In our last house, we had a very large walk-in closet in the master bedroom, which we had outfitted with a very nice installation from California Closets. It had a 15-slot shoe organizer and plenty of drawer and shelf space, though my husband would say, if you had so much space why were your clothes never put away? And I would say, it's because I was in a constant state of let-me-try-all-this-on-and-see-what-fits-ugh-body-issues. 

However, now in the house we are renting, the closets are extremely small and the sliding doors barely work because they're coming off their 50+ year old tracks. I had one large dresser which I gave over to my husband and I've been borrowing this tiny little four-drawer piece from my sister, but most of my clothes (which, yes, I still need to go through) are in giant plastic storage tubs. I'm not sure how long we'll be in this house, so I need to come up with smarter solutions to maximize the space we have. And because we're renting, I don't really want to build in anything or install anything.

That's why I'm really liking this organizer from Umbra. It only takes up the tiniest bit of hanging bar space and provides two mesh shelves that can be used for folded items, handbags, or shoes— all things I prefer to keep off the floor. And the hanging straps are adjustable so you can hang it at any height, to maximize all the vertical space you have. I think this is a pretty great solution to an extremely common problem, with the added bonus of being easy to stash away when it's not in use. 

The beginning of a new year is a time for review, introspection, and setting new goals, especially during the month of January when everyone still has their eyes on the prize and hasn't yet hit any roadblocks. So if you're going to do some reflection, why not do it with these humorous mirrors by French artist and designer Nathalie Lété.

Made of acrylic and measuring 9x18 inches, these mirrors could go in a small powder room, or provide a smile (and a final check of your hair) as you head out the front door. The bearded gentleman and the Downton Abbey-styled lady are very on trend. I always like pieces with a sense of humor, and at the very least, you and your friends could get some amusing selfies out of them. 



images via fab

Xx a

There are all kinds of resolutions that can be made when the calendar flips to a new year. And while trying to improve ourselves is always worthy, I think the best goals are the ones that involve helping others and making our communities or world a better place to live in. 

On Serena & Lily's website, I found the World Repair Kit.  Inside the kit is a guidebook, stamps, stickers, and a passport to track progress. It is geared for children, but also for families to work together. The kit fosters engagement with the world around us and gives children a sense of agency and lets them know that they can help to make meaningful change. Throughout the guidebook, kids are encouraged to believe in themselves and to create goals to work toward. 

The guidebook's illustrations are graphic and fun, and clearly illustrate big concepts in easy to understand ways. I love this kit because it empowers kids to take on serious issues in age-appropriate language and also offers them ways to help that play to their individual interests or talents: Issues discussed include homelessness, environmental conservation, protecting endangered species, hands-on ways to help those in need of clean water, shelter, food, education, and health care, and being a good citizen of the world. Holding a clothing drive or bake sale, creating friendship bracelets to sell, and hosting a world repair party are just some of the kid-friendly ideas suggested.

100% of the profits from the kit go to the Serena & Lily Foundation which funds youth initiatives worldwide.

Though the kit is recommended and most appropriate for kids ages 8 and up, it's never too early to teach children about the world and our place in it, and our responsibility for making it better. My non-personal goal this year is to do more volunteering because I really miss it, and I want to get my four-year-old daughter involved. My parents involved us in service projects at a young age and I have no doubt that it played a significant role in my lifelong interest in volunteering and affected my perspective on the world. 

I distinctly remember going with my parents to load bags for a food bank to deliver, my earliest memory of volunteering. Since then I've helped package meals, cook meals, serve meals, organized a toy drive, helped shop for winter necessities for families, all for various organizations, but I know I can, and should, do so much more.

Do you volunteer? Do you involve your kids? I'd love to hear about the causes that matter to you!

I am supremely honored to share that I am featured as a trendsetter on Zinc Door's feature Wishlists From The Pros. Zinc Door is a great decor resource and I've worked with them for years and it's been a pleasure. It was so much fun picking out these products, especially the tete-a-tete, which I desperately want, and the glass pendant (swoon). 

Thank you Zinc Door for the opportunity! What a great way to start the new year!

Xx a

Happy new year everyone!  Well, this year is definitely not starting the way we'd hoped. My youngest daughter is (hopefully) near the tail end of a bug that made her sick for several days, starting on Christmas, and she spiked a fever yesterday morning at 6am. Shortly after the clock struck midnight and 2014 began, my husband got ill and has been sick since. Today I'm trying to help them however I can while my older daughter and I are crossing our fingers that we do not get sick, too.

Needless to say, not what we were hoping to be doing today. Even though 2014 is off to an inauspicious start, I'm holding out hope for this year. 2013 wasn't a bad year, but it was a hard year. While I'm proud of starting my freelance career, working on this blog, and my family, I did not feel like myself for the majority of the year. I was (and still am) a bit homesick for my old house and for New York. I was (and still am) exhausted because my baby, at 14 months still does not sleep through the night. I'm hard on myself and onmy body, still a little heavier than I wanted to be by now. It's funny, I felt much more confident in who I was and how I looked and dressed when I was in high school and college than I do now. 

So that's what I'm hoping for this year: to find myself again. To--as much as I can with small children--do the things that make me happy, to make time for myself, to try and push myself out of my comfort zone, to get outside more, to find some energy again and to not always be so tired, to learn something new, to get a little more organized, to dress more like who I feel I am, and to accept that certain things are out of my hands and try to let them go.  

I'm not giving myself a deadline for these things, because I don't think the added pressure is necessary. These goals have been on my mind for a while, so I feel committed to them.

And that's what I wish for each of you, too: that you find what fulfills you, whether it's personally or professionally. Happy 2014!