Blogmas Day 22 Planning for 2021

Welcome to Blogmas Day 22!  Every year, I get a new Moleskine planner which I have written about here.  It is something I enjoy and look forward to.  The sight of those blank pages feels me with anticipation.  Truth be told, I did hesitate this time.  Months of dealing with the pandemic and one lockdown after another has rendered me immobile with emotional fatigue.  What was the point of planning anything when the future seemed so uncertain?

There is no doubt that I have been relying more and more on the calendar in my phone.  However, I will always be an analog girl at heart and need to jot down my plans on paper.  When I saw the forest green colour of the pocket version. I couldn't resist. I always get the same style where the days of the week are on the left and there is a blank, lined page on the right.   You will see that the planners are still in the plastic wrapping as I haven't opened them yet.  I have put them in my stocking as my yearly treat to myself.

Hopefully, when I open them up on January 1st, I can move forward with optimism.

Share and subscribe.

April Monthly Favourites Lockdown Edition La Roche-Posay Facial Roller Facial Masks Office Organization

Hello lovelies, how are you all doing?  I hope you are not just surviving but have found a way to thrive as well, notwithstanding the current circumstances.  I thought I would do a Monthly Favourites, the Lockdown Edition, as I haven't done a monthly favourites in..well...months, really!  So let's do this.  First up is La Roche-Posay's Cicaplast Levres (Lips).

I have always had a lot of issues with lip balms.  Despite claims of being hydrating and moisturizing, they tend to dry out my lips and cause massive peeling and flaking.  I hate anything that has mint, spearmint, chilli extract, lemon extract or any type of lemon derivative in a lip product.  These ingredients, while they cause an initial cooling effect, actually trigger an inflammatory response that just worsens the condition of your lips.  La Roche-Posay's Cicaplast Levres is a holy grail product.  It is paraben and fragrance free and contains all the good things like lipids that your skin needs to repair itself.  I picked mine up at Shoppers for $10.95 CDN.  La Roche-Posay, which is a French masstige brand, is usually available at the pharmacy.  Right now, with department stores closed, the only place to go for skincare is the local pharmacy or the grocery store. I am sure that, like myself, many of you are keeping a sharp eye on your budget.  La Roche-Posay isn't astronomically priced like other luxury French brands and it isn't cheap as chips either but for a made in France quality product I would say it is good value for the money. I noticed that the cosmetics section at Shoppers was closed off but, thankfully, the masstige skincare section wasn't.

Next up is a new addition to my skincare routine which is this jade roller.

Can you believe that I picked this up at Dollarama (Canada's version of the Dollar Store) for a bargainous $4??  Who knows if it is made of real jade but the cooling effect is the same.  And yes, Dollarama is still open because it sells food albeit the canned and packaged, long shelf life sort which is what everyone is racing around to find anyway.  There is something so soothing and meditative about using this roller.  Believe me, I have been rolling away like mad.

If, like me, you are working from home, you have had to quickly figure out how to set up a home office.  My home office area has become a bit of a bomb site but this handy gadget has really helped to bring in a degree of organization.

The cable organizer was spotted at Dollarama for an inexpensive $1.25.

Lastly, I picked up a selection of facial masks (and no, not the surgical kind, I haven't seen those around in many weeks) at Shoppers.

They were on offer for well under $3.00 each so I picked up a few to put into care packages to mail away.

Stay safe! Stay healthy!

This is not a sponsored post.

Getting Organized for 2020

I know, I know, it is a bit of a late start in terms of getting organized for the New Year.  Doesn't bode well does it?  In my defense, I am holding with the Lunar New Year, haha.  As usual, I made sure to have my 2020 Moleskine planners which I ordered from Chapters, ready to go.

The large one I use in my day job.  The right hand side page is a lined blank page which is great for jotting down ideas.  The smaller blue one I keep in my bag.  I have been using my phone more and more these days but still prefer paper when it comes to long term planning and brainstorming.  There is something about putting pen to paper that really gets my creative juices flowing.

A bulletin board has been something that I have been toying with for some time.  Inevitably, it gets cluttered with wilted post it notes and other random bits and pieces and ends up as an eyesore.  I picked this up in the Boxing Week sales at Chapters and it now resides on the fridge.

It is a magnetized, dry erase notice board.  I really like the image on it and the fact that it has the days of the week demarcated on it.  The little saying on it isn't too kitschy either.  It comes with two little magnets and a marker as well.  The felt wiper on the cap is too small to be effective but is a nice idea.  

All these tools help to keep me on task.  2019 was a year of tremendous upheaval.  There were so many challenges on so many different levels.  Looking back, I do have to say that I feel an enormous sense of pride that I "manned up", faced those challenges and just kept going.  I found depths within myself that I never knew were there and rediscovered parts of myself that I thought were lost forever.  Old friends stepped forward and buoyed me up.  Now when I look at the blank pages of my planners, I think to myself, "Who knows what's next?  Anything could be waiting for me 'round the next corner."

This is not a sponsored post.

LBH July Favourites: Essential Back to School Supplies, Muzmm Backpack and Discount Code, H & M Makeup, Urbio Wall Organization

Is it possible that there is only one month left to summer?  Say it isn't so.  I have finally caught on to the coral eye makeup hues that are trending right now.  These warm tones just seem so right in balmy weather.  H & M aren't really known for their makeup line but like their clothing line, their makeup features a lot of on point products.  And like their fashion offerings, the prices are kind to students or indeed, any one on a budget.

I picked up an eyeshadow in Ginger Snap for $7.99, a pressed powder and a bronzer for $12.99 each.  The eyeshadow is a lovely metallic copper, very pigmented and soft.  The powder and bronzer are velvety and very finely milled.  All three items were made in Italy, testimony to the quality.  I didn't experience any fallout with the eyeshadow which impressed me a lot.  I do find that there is a real difference between the H & M makeup products that are made in Italy versus another country.  I tried a palette that was made in China and the highlighter was gritty and the eyeshadows not very pigmented and felt quite coarse to the touch.  So, word to wise, check where it was made.  Obviously, for these prices, there won't be a luxe feel to the packaging. I have experienced lids snapping of compacts.  However, I do think that, considering the pricepoint and the quality of the product(s) it is good value for one's money. Bonus points that it is cruelty free. I think H & M's makeup definitely flies under the radar in the beauty world and I, for one, will be legging it back to pick up a few more of the eyeshadows.

Stocking up for back to school means a proper backpack to lug around a laptop and everything else a student needs for campus life.

via www.muzmm.com

The great thing about these backpacks from Muzmm is that they are convertible so they can be worn as a backpack, shoulder bag or duffel bag.

via www.muzmm.com

This means they work for travel or that emergency visit back to Mum and Dad's.  And for LBH readers, use discount code bleue10 for 10% off your purchase!

I picked a couple more pieces to add to my Perch by Urbio wall organization system.

via www.myurbio.com

I love that it's modular so you can customize it according to your needs.  The compartments are held to the backplate with magnets.  The backplates can be attached to the wall using Command strips or screws.  If you are a student, sending your child off to college or living in a rental, the Command strips are a fantastic solution for putting up a super stylish wall organizing system without damaging the walls. My old dorm room had cinder block walls (very jail like) and I wouldn't have been able to get any nails or screws into the walls even if I had been allowed.  Now, in my own home, I still opt for the Command strips as it is just so much easier to install. Plus, inevitably, I end up wrecking the wall every time I attempt to drill a hole. I get the Perch system from Staples. If you are in the Stayes, I think you can get them at the Container Store as well.

Bring on the last month of summer. I intend to savour every moment of it!

  

30 Day Wellness Challenge Days 9 to 13: 5 Day Mini Decluttering Goal

I am a firm believer in the adage "Messy Home, Messy Mind."  Yet still, there have been many times when I find decluttering to be emotionally unsettling.  I have written about the mini 5 Day Decluttering Challenge here,  where on Day 1, you discard one thing, on the second day, 2 things and so on.  At the end of the 5 days, 15 things will have been decluttered.  It is a relatively simple and easy way to get the ball rolling when it comes to tidying up the home and achieving peace of mind.  See you on the flip side!

This is not a sponsored post.  Use #30days2wellnesslbh on Instagram so I can find you!

Subscribe and never miss a post.

Decluttering and Clear Surfaces

As I continue to stoically and steadfastly declutter and organize my home, one thing I have discovered that really helps to keep me motivated is to have at least one clear surface in the home.  The above is what I see when I walk through the door.  For some reason, seeing that surface with nothing on it except what is necessary puts me in a good mood.  Even if every other surface in the home is covered in junk, knowing that I have managed to keep one surface clear keeps me motivated to continue on my decluttering journey.  Baby steps, people, baby steps.  If you are struggling to maintain some sort of order amidst the chaos in your home, try keeping at least one surface clear.  Let me know if this tip is working for you!

Subscribe and never miss a post!

LBH Weekly Roundup: Straw Brushes and Under Cabinet Wire Drawers

In my neverending quest to streamline my life, I have converted to using a stainless steel travel mug and straw.  To be honest, I bought the mug because I just wanted the straw.  I think I switched over after I saw a video about a giant sea turtle that had a plastic straw stuck up one nostril.  The poor thing kept sneezing.  For some reason, the sneezing, which sounded just like a baby with a bad cold, and the giant dinner plate eyes really got to me.  I have been very good about taking my stainless steel paraphernalia with me wherever I go even though it is heavy and cumbersome.

The only problem that remained was "How to clean the straw?"  Gone are the days when I would sip on a plastic straw and then blindly throw it in the trash, not worrying about cleanup.  Thankfully, I got my hands on the world's longest and thinnest brush.  You can get similar brushes here.

Also, in my neverending quest to organize and streamline, I think I am seeing the light at the end of the tunnel in taming the horror that is the cabinet under the kitchen sink.  I finally realized that a lot of the problem lay in the fact that there are no shelves or drawers in there so everything gets thrown on top of each other.  Some sort of elevation was needed so I put in a set of wire mesh drawers.

image source via Amazon.ca

The cleaners get stacked up top.  I love the fact that the drawers slide forward allowing for ease and efficiency of movement and more importantly, no drilling or hammering required!  If you have any organizing tips, please share!

This is not a sponsored posts.  Some links are affiliate links.

LBH Weekly Roundup: Teeny Tiny Mini 5 Day Decluttering Challenge

Happy New Year!  Yes, I know it is almost the end of January but January isn't over yet so I think I can still wish everyone a Happy New Year?!  This is a different Weekly Roundup than usual.  My health took a turn for the worse and my days are spent in constant, 24/7 pain management.  Housekeeping, never a thrill in the first place, became an onerous, long drawn out process.  Monsieur, bless him, has really stepped up to the plate and is like a man on fire.   He has admitted in the past that he was oblivous to clutter and mess but now demonstrates a heretofore unknown discipline and rigour when it comes to keeping the home tidy and organized.  I still wanted to contribute and help as much as I was able and realized that it was imperative that a bit of decluttering needed to happen just to keep the home manageable.  Now I have tried various methods in the past but doing a 30 day decluttering challenge or even a 10 day challenge has always intimidated me.  If you don't know what a 30 day challenge is, on the first day you declutter one item, the second day 2 items and so on and so forth.  It tends to get more difficult around the 15 day mark (at least it does for me).  So I thought I would start with just a teeny tiny challenge, a 5 day challenge. Here is what I decluttered.

A couple of t shirts as I have great difficulty these days in pulling tops over my head, an unused baking sheet and a decorative plate.

I was really shocked at the amount of expired vitamins and supplements lurking in the kitchen cabinets.  What a waste of money!

Two pumpkin scented candles and a couple of pairs of holey socks.

This last one, an old unopened jar of Giorgio body cream made me do a double take.  If you take a close look, you will see that the liquid has completely separated away from the semi-solids.  

It is like the body care equivalent of not so freshly churned butter with a hard waxy lump floating in a sea of rancid oil.  Ewww!! Imagine slathering this stuff over your body.

So, at the end of 5 days, I had decluttered 15 items.  And when I say decluttered, I mean donated and recycled where possible.  It wasn't hard or intimidating at all.  And that is the point, to make it so easy that you can't help but gain a "win" and the confidence to keep going.  I might try another 5 day mini challenge or even do a series of them.  Please comment below if you would like to join in or have any tips on decluttering!

Linking up with Share Your Cup.

Decluttering For Oz

What do you do when you find out that your best friend, whom you've known since the age of 5 and who lives in Australia, tells you she's getting married?  You check out the airfare, have a heart attack and then you pick yourself off the floor and have the biggest garage sale of your life.  And that is just what I did.

 Monsieur and I had a garage sale at my mother's place as we live in a condo.  A neighbour of my mother's was having a garage sale and asked if we wanted to have one too as a neighbourhood event would likely elicit more interest.  Unfortunately, due to a mixup, we were told that the start time was 9 am when they posted ads stating the start time as 8 am.  So when we pulled into the driveway at 8 am, we were feeling very pleased with ourselves for making such good time for once and congratulating each other with "La, la, la, lots of time to unload the car and set up pretty displays." Imagine our shock to see the street packed with cars, lots of people shopping and, OH NO, driving away.  There wasn't time to take photos as we were inundated by people diving into boxes as we were hauling them out of the car.  It was like being surrounded by crazed sharks and we or our boxes of stuff were the chum.  These photos were taken later in the morning after the initial rush was over.  By this point, there wasn't much left.

I sold off tons of Pyrex and lots of cool vintage things.  I know!  Sacrilege!  But living in a condo means a lack of storage and no driveway to have a garage sale.  So I really wanted to make the most of this opportunity.  I only had 3 days to pull everything together so there wasn't much time to agonize over what should stay and what should go.  I might have done some extreme decluttering as Monsieur asked me at one point if I thought I was going a bit overboard.  Quite a few people complimented me on the unusual, good quality things I had for offer.  I might have priced things too low but my mother lives an hour away from me and, after 3 days straight of packing and pricing things to sell, I just couldn't face the thought of hauling it all back. I just wanted to sell as much as I could.

Of 13 boxes of stuff, not counting the large items that wouldn't fit into a banker box, I was left with 2.5 boxes of stuff.  All in all, a good result.  Sadly, I checked my email later that afternoon and my cable and telephone bill had arrived and it was for almost the same amount as what we made at the sale.  Talk about a deflating moment!  I might need to have another garage sale but Monsieur is worried that all we will be left with is the bed and the clothes on our backs.  At this point, I am not sure if I will make it to Oz but I know, if I don't go, I will regret it forever.  Maybe it is age but my thoughts have been turning more and more towards the land of my birth.  It steals into my dreams and, when I wake, I am filled with longing and sadness.  In the spirit of staying optimistic, I have been making a short list of things I would like to get should I go. The first would be compostable toothbrushes.

The Environmental Toothbrush

I know the thought of getting toothbrushes from the other side of the world sounds crazy but I have been trying, one baby step at a time, to be more environmentally aware.  These Australian compostable toothbrushes have such a luxe, spa like look and the cost is not exorbitant but, once international shipping is tacked on, it does make it cost prohibitive especially when compared to a cheapie, 99 cent plastic toothbrush.
I would like to check out some Australian organic skincare lines.  I cringe now when I think of how careless I was with my skin back when I was labouring under the delusion of the invincibility of youth.  Everyone has heard of Jurlique so I would love to check them out.

via Jurlique

  

I am definitely going to stock up on another Aussie wool blanket.  Of course, because the seasons are reversed, I might not find them as it will be high summer at the time of the wedding.  If you are an Aussie blogger in either Brisbane or Sydney and would like to get together for a cuppa and a chat around the New Year or first week of January, 2015, let me know!

And of course, with the mass exodus of stuff, a little thrifting was in order.  I was good though, I promise.  I stuck to useful things that I "needed".  Case in point, this amazing vintage German camelhair blanket.  It is huge as it easily covers a queen sized bed.  I have never come across a camelhair blanket before and it would not look out of place as a prop in a Ralph Lauren store.  It is so wonderfully dense and cozy, perfect for a frosty Winter night.

What?!  Pumpkins already?

I am not ready for Autumn yet.  Where did the Summer go?  Are you ready?

I am linking up with Sir Thrift A Lot, A Living Space, A Stroll Thru Life and We Call It Junkin.

Catching Up Plus a Sorta Kinda Giveaway

I'm back!  The radio silence here has gone on far too long, I know.  I think blogging is like everything else in life.  If you stop, even for a little while,  it gets easier and easier to put it off for another day and then another day.  On top of my natural tendency towards procrastination, my mother had spinal surgery in a city that is a 2 hour drive away.  After I come home from my daily visit to the hospital,  all I want to do is crawl into bed. Do any of you lifelong bloggers have any words of advice on keeping up a consistent blogging rhythm? Funnily enough, being away from home so much means that I have become a much better housekeeper.  Let me explain.  It has always been a quirk of mine that I like my home to be tidy with all the chores done before I leave home for the day or if I'm going away on vacation.  The home doesn't have to be spotless but I do like the dishes done and things put away.  It is such a nice feeling to come back home knowing that there isn't a mountain of dirty dishes in the sink waiting for me.  Are you like me in this regard?  This leads me to my "sorta kinda" giveaway.  If you are a regular reader, you know that I love thrifting.  The problem is that my home is small.  I'm in a condo which means I can't have a garage sale or a yard sale to make space in my bulging cupboards.  If I do a donation at a thrift store, I just know I will be tempted to step inside and take a peek around (hee hee!!).  My improved housekeeping means I have been doing some organizing in my cupboards and am prepared to move some vintage things on to a new home.  It is a "sorta kinda" giveaway as they are free as long as you pay for shipping.  Here is a pair of Federal Glass Fridgies up for grabs.

VINTAGE FEDERAL GLASS SUNFLOWER MILK GLASS PAIR OF REFRIGERATOR DISHES WITH LIDS

Matching pair of vintage Federal Glass milk glass refrigerator dishes with lids.  Dishes have a tan design of abstract sunflowers or flowers front and back.  One of the dishes has 2 chips on the inner edges (one near each handle).  The other dish has one small fleabite on the inner edge near a handle. Clean interiors.  Bottoms are marked with the Federal Glass insignia and “Heat Proof USA.”  Lids are in excellent condition.  Approximate dimensions:  2.6” or 6.5 cm high (with the lids); 4.6” or 11.75 cm length (including the handles).   Just leave a comment with your location if you want them and I'll contact you with shipping and Paypal details.

Stay tuned as there will be more vintage goodies up for grabs!

I'm linking up with Sir Thrift A Lot, The Thrifty Groove, A Living Space, and Remnant.

Keeping House

When I was a little girl, I loved to play house.  Did you play this game?  I don't love it quite so much now.  I am not a "Clean Nazi" by any stretch of the imagination but I am not fond of living in a sty either.  The problem is that I live with someone who has to be the messiest person on the planet.  I guess I should have known what I was in for when we were dating and I would visit his bachelor pad.  He told me that he used to lie in bed and watch his friend Ms. Spider make her daily circuit back and forth across the ceiling going from web to another.  I know spiders help keep the insect population under control but, between you and me, they give me the creeps.  I prefer them outdoors rather than hanging over my head.  Sometimes, I wonder if I will make it to a happy old age and be like the elderly couple below:

Thrifted vintage sweetness.  If you have any information on the elderly couple, please let me know.



Then I think of the decades  and decades of cleaning that faces me and I begin to feel a little alarmed.  I would like to end up like this but a bit less wrinkled:

Thrifted vintage Quebec folk art



I think I need to call in the big guns.  I was so thrilled when I found out that Williams-Sonoma carries my best friend, Bar Keeper's Friend.  I'd heard about it from other vintage loving bloggers who use it to clean off years of grime off things like vintage Pyrex.
 

I panic when my supply begins to run low as the Williams-Sonoma near my home is constantly selling out of it.  And no, this isn't an infomercial for the stuff.  I use it and I have no idea what's in it but it's like magic.  I think part of being able to complete a job successfully is having the right tools.  And having good looking tools is a bonus.  Lately I have been obsessing over Kaufmann Mercantile.  Why have I never heard of this mecca before?

Kaufmann Mercantile Enamel Dust Pan & Hand Broom

One of their slogans is "Products That Will Outlast You."  Whoa!  Those are fighting words.  And no, this isn't an infomercial for Kaufmann either.  The shipping to Canada is quite hefty and so, for the moment, I can only ogle the dust pan.   I asked one of my best friends once how she dealt with the housekeeping.  I've always remembered her answer which was 1) Forget about attaining perfection and be happy with "good enough" and 2) Get a housekeeper.  Haha, I think the second option is out of the question or rather has already been taken care of because I AM the housekeeper.  Tell me, do you live with a messy person?  How do you deal with it?

I am linking up with Apron Thrift Girl, A Stroll Thru Life, A Living Space, Sir Thrift A Lot, Ivy and Elephants and Thrifty Groove.

 

 

Winter Organizing

Are you in the depths of winter or are you bathed in sunshine?  Old Man Winter blasted my city with lots of snow and freezing temperatures this week.  Here's how it looked in my neighbourhood. 

Please forgive the poor quality of the photos as they were taken with my camera phone, the wind was howling, the snow was sleeting into my face and my fingers were frozen popsicles.

Now is the time to stay close to hearth and home.  Even though it's not yet Spring,  I have been feeling the onset of Spring Fever.  I've been wanting to organize my kitchen cupboards for some time and, when I thrifted a vintage Dymo labelmaker complete in a box with extra rolls of tape, I was thrilled.

Do you see what the label on the Dymo labelmaker says?  I was so touched when I saw that.  I've decided to leave it on.  Is that a strange thing to do?  For some reason, I feel like, whoever once owned it, is happy that his old Christmas present has found a new owner who appreciates it and is making good use out of it.  Perhaps I'm letting my imagination run away with me?

I had so much fun making labels for my jars.  I know, such a nerdy thing to admit. I used to just cut the label off the packet and pop it into the jar.  However, I found that only worked for large jars and even then it was tricky because the label was often obscured by the contents.  With the jars labelled front and center, I know what the contents are as soon as I open my cupboard doors.

I have a weakness for vintage jars.  I keep my lentils in a vintage French "Le Parfait" mason jar.  I don't come across them too often and, when I do, the rubber gasket is more likely than not, dried up and cracked.  I don't know if it is possible to buy new replacement rubber seals or gaskets?  As I had pulled out my pantry jars, I took the opportunity to wipe down the shelves and do a bit of reorganizing.  I was appalled at the state of the shelves.  I am embarrassed to admit that there was a good quantity of crumbs and spillage.  Now things that I use most often are near the front and lesser used things are towards the back.  I'm very relieved that that is one household project I can tick off the to-do list.

I hope that, if you are snowed in, that you are keeping warm.  Let me know what you've been doing to keep yourself occupied.  Do you have Spring Fever or cabin fever?  If you are in a warmer clime, please send some sunshine my way!

I'm linking up with Sir Thrift A Lot, Coastal Charm, Ivy and Elephants, Knick of Time, Sumo's Sweet Stuff and the Thrifty Groove.