My "No Shopping for 3 Months" Experiment

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A while back, I stumbled upon Unfancy (one of my favorite blogs of all time) and was introduced to this crazy-amazing idea of capsule wardobes. 

Definitely check out Caroline's blog if you haven't already, because she goes into more detail on what it is and her how-to guide. And you should also listen to her interview on The Lively Show too because she talks you through the steps and you get to hear her story on how capsule wardrobes sort of came to be. Can you tell I'm obsessed? LOVE HER.

Anyway, I digress. I followed her how-to's to create my capsule wardrobe and also to purge a good amount of my closet before I even got to this step. Annnnd this is where I landed for my first ever capsule wardrobe! Drumroll please...

Related: The Stress-Free Way to Downsizing Your Closet

Motivating Reads To Kick Start The New Year

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I decided not to write any specific resolutions this year, but there are definitely things I want to be more mindful of and make time for in 2016. And one of those is reading more books! But I also really want to be more cognizant of things I'm thankful for, living with less, being more organized, allowing myself to exercise creativity more often, and doing my best at work – no matter what kind of day it is.

So with that said, I rounded up a few books that I want to read that I'm hoping will start the new year off right and give me motivation to reach these goals and make it a lifestyle change.

5 Invaluable Lessons I've Learned As A New Blogger

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I told myself from the beginning – if blogging wasn't bringing me joy, step away from it and take a break until I was in the right state of mind. I didn't want the comparison game to consume me, but surprise, surprise – it did and it still does. Honestly, I think know it's something that EVERY blogger goes through. (Even your favorite bloggers who've made it big!) We all go through this.

I've tried to find different avenues to avoid falling into this trap of feeling like I need to do it all and comparing myself to everyone else. I've racked my brain to come up with what I think are original ideas, only to find that someone else has done it better than I have. I've sat there staring at someone else's work thinking, "Well, I'll never be able to do that. So what's the point?" The green-eyed monster of jealousy came out and well, it made itself a cozy little spot in my heart.

But as I was fighting all of these frustrations, I reminded myself why I started all of this in the first place and I was able to ground myself in the passion that drove me to start blogging. So if you're currently feeling or have felt any of those things I just said, here are 5 REALLY important things that I learned about blogging and how to keep going when you feel like giving up.

'Tis The Reason (And an Advent Playlist, Have a Listen!)

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Happy Friday, friends! I hope you’ve enjoyed my gift guide series these past couple weeks and I hope it’s sparked some ideas on what to get a few people in your life.

But real talk for a minute. I’ve got to admit – my head was so buried in preparing this series, that I quickly lost sight of what the Christmas season really means to me. But by God's grace, I was humbly reminded by family, friends, and many others what this season is truly about. (PTL for community!)

It’s more than the excitement of the first snow, twinkly lights, perfectly wrapped presents under the tree, and the return of holiday drinks (in plain red cups). Don't get me wrong, I love seeing all the lights, Christmas shopping in my PJs (Ebates, anyone?) with a gingerbread latte in hand. But most days, my joy has become dictated by Pinterest-perfect decorations and Instagram-able moments instead of capturing the beauty of what this season really represents.

Gift Guide: The Neat Freak

This one might as well have just been named "Rachel's Ultimate Wishlist." For the organization aficionados, for the type-A personalities, for the creatives, or just for the person who appreciates beautiful design – these gifts will fit that bill. I think they'd also be a great gift for co-workers too!

Gift Guide: The Jet Setter

This is for the person who is always moving from one place to the next and racking up those frequent flyer miles like a boss. These gifts are not only practical, but they'll really appreciate the thoughtfulness that went into it because these are things they'll use time and time again.

Gift Guide: The Fitness Buff

As the new year quickly approaches, I know I'll say working out will be a resolution (yet again). So whether they're already a fitness guru or they're trying to reach #fitgoals, these pretties will hopefully give them more motivation to hit the gym more often and be healthier!

Gift Guide: The Beauty Lover

For the friend you always go to for beauty tips and ask to borrow their lipstick. There's a few tried and true staples that they'll love and a few new products that they'll be dying to get their hands on. Ready, get set, swatch.

Gift Guide: The Hostess

Today's the day – GIFT GUIDES ARE HERE! I'm posting new gift guides for the next two weeks. Get excited, people! Like I said before, I'm really excited to be sharing these with you and these are honestly some of my favorite types of posts to read by other bloggers, so I hope you enjoy them!

I'm starting it off with ideas for that person in your life that loves to entertain. I myself love hosting people and always appreciate it when someone gives me a gift that I can use to give back to them.

Making A List, Checking It Twice

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Mark your calendars for my holiday gift guide series, starting on Monday. Cue the confetti! Gift guide posts are some of my favorites to read and these were definitely one of my favorites to put together. I can't wait to share these with you!

Until then, I'm going to slip into some elastic waistband pants and throw on a baggy sweater to hide the inevitable food baby that is to come.

Wherever you are and whatever you're doing, I hope you can ditch your computer screen (and your phone too!) for some quality face time with friends and family. Unwind, eat, [eat, eat,] and share lots of laughs with the people you love most. And make some time for you to try something new.

Happy Thanksgiving!

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5 Things I Want To Make More Time For

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These days, it's crazy to think about how much time we pour into social media, how many hours we spend staring at multiple screens, and how little face time we actually get with the people in our lives. (Or at least this is true for myself.)

And then I saw this video that Estée posted, where she documented a 48 hour digital detox. 

48 HOURS. Sadly, I don't even know if I could successfully go 24 hours without looking at my phone, watching TV, or going online. But then, she posted this other video about 5 things she wanted to make more time for and it got me thinking about all the things I keep saying I want to do, but "don't have time for" too.

Fall Decor (For Under $40!)

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Oh, fall. The leaves are changing, the air is crisp, and it's officially time for scarves and boots to make their seasonal debut. I like to update my home too with transitional fall elements to make it feel a bit more cozy along with the changing season. Here are my picks to give your space a fall makeover without breaking the bank.

All The Feels

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Some days I can't believe this blog is even real. Seriously, pinch me! Because I'm a new kid on this block, I've been really encouraged by others who are starting this journey too, hoping to inspire others and spark creativity. And I'm so surprised and honored to have been nominated for
The Versatile Blogger Award by Krissy of All The Details. We've recently been chatting back and forth and I absolutely love her blog style and aesthetic. #seriouslyonpoint

It's honestly been so encouraging to start making connections in the blogger community, so a huge thank you for nominating me!

Now here are the rules.

THANK the person who nominated you. (Done. Seriously, I'm still in shock!)
INCLUDE a link to their blog. (See above and go give her some love.)
SHARE seven facts about yourself.
TAG 15 bloggers you've recently discovered or follow on regular basis.

Now you can get to know me a little better.

ONE / I hate wearing socks. (Yes, I know live in Minnesnowta) But I really do. They make me feel restricted for some reason, so it's the best feeling in the world when I can take them off. Freedom!

TWO / Studying abroad in Spain sparked my love of eggs. The yoke used to put me off, but my host mother served eggs, over-easy with rice regularly and they eventually grew on me. This simple meal brings back so much nostalgia.

THREE / Speaking of travel... one day I want to hike to Machu Picchu in Peru. I may not survive the hike (especially after watching this episode of An Idiot Abroad), but it is one of my dreams to make it there one day.

FOUR / How I Met Your Mother is one of my favorite shows ever, but I only re-watch Seasons 1-6 and then start all over again. The last few seasons and the series finale still upsets me, so I just don't watch them. (Fun fact in addition to this fun fact: it's playing in the background right now!)

FIVE / My perfect Saturday would be getting brunch at a local restaurant and exploring new parts of that neighborhood. I grew up in Minnesota for most of my life and I'm still discovering new parts of Minneapolis to this day.

SIX / I absolutely love stargazing. And my favorite place of all time to see the stars is on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota. The first time I saw a shooting star was when I was there on a missions trip. I love being in awe of His beautiful, intricate creation.

SEVEN / If I were given a choice between savory and sweet, I will almost always choose savory. Keyword being almost. :)

Now it's time to give a shoutout to some wonderful people and their lovely blogs.

Valerie | Valerie's Keepers
Jen | The Effortless Chic
Jess | The Golden Girl Blog
Angela | Saffron Avenue
Liz | Sequins and Stripes
Anna | Work Life Balenciaga
Jenny | Coffee & Honeycomb
Leslie | The Happy Now
Anna | Vivianna Does Makeup
Emily | Cupcakes & Cashmere
Molly | Almost Makes Perfect
Jenny | French Press Mornings
Erin | Earnest Home Co.
Anuschka | Into Mind
Geneva | a pair & a spare

These ladies make my day a little bit brighter through their creativity and passion and inspire me to do the same. #allthefeels


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The Stress-Free Way to Downsizing Your Closet

I shared a while back that after the move, I was going to try a capsule wardrobe. I've been in love with Caroline's blog, Unfancy, since she introduced the blogosphere to this amazing concept. If you haven't seen her blog, you need to stop what you're doing and go check it out now. And come back and finish reading this post, por favor. :)

I'd actually been re-evaluating my closet every few months and purging the things that didn't fit my style or I wasn't getting as much wear out of already. So this time around, there wasn't much to get rid of. But if you're a borderline hoarder like I am or are feeling a bit uninspired and want a fresh start, these are some of my tips that I adapted from reading Caroline's blog in downsizing my closet. I'll be sharing my capsule wardrobe in another post, hopefully soon!

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Room Inspo: My Dream Bedroom

Well, the roomie and I finally moved! I'm happy to say this place is slowly starting to feel like home.

There are definitely things I already miss about the old place… the neighborhood, the square footage, and endless storage options (I miss this the most... wahhh). But I am excited to be working with a blank canvas and taking on the challenge of making the most of a smaller apartment.

My new room is bigger than my old room, so I did have some space to work with. It's almost coming together, but it's just missing a few finishing touches. So I wrangled up a list of a few things that I think would complete the vision I had for my new bedroom.

Affordable Home Decor That Looks Expensive

PHOTO CREDIT

The Easiest DIY Project Ever

Grab a canvas. Grab a paint brush. Some black paint. Annnd you're done!

See? Easiest DIY tutorial. Ever.

Father's Day Gift Guide

1 / Shinola Journal | 2 / Nike Dri-FIT Tee | 3 / Anker Portable Charger | 4 / Stainless Steel Wine Sealer | 5 / Nike Roshe One [My pick] | 6 / Wooden iPhone case | 7 / FitBit Charge | 8 / Golf Grilling Set | 9 / The Grilling Book | 10 / Harry's Father's Day Shave Set

Hold the phone, can you believe it's already June?! Which means Father's Day is coming up! And for those of you who were just about to Google it... I've got you, it's June 21st!

I don't know about you, but I feel like dads are some of the hardest people to shop for. And my type-A personality never lets me forget that I need to send gifts out well in advance so I don't repeat my Mother's Day fiasco. I put off my trip to the post office and ended up paying $40 in shipping... yikes! 

So I put together a list of a few things that I thought would make great gifts this year that aren't a box of golf balls or a tie (My default "I don't know what to get you" gifts). I'm thinking about getting my dad those Nikes. The BF has these and says it's like walking on clouds.

What are some of your gifts ideas for dad this year?

Let me know and leave a comment below, I'd love to hear!

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To New Beginnings

Oh.em.gee.

Am I really writing my first blog post? Am I ready to share my thoughts with all of you on the worldwide web ("Mom and Dad")?

Nerves aside, I am really excited about finally taking these first steps towards making this so-called pipe dream a reality. Wildly original. Bet you haven't heard that before, huh? (:

To be honest, there are so many ideas and directions I have playing out in my head that I'm a little overwhelmed by it. But ultimately, I have to remind myself that this is something I'm doing for me and something I should enjoy! It's really just a place for me to share what I love and my hope is that you'll find some of this inspiring and useful.

So if you've happened to discover my little corner of the internet on a whim, thanks for taking the time to read this! Or maybe you're just looking at the photos (and that's fine too!)

Cheers to a fresh start and new beginnings.

Image via Morgan Sessions

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