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Well.. the Christmas piles are all cleaned up.
All the ornaments and all the trees. All put away.
Every last reindeer and fa-la-la banner.
And snowflake. The snowflakes are all put away too. Bummer! I’m always a little sad to take it all down, but once everything is organized and back in our attic the house feels so good! Very empty and bare. But also clutter free and a blank slate to play with. :)
I know I’ve mentioned these before but if you’re looking for a good solution for pillow storage and missed it they are my favorite! I can easily fit 5 pillows in each (I have the XL size). They would also be great for throws, bedding, sweaters, etc. Anything bulky and soft that you need to store!
Details on how I organize my holiday decor and other extras in our attic are in this post if you’re interested. It’s like a game of Tetris every year fitting everything in this space.. ha.
{body analyzer.. 60% off for a limited time!}
Like the rest of the world I’m trying to get back on track with eating better and exercising. Let’s just say I enjoyed the holiday food a little too much this year. My jeans are beyond tight! I have no regrets. :) But now it’s time to kick it in gear. I’ve always maintained my weight by losing the few pounds I gain soon after I gain them before 5 pounds turns into 10. (Happens so quickly and easily doesn’t it!?) I got a new scale from Vanity Planet and it’s helping to motivate me!
This is the box that shows what the scale looks like when you’re using it. It’s a body analyzer that not only shares your weight but also your body fat percentage, muscle mass, bone density and water weight. I love that it gives you a more complete picture of your health because there is so much more that matters than just weight! I was able to get a discount to share on IG and asked if I could get one to share here on the blog too! I don’t think it will last long so if you want to use this to monitor your health/progress this year with me don’t wait! Click here and use my link to get 60% off and the discount will be applied at checkout. Score. :) This is helping to motivate me!
I’ve shared these before but prepping healthy snacks makes a huge difference for me too. I have no problem eating healthy food/snacks if it’s easy! If I have to take time to chop and prep things when I’m hungry it won’t happen. I’ll just grab a Coke Zero and whatever is closest in the pantry. Ha. These are perfect for a meal or a snack and I especially love grabbing one in the afternoon when I’m living in my car running kids around. They only last 3-4 days at our house (everyone eats them!) so when I do this I usually make them Sunday and again on Wednesday. Don’t add the pretzels! This was the only pic I had of them but I quickly learned that pretzels get soggy so I keep them in a separate sandwich bag in the pantry to grab. Here are some similar containers that are great for this sort of thing!
This is another healthy go-to for me when I need to drop a few pounds. Cut up cucumbers, celery and carrots.
Add lettuce/spinach to a tortilla, then the vegetables and then sliced almonds.
Then the dressing! It’s SO good. I’ve shared this before too. The dressing recipe is in this post if you’re interested!
I also ordered a Peloton bike! I’ve been considering getting one for a couple of years and finally caved after dealing with more knee issues this past December. (If you want to hear all the gory details about my knee issues and my last surgery I shared info. at the bottom of this post. I don’t recommend reading if medical stuff makes you queasy!) Cycling has never been my favorite, but I need something I can do every day that’s easier on my knees. I have surgery for my other knee looming at some point this year and the bike will work to help me recover from that too. I hope I love it as much as so many of you!
Cheers to our health in 2022!
Do you have something in your closet that you gravitate to and wear ALL. THE. TIME? I do. My Vuori performance joggers. They are my #1 item that I wear more than anything else in my closet! They are perfect for cleaning and organizing and projects and computer work and running errands and running kids and being comfy on the couch. Plus they are crazy soft and a flattering fit!
Which is why I have over 5 pairs. :) #noshame
This outfit is my “momiform” and I’ve been in in so much lately I had to snap a pic. I pretty much live in my Camo Vuori joggers with a black sweatshirt of some sort (I have many and linked some favorites below). My friends have seen me in this outfit more times than they can count. I have a few friends who also love Vuori joggers and one of my friends wears the camo a lot too. We always laugh when we both show up somewhere in them!
{heart pjs/lounge set/cozy slippers}
Speaking of cute and comfy.. how adorable are these heart pjs for February!? They are so soft! A loose fit and they come in other fun colors/patterns too.
{heart graphic hoodie/print joggers/similar adidas sneakers here & here}
This hoodie and jogger set is also fun for February! So cozy and warm. I love the bright colors on the grey and the hearts on the sleeve! The hoodie is also cute with jeans or leggings.
The joggers have hearts on the back of the leg too. You can’t go wrong with PJ Salvage! Especially in January when it’s hard to get out of comfy clothes. :)
{moonlight dream pajamas/cozy slippers}
This is another fun pj set for Valentine’s Day! Very flattering and silky soft.
{madewell chain necklace set/v-neck sweater}
Last but not least I’m sharing a fun new necklace I’ve been loving. So cute! It’s especially fun with tops like this cute v-neck sweater. I don’t get out of my Vuori joggers much this time of year, but when I do I’m in pjs, sweats or something Madewell. :)
{faux pink peonies/gold vase/petal cake stand/heart plates}
I can’t believe we are half way through January already! Valentine’s Day is less than month away. I’m going to be warming up my home and adding a few festive Valentine’s Day touches over the next few days. Simple arrangements like pink flowers in a vase next to some cute heart plates are fun and not too over the top. My faux peonies are on sale right now! So is this cute petal cake stand. Also Target brought these cute heart plates back again this year in red! I couldn’t resist snagging a few. I’ll show you how I’m using them soon!
I linked other favorites for Valentine’s Day below! I had so much fun rounding these items up and ending up buying a few of them.. I wanted everything! I had to share a whole collage on socks because I always pick up a few pairs for me and the girls. I like to put little baskets together for the kids for Valentine’s Day. Do you do that too? My girls’ baskets usually hold candy, fuzzy heart socks, and other little surprises like earrings or some make-up. Kole’s basket will have candy, books, and since he is going through a waffle obsession at the moment I bought him this cute heart waffle maker. :)
1- all American pajamas/heart pjs 2- heart plate 3- print joggers & heart graphic hoodie
4- mini heart necklace 5- heart wallet
1- love valentine socks 2- hearts cozy socks 3- big heart socks
4- 3-pack festive crew socks 5- tipped boot socks 6- mixed hearts crew socks
1- heart shaped cheese board 2- XO garland
3- love snow globe 4- heart shaped appetizer plates 5- love trivet
6- heart shaped casserole 7- two-tiered heart server
1- mini waffle maker 2- heart shaped pillow 3- too femme heart core lipstick
4- heart stud earrings 5- hearts doormat 6- heart ring 7- heart shaped plate
1- heart spoon 2- oven mitt & potholder set 3- heart bundt cake pan
4- pie punches 5- heart dish 6- heart aprons
I’m feeling the love! Enjoy the rest of your day! And keep organizing those bathrooms! I’m half way through my bathroom list and I’m going to hit it hard again tomorrow. It will feel so good to look back at the end of the week at all we’ve accomplished! So stay with me. We’ve got this!
:)
I, too, love the open and clean feeling of the house after Christmas gets put away. Yes, it’s a little sad, too, but it does feel good. I’ve been sidelined by a raging headcold that I thought was the C word (because my daughters tested positive), but thankfully isn’t. My daughters are fine and have actually been cleared to resume normal activities. So, have had a bit of a rocky start to 2022. We’ll get back on track soon. Happy to hear that you enjoy your comfort clothes. And you look great in them. Good luck with the bike. I hope it helps alleviate issues with your knee. All your Valentine goodies are adorable. Thanks for the fun post, Erin!
Oh so sorry to hear you and your girls have been sick Jeanne! So many people are sick here. It’s crazy. Our numbers are record high every day. I keep just waiting for it to hit our house! I feel like it’s only a matter of time. Rocky start to 2022 for sure! Good luck getting back into the swing of things! xo
So Cute!Love all your recommendations!!!
Thank you for sharing saves me a bunch of time on searching :)
Yea! That makes my day Dina. Thank you! So happy this was helpful! :)
We have a Peloton and I love it! I HATED riding a stationary bike but the Peloton is so different and fun (well, most of the time!). I have a torn hip labrum and many of the workouts I used to do aggravate it so I had to find something easy on that part of my body and this works best for me. My husband also has knee issues (five surgeries/procedures on his left knee) and he loves it too. My favorite instructors are Hannah Frankson, Jess Sims, Ben Alldis, Christine D’Ercole (if you’re down in the dumps and want to be uplifted), Ally Love, Cody Rigsby (if you want to CRACK UP!), and Alex Toussaint. Best wishes and keep us posted on how you like it!
Leah I’m so happy to hear you love it! I’m still waiting for it to come.. so excited! Thank you so much for the instructor recommendations! I’ll definitely keep you posted on it. And I’m so sorry to hear about your torn hip and your husband’s knee issues.. 5 surgeries/procedures on one knee!? That’s so hard! I’m thrilled the peloton has been a good solution for you both!
Erin, we have the same exact “momiform”. In fact, I’m currently wearing my black camo vuori joggers and a black sweatshirt. Oh, I may also have 5 pairs!!
Ha ha.. love it Rebecca! The joggers are seriously the best aren’t they!?
I am just as sad about putting away the Christmas decor but I sure do love a clean and empty house. Time to get on with the new year!!
Also, I always love a good slipper recommendation but I found something equally cozy….the J.Crew Factory Slipper Socks!! They are equal parts warm, cozy and easy to launder. And I don’t feel weighted down in them! Check them out; I know you’ll love them! (But hurry, they are on final sale and probably won’t be around long!)
Oh yea.. thanks for the tip Andrea! I’m going to check them out! Happy New Year! :)
Thank you so much for all the idea’s. My husband’s birthday is coming up and he weighs himself 2 – 3 times per day. The scale will be the perfect gift for him. I also purchased some of those Vuori joggers. Thank you so much Erin.
Sherilynne
Oh that’s a great gift idea for someone who uses a scale so much! I hope he loves it! I KNOW you’ll love the Vuori joggers. ;) Thank you so much for your sweet comment Sherilynne! Made my day. :)
I finally put away all the Christmas decors last Saturday. We waited until after Jan. 6 (3 Kings holiday). Anything with a Christmas theme are out of sight. However, I kept the pops of red and white in the house from sofa pillows and duvet cover and added Valentine theme decors everywhere. I don’t have much but it feels nice that the house isn’t so empty and still looks festive all around. I don’t want to buy any Valentine’s decor that looks “kiddish” so it takes time to find them. I also love to wear joggers and my favorites are from 32 Degrees. If you haven’t checked them out they are the best fit, especially for a shorty like me. This company makes the most comfortable clothing and yet so affordable.
I’ll have to look into those joggers Debbie! Thanks for the tip! :)
Erin,
Great post! I love to see how others put all the Holiday decor away. I paid close attention to how you sort it out and line it up before storing away! You certainly have the knack!
In your attic storage area, I see the reindeer. We have the exact SAME! WHERE do you display them? Ours in in the back yard near the pool and gazebo. It is easily viewed from the family room. I keep the front of the house more minimal with holiday decor and just stick with the very traditional, low key. New England, you know ;-D
Very helpful post. I used to just kind of bag and box the Christmas things up and put away any old way. Just get it boxed/bagged up, stacked and out of sight. THAT is the recipe for disaster next Christmas season, and you end up buying the same things you need for decorating all over again due to misplacement. I now KNOW (a good part because of HOW YOU do things, Erin) that it is better to take longer and have things out being staged for the seasonal “put away” for several days if needed. So much better than chaotic rushing just to get it done.
So sorry about your knee issues. I hope the bike helps. Anything with the knees or feet is just the pits! I speak from experience!
Take good care.
PS. the snack boxes you make are genius. BTW I remember you mentioned and asked if anyone else eats the same thing every day. Yes. I do! Always a banana for breakfast and most days cottage cheese or yogurt for lunch even if I have something else with it. I think there is something to that. Maybe the body metabolizes better when it KNOWS what is coming!?! Works for me, anyway!
Thank you so much Sharon! We always display the reindeer outside on our front porch! They look so cute lit up in front of our dining room windows. :) They are also covered there so if it rains they don’t get damaged. It’s definitely a lot of work putting things away organized but like you said.. you avoid disaster the next season and re-buying things! I’ve been there before too! It’s not pretty. :) Thank you for your sweet words about my knee and sorry it sounds like you have dealt with issues too! The pits for sure. :( Enjoy your week sweet friend!