carve out time for yourself and your home each day!

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Weekend Roundup

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Weekend Links on Bedknobs & Baubles
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The short week was wonderful, even if we’re heading into my busiest time of year at work and I could have used another day at the office! It looks like it’ll be a beautiful weekend with crisp, fall-like weather, so we’ll be out and about on our bikes for most of it. And, we’re especially excited about our cycling adventure today when we head toward the UW-Madison campus for Badger tailgating before the game. I’m purposely keeping Sunday’s social agenda clear so I can make progress on some house projects. Enjoy your weekend!

I just started following Erin Francois on Instagram for her beautiful, inspiring interiors. (She has over 63,000 followers, so I’m apparently late to the game!)

Leonardo da Vinci may have painted another “Mona Lisa.”

I’m obsessed with this artist and would love to add this print to my collection.

Apartment Therapy is starting a “September Sweep” on Monday with 15 daily challenges to keep you focused on decluttering your space. Get into the mindset this weekend by getting rid of one thing. (We organized our garage last month and realized that we have six Rubbermaid bins full of stuff we haven’t looked at or thought about since we moved in two years ago. Some of it we’ll keep, but a lot can be donated like two bins of clothes that don’t fit, so I have quite a bit of decluttering ahead of me this fall!)

A convincing case for making Utah your next travel destination.

A designer shares her solutions for flipped-house mistakes.

Have you seen Jenny Bird’s fall collection? So. Good. I want it all, but I’d happily settle with these earrings, this ring, and this necklace.

I think it’s amazing that in just six years, the U.S. nearly eliminated the demand for incandescent light bulbs.

Anna Wintour is teaching an online class on creativity and leadership.

The University of Illinois has an entire page dedicated to stain removal. Bookmark it.

Trader Joe’s released an “Everything but the Bagel” dip.

Finds Under $50:

Earlier This Week:

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Happy Labor Day + Link Roundup

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Weekend Links on Bedknobs & Baubles
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Happy Labor Day! I hope you’re enjoying your last summer holiday before autumn! We’re going to replace our old storm door today, which isn’t exactly the most relaxing way to spend Labor Day. The package promises a 45-minute install, but we all know we’re looking at closer to three hours with removing the old door and troubleshooting whatever will come up!

British fashion photographer Rankin published a series of selfies retouched by the subject to make them “social media ready.” It’s eye-opening.

I made my first fall purchase of the year and splurged on gorgeous patent leather, tortoise shell pumps. Plus, they’re incredibly comfortable thanks to that block heel! I can’t wait to wear them with everything from LBDs to jeans and sweaters. Then I made my second fall purchase: these earrings. The online photos don’t do them justice. They’re sparkly, eye-catching, and lightweight.

The London Underground will start collecting waste heat to warm homes, offices, and community centers.

This guide is giving me confidence to paint our kitchen and bathroom cabinets since a full remodel is a long way off. And while we’re on the topic of kitchens, have you seen Ashley’s reflections on how her DIY renovations held up?

Szechuan noodles with sesame chili oil is my idea of comfort food.

I saw this lamp on Lea’s Instagram and now I can’t stop thinking about it. I love the idea of mixing the modern, industrial lamp with more traditional pieces. We’re on the lookout for a credenza for our dining room and I’m hoping that it’ll be the perfect perch for the lamp!

The Amazon rainforest is still burning and it’s easy to feel helpless when we’re so far away, but there are things we can do to help.

How did “sexy milkmaid” become a popular look? (Looking at you, Reformation.)

If you’re looking for a high-impact art installation, this DIY might be just the thing!

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What You May Have Missed:

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Life Lately

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What to Wear in Seattle
outfit details in this post

My goodness, it’s been nearly a month since I’ve last checked in here or on Instagram. I’ve been so focused on spending time away from a screen when I’m home that the blog hasn’t neared the top of my priority list. I’ve been soaking up this past month of summer visiting with friends, enjoying cocktails on our deck, attending Madison’s outdoor concerts, mastering our new grill, going for bike rides (even if I still haven’t lost the 10 pounds I gained in Portugal), and working on projects around the house that require nicer weather. It’s actually been really nice to take the self-imposed pressure of blogging off my plate so I can enjoy those perfect little moments.

Time away has also made me think about my relationship with blogging. I’ve been sharing my thoughts online ever since LiveJournal was a thing. When you’ve been “curating content” for that long, it’s easy to get discouraged by the numbers and the algorithms and the unbearably slow growth. I never wanted to make this my career, but I didn’t exactly want it to become stagnant. I really started to question things after coming across a disparaging comment about myself online that made me wonder whether or not any of this was worth it. I won’t get into the specifics, but it’s been a contributor to why I’ve pulled back.

Beyond that, I’ve been thinking about the content direction of this space. When I lived in an apartment, I wanted a blog that was focused on clothes and jewelry — and shopping for said clothes and jewelry. However, my interests have evolved in the past two years. Don’t get me wrong, I still love clothes and accessories (and just bought this perfect frock for summer), but I’ve been looking at purchases through a more sustainable lens. I really want each item I buy to be special and to earn its space in my closet; not just chase a trend or be an impulse buy. Plus, the majority of my online shopping time is now spent browsing for house items and debating things like window treatments and searching for the perfect vintage fill-in-the-blank. I think the natural progression of things is to have a blend between home- and style-related content, plus travel. Those are ultimately the three pillars that make me feel creative and fulfilled, and the aspects I’d like to write about and share with you. (On that note, I’d also like to be better about cross-posting house content to Curated Couple, which fell by the wayside, so that becomes a diary of our home that we can look back on.) I guess the only way to get my feet wet again is to jump in and create posts with topics that speak to me and hope you find inspiration or insight from them, too. We’ll see how this shakes out!

And, to catch up on a few random things:

  • While it seems wildly indulgent, we booked another trip to Europe this year. We’ll be heading to Brussels for the first week of December for Christmas markets and to restock our supply of Belgian beer (priorities).
  • We spent a weekend with Dave’s parents, sister, and brother-in-law up at his parents’ lake house in central Wisconsin. I’ve pretty much decided that anything that includes a fire pit and mosquitoes is camping.
  • Bacon has been more affectionate ever since his near-death experience back in May when he was extremely ill. He has also developed hairballs for the first time in his 11 years of his life. We’ll take the bad with the good.
  • I just ordered artwork for the bedroom, which I’m pretty darn excited about. Dave thinks it’s too moody, but I find it peaceful.
  • When we moved in, one of my biggest annoyances was that the screw covers were never installed on the trim of our patio door. From afar, they looked like black polka dots in the border of the windows. To make matters worse, I couldn’t find the manufacturer of the door anywhere on it. I thought about replacing the door entirely, but uh, a double patio door is effing expensive. Anyway, I randomly came across them when looking through a box of things we pulled out of the junk drawer on closing day. The joy and relief I felt were indescribable. Haha.
  • The most recent season of Veronica Mars?! Whoa.

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