We are in the thick of a winter and what a welcome back to the Midwest this series of weather events has been! It’s been fun to cozy up, hunker down and watch the snow fly. While we’ve been snuggled up in our home, it’s been a good time to reflect on the past year and look forward to the one ahead. I’ve been asking questions about what we want out of the upcoming year. It will also be the first year we DON’T move in 5 years!! I think I’m looking forward to this the most. We get to stay put in our home – truly a relief. With this comes the opportunity to invest more in where we are and be thoughtful about the changes we make.
Looking back, it feels like time is flying by, especially these past couple years. My days often blur together keeping up with my (now) kiddos. Somedays I feel like I’m on autopilot which can make it hard to slow down and be present to life as it’s happening. Slowing down also isn’t something that comes easily to me and I usually make it a goal every year to slow down in some capacity. However, I feel like 2023 was the first time I was able to accomplish longer periods of slowing down to savor the day to day and be more present.
Using my home as a creative outlet, taking more photographs, spending time reading and writing, and making my phone use intentional and structured has really helped me be where my feet are. Because of this I’ve come to love the ordinary days of life in our home and look forward to sharing more of that here in 2024.
As I’ve spent time in this little corner of the internet, I’ve gotten more clarity on how I hope to use it. I used to have a large Shop page with a catalogue of pieces to fill a home with and thinking I could keep that up and maintain it. Honestly, it felt disconnected and odd to me plus the reality of keeping it up as not possible. But I will continue to release a drop of items on a seasonal and holiday basis. In my dream of dreams I would open a little coffee and home goods shop but for now I’ll scour the internet for my favorite finds and share them with you all on the internet.
Things to Note
Cleaning, Purging and Planning
After Christmas and through the month of January I do a big clean and purge of our house. I go through our kitchen, pantry, toys, clothes, storage stuff, products, medicine cabinet, basically everything and get rid of what we aren’t using. If we haven’t used it in the last year it is most likely on its way out. Our kitchen towels get a refresh, hand soaps and lotions get renewed, bathrooms get scrubbed and baseboards get cleaned. It feels good to start the year out right with a clean slate. It also helps me plan out the year and what I hope to work on in our home. I’m one who is very impacted by my environment so having a clean and tidy (well mostly, I do live with a toddler and a newborn) space helps me think and navigate my day better.
New Year Shop
The New Year Home Shop is now live! With the cold dark mornings ahead of us and the holiday season behind, I curated some fresh finds for the home. I included some of my favorite coffee from a coffee shop I used to frequent in Madison, WI. Definitely give it a try! The Spring shop will soon follow, but in time, and when the season shifts.
Reading
I’ve been spending more time reading vs scrolling on my phone and it’s been such a welcomed change. My brain feels like it has more space and it’s a peaceful way to start and end the day. Currently I’m reading, Company of One and Practicing Presence. Very different books falling into two categories of my life: my interest in business practices and motherhood.
Upcoming Project
I’m giving the kitchen sink a little refresh this month (hopefully everything comes on time!). There were some practical things I needed to fix (i.e. privacy, produce storage, counter space optimization) and it also was calling for some design love. Check out my Instagram to follow along in the process!
Looking forward to seeing you around in the New Year!
xx