How to Beat the January Blues

I am completely bewildered that we are almost halfway through January. I wanted to come on here to see how everybody is doing. To tell the truth, I, myself, am feeling lethargic this morning. I could barely wake up to the cat’s meowls. The thing is, January blues are quite real. So I wanted to write a post on how to beat the January blues.

Did you know that the third Monday of January is deemed Blue Monday? It is supposedly the saddest day of the year and was dubbed so by the press in 2005. The combination of gloomy weather and tight purse strings, lack of holidays and, well, MONDAY resulted in the name. After the excitement from holiday festivities subside and the expectations from New Year become more difficult to reach, of course a more depressed feeling settles in. But we can battle it in healthy ways. (Anyone else doing Dry January?).

A note on Sadness:

Sadness is not a bad thing. Rather, it is a natural human emotion that we should allow ourselves to feel. It is not something to extinguish. We watched the movie “Don’t Look Up” recently and I couldn’t resonate more with their message. There is a difference. Today, the tips I am sharing are not to rid our lives of sadness. I am sharing them to get over the hump. When the blues prevent us from normal function or motivation, sometimes it is helpful to have a few tactics in your back pocket.

How to Beat the January Blues

+ Exercise

The best times to get a workout in are early mornings as soon as you wake and late afternoons about four hours before bed. Exercise increases dopamine (boosts mood) and anandamide (joy, bliss) hormone. It will also make you tired enough for bed, giving you more reason to sleep early.

+ Get outdoors

The Japanese word shinrin-yoku means to forest bathe. Forest bathing refers to the activity of getting outdoors, surrounding yourself with trees and going for a walk in the woods. Now California is a desert and we are short on forests here but getting on a trail is much the same thing. There are restorative as well as energetic benefits from being outdoors. It can really boost the spirits and give you a new perspective.

+ Let the Sunlight In

I always open all the curtains and blinds in the morning to let as much sunlight into our home during the day. Natural sunlight and plenty of windows is actually my number one requirement for buying homes. That’s how much it affects my life! Sunlight increases the hormone serotonin, which boosts mood, calms emotions, and helps with focus. I guess you can say sunlight feeds my soul and sets me up for creative success.

+ Hydrate

Hydration is another frugal life hack that I discovered. People love to spend money on all sorts of formulas and supplements, yet most people fail to drink enough water! Our bodies, having evolved from oceans, are highly receptive to water. Whenever I am low in energy, I pour myself an entire glass of water and drink the whole thing. I make it a point to drink at least 12 glasses of water a day. My co-workers make fun of me for being always at the water refill station (we have one of those high-pH filters) filling up my Kinto water bottle. I am there so much, they’ve nicknamed me the camel!

+ Take a cold shower.

“But isn’t it already cold enough?”, you might say. As counter-intuitive as this sounds, this is a great one. This will activate the sympathetic nervous system which is responsible for your stress response. Doing so will cause a spike in nor-adrenaline which boosts mood. Just have a hot cup of coffee brewing in the meantime.

+ Boost Mood with Food

One of my favorites! Certain foods will make our bodies lethargic and lower our moods. I recommend a gut-friendly diet, filled with nuts, greens, fruits, and legumes. My favorite book about nourishing our bodies with food is called Eat to Beat Disease by William Li. I haven’t gotten sick in five years and my body stays in pretty good shape. People ask my all the time how I do it. I eat well, has always been my answer. And trust me, when your body feels good, so do you.

+ Eat Chocolate.

This is coming from a dentist! Eating nutritious food doesn’t have to be bland or boring. If you read the aforementioned book, you will find that it includes some of my favorite things, such as coffee and chocolate! Chocolate contains flavonoids which reduce stress-hormones in your body. Just make sure it is over 80% dark chocolate and not that milk chocolate stuff that is swimming with dairy products and sugar. I go to Whole Foods and buy Chocolove’s Extreme Dark Chocolate (88%) or Endangered Species’s Strong and Velvety (88%). I can eat a whole row of these in one sitting with no remorse.

+ Give Up Alcohol

I gave up alcohol for frugal reasons once and the benefits far exceeded my expectations. Some people use alcohol to cope with depression, but the crash will make it worse. Instead, do the opposite and you might find better results.

+ Avoid the News

The news is there to make you feel bad. As a business model, it is the only way they can keep you coming back for more. Remember 2020 when everyone kept checking the news? Didn’t that feel awful? Didn’t we spiral into something terrible? Avoid the news to feel a smidge lighter. Personally, I never follow the news.

+ Avoid Social Media

As a species built on comparison, social media can both inspire us and bring us down. Depending on the type of people you follow, Instagram may be causing some of your misery and pain. Seeing others thrive all the time can sub-consciously negatively affect your personal perception. I’ve done one month hiatuses from social media before and they have been stellar!

+ Get Plenty of Sleep

Humans are like cell phones in that they need to recharge. Sleep is their power source. Without good sleep, I am a real monster. I feel terrible, my body is tired, my brain in a fog … I mean, utterly useless! Luckily, sleep has always been my forte. As a baby, as a child, as a teenager – my parents have endless stories about me sleeping. Even when my husband and I met, we would literally spend hours in the afternoons napping in college. It was the best! Nowadays, I have a habit of drinking coffee which negates the nap hours needed in the afternoon. But I do still have a strict sleep schedule. You might be shocked to learn that my ideal number of hours of sleep is nine!

+ Re-evaluate Resolutions

You know how some people have bigger eyes than their stomach? Well I have bigger dreams than the universe. When it comes to resolutions and goal setting, I can go a bit overboard. But when you go overboard, you could sometimes drown. So I make it a point to constantly re-evaluate my goals and resolutions. At the end of each day, week, and month, I write down where I struggled. Then I ask myself, “Why was there unrest? Is the goal not aligned with my dharma? Was it too difficult or stressful? Did I not prioritize it enough or set aside enough time to get it done? Does it cause me more stress than good?” Re-evaluate your resolutions to avoid feeling burnout. As a rule of thumb, get rid of every task or goal that is not necessary to making you 1% better. It could honestly be making you 1% worse.

+ Create a Future Reward or Motivation

I am very bad at rewarding myself when I do well. That’s because I never think I deserve it. As someone who experiences self-woe firsthand, let me just nip that in the bud for you now. You deserve rewards, especially if they motivate you. We can’t expect ourselves to always produce. Create something good to look forward to in the future and think of that every time you hit a hump. Plan a trip after a really long stint at work. Take a few days off after a stressful life. Even buy yourself something nice after an achievement. Yeah, I said it.

+ Write affirmations

I used to have a great planner called Mal Paper that required me to write an affirmation about myself every morning. It was really difficult for me. Words of praise are not my thing. But the practice really improved my life. I actually became a better person because of it. When we have low moods or energy, we have trouble finding the good. By starting with an affirmation, you find the good in you, which gives you an idea on how you can give good to the world around you. That’s mood boosting on its own!

+ Reframe

Sometimes, reframing the situation is all you need to do in order to get out of a rut. For example, if work has been extremely difficult, you could tell yourself the following things:

I am so lucky to have a job when so many others do not.
I am grateful to have co-workers who have my back and who make my day better (list co-workers).
It may be difficult now, but I know that these moments are helping me grow in my career and as a person.
I am having difficulty at work because my expectations are too high.
I am a strong, capable individual who can overcome these difficulties and help my teammates out.

+ Try Something New

If reframing doesn’t help, then pivot onto something new. Humans thrive with new experiences because the novelty gives our brains that dopamine hit. That’s why when you purchase something or do something for the very first time, you experience that short-term high. While it isn’t everlasting, that boost may be just what you need when you’re blue. To continue the previous example:

Talk to someone about your difficulties.
Try to change your role at work.
Switch tasks with someone else.

+ Take a Break

When trying something new doesn’t help either, then just stop and take a break. We don’t allow enough breaks in our lives. I think that doing nothing is one of the most rejuvenating things a person can do. Don’t worry about everyone else. At this point, the focus is on you. Everyone else will be fine.

+ Ask for Help

Lastly, ask for help. If none of these tips on how to beat the January blues helps you, then maybe another person can. When I quit my job and focused on self-improvement, I hired a life and wellness coach for three months. It was amazing. Her name was Michaela Puterbaugh and you can learn about her here.

This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my disclosure to learn more.

My 2022 Winter Capsule Wardrobe

Today, I want to share with you my 2022 winter capsule wardrobe. I started using capsule wardrobes back in 2018 when I decluttered my closet. A capsule wardrobe is a small curated collection of clothing to support daily living. At the time, I wanted to simplify my life, completely. This included making dressing up every day an easy task. By choosing to use a capsule wardrobe, I only need to own a few, well-loved items of clothing. It makes getting ready for the day stress-free, because I look good and love everything I choose to wear. I also avoid decision fatigue by having less options. And I spend less money shopping! This saves me from having to work more, to earn more, only to spend more. Gone are those days!

I am quite lucky in that I either work from home or at the dental office. I can employ a wardrobe made up of scrubs and athleisure wear. Both are very comfortable. I like to choose clothes that are first and foremost both comfortable and functional. I also hone in on clothes that look good on me. If ever I think an article of clothing doesn’t look good, it gets decluttered right away. Lastly, I stick to neutral colors that I like. My favorite colors are black, grey, and green.

A note on sustainability. The word gets thrown around willy nilly these days which lessens its meaning. But the intent still stands. I make a strong effort to ensure that items are made using good materials by people who are paid fair wages. That is important. I like companies that uses natural materials, meaning they will biodegrade. I favor companies who treat people as people. And the most sustainable thing of all, I keep my clothes for as long as possible and purchase very few. When they end their life in my hands, I pass it on to someone in want or need. Half the time, that is how I receive them anyway. From someone else. My capsule wardrobe isn’t perfect, but I still try.

Either way, every season is different, and I change out my capsule every three months or so. I wanted to spend a few moments today jotting down my 2022 winter favorites!

My 2022 Winter Capsule Wardrobe

Eddie Bauer Puffer Jacket. California doesn’t get crazy cold, but we do live in the mountains. Therefore it still reaches snowy temperatures at night, even though it never rains. I got a black puffer jacket one year ago and I wear it almost every day. It doesn’t matter if I am going to work or to the gym. I hardly need to layer sweaters underneath it as it insulates very well! It was one of the best winter purchases I have ever made!
Patagonia Rain Jacket. My parents gifted me a black Torrentshell for Christmas one year ago because they knew I loved to be outdoors and would do so rain or shine. I love this jacket. It is my second worn jacket after the puffer. It keeps me dry when it rains, and is a great windbreaker and shield from the sun when hiking. I bring it every time I travel.
Patagonia Fleece Jacket. I bought this fleece jacket more than 5 years ago when my husband and I were planning our honeymoon in New Zealand. It looks absolutely brand new! This jacket has seen it all. I have taken it on a 3-day-hike through a storm in the mountains of New Zealand. I have taken it to Banff the day my husband fell into an ice cold lake. It has been with me to my waterfall hikes in Iceland, to Oktoberfest in Germany, and to a rainy New Year’s Eve in Sydney, Australia. This jacket has weathered the storm, so to speak, but looks as stunning as when I bought it. I love this jacket. This is a casual jacket that I throw on underneath the puffer or rain jacket.
Prana Sweater. I have been living in this Prana sweater since the day I got it. It’s perfect to throw on my yoga attire, before and after my workouts! It has enough appeal to wear out with boots and look completely put together, as long as I swap my leggings for a pair of jeans.
Beyond Yoga Attire. I wear athleisure wear every day I am not at the dental office. I am a pretty active person and do multiple things in one day and I just find that athleisure wear really supports me in all those tasks. Beyond Yoga’s Spacedye 7/8 Leggings and Spacedye Slim Racerback Crop Tank is my current favorite outfit. The fabric is so soft! And very flexible. The leggings fit like a full-length legging on petite me. And the crop top actually hugs my body without squeezing! I spend all day in these! I can do yoga at home, write a blog post while drinking coffee, go to pilates or spin class, bake up a storm in the kitchen, or read a book while cuddling with the cat. I pretty much wear it all day long and if my entire capsule wardrobe was made up of 7 of these, I wouldn’t be mad about it! (PS: Another brand I’ve had my eye on is Vuori. They have a similar legging and crop top duo that I might put on my Christmas list next winter).
Girlfriend Collective Leggings. Since I only own one Beyond Yoga Attire, I resort to wearing my Girlfriend collective leggings the rest of my days off.
Lululemon Tank Tops. I pair my Lululemon Tanks with my Girlfriend Collective leggings for a very comfortable work day from home.
A pair of jeans. I gravitate towards one pair every 4-6 months. Currently, it’s a pair of high-rise, wide-leg crop jeans similar to these from Etica.
Eileen Fisher Silk Shell Box Top. When I am stepping out anywhere nicer than the gym, I put on one of my two go-to Eileen Fisher silk tanks. I have owned these for years and they have never failed me. These tanks are such a great investment and can be dressed up or down. They are part of the company’s “System” which is it’s own curated capsule wardrobe of essentials.
Figs Scrubs. I wear Figs Scrubs every day I go to the dental office. Believe it or not, Figs Scrubs changed my life! They are stretchy, comfortable, AND cute! I can do yoga in them in the morning before work, or lounge and read a book during my lunch break. I can go out to happy hour with co-workers and still look decent! This innovative company really improved the medical field’s lifestyle, and for that I am thankful. I currently go into the office three days a week. Figs is my ‘uniform’, along with my Clove shoes.
Nisolo’s Chelsea Boot. By far the best boot I have ever worn! I just recently got Nisolo’s Carmen Chelsea Boots and they are all the hype. I am NOT taking these off this winter. Unlike a majority of leather shoes, these were comfortable right out of the box. They fit like a glove, but I did size up a half size because I wanted to wear thick woolly socks. I could have ordered my usual size and it still would have fit really nicely either way. Usually, boots make my short legs seem shorter but this was not the case. The shape of the boot is really flattering. And the bottom has nice traction (yes, I tested it on rainy pavement!). If you buy one pair of boots this winter, this is it. I got the Tobacco color, but am already looking at the black ones too for next year. PS: These would look great with short dresses in the other seasons!
Mizuno Wave Riders. My parents bought me these running shoes for Christmas. I first wore Mizuno wave riders back in dental school, when my runner roommate Katie took me to a running store to test out my gait. I got into running for a bit and it turned out that Mizuno wave riders best fit my running style and step. I like to be comfortable so these shoes will definitely be used for more than just running.
Lo and Son’s OG2 Bag. This bag is a great option for a winter capsule wardrobe. This bag is highly functional and serves many purposes. You can say that it carries me through my daily activities. I use this bag to go to work. It carries my laptop, my lunch, and my planner. I can use this as a weekender bag, and it travels well as it has the strap that attaches it on my overhead carrier handle. Additionally, this bag works as a gym bag. It has a water bottle pocket, a pocket for my spare clothes and yoga towel, and the yoga mat fits between the handles. It seriously does it all! The material travels well, and looks professional. I got it in black (of course!) and it matches every outfit. This is my number one purse choice for a capsule wardrobe.

There you have it! My winter 2022 capsule wardrobe. I do own other clothes but they mostly just sit in the back of my closet until the season shifts or I cycle these guys out. To be honest, this is mostly what I wear. Below, I give you an idea of how I use my wardrobe.

A Week of Styling My Winter Capsule Wardrobe

Monday – Beyond Yoga Activewear, Prana Sweater, Nisolo Boot

Tuesday – Lululemon Tank, Girlfriend Collective Legging, Patagonia Fleece Jacket, Mizuni Rider

Wednesday – Figs Scrub #1, Puffer Jacket, Clove Shoes, Og2 Bag

Thursday – Figs Scrub #2, Puffer Jacket, Clove Shoes, Og2 Bag

Friday– Figs Scrub #3, Puffer Jacket, Clove Shoes, Og2 Bag

Saturday – Eileen Fisher Tank #1, Etica Jeans, Nisolo Boot

Sunday – Eileen Fisher Tank #2, Etica Jeans, Nisolo Boot

And then I repeat next week. It’s amazing because I hardly have to think what to wear. It’s pretty much a uniform that supports everything I do and gets up and doing the things I love, faster and sooner.

Anyway, I hope this has been helpful to some of you who wish to declutter, simplify, and be productive in 2022.

Photo by Andrej Lišakov on Unsplash

This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my disclosure to learn more.

How to Recover From the Holidays

The holidays are just around the corner and you may already feel a bit of burnout creeping in. Every day I am asking my patients what their plans are, and “nothing” seems to be the favorite answer. We may already be burned out from the rest of the year. Every day I am asking myself what my soul needs in the new year to flourish. Others may be asking themselves what they need just to get by. Whatever the case may be, don’t forgo making plans to recover after the holiday season. The tendency may be to jump head first into 2022. Perhaps it’s better to pause, take a break, and breathe? Here are a few of my favorite ideas to recover from the holidays.

Take time off of work.

You might feel like working full-speed in order to pay for the holiday spending is what you need to do. But I love taking time off of work to recover, even for just a day. I am lucky enough to not work a 9-5 job five days a week and to have flexible schedules. However, if I did work a traditional schedule, I would certainly request time off after my busier days. This time off isn’t for completing tasks, organizing the home, or socializing. This is a chance to reset, evaluate, and prepare. Activities that are perfect for this include getting out in nature, meditating, taking a yoga class, going to a coffee shop to write, or even getting away.

Take a vacation.

Sometimes, a separation of schedule isn’t enough to take the mind off a to-do list. For me, it also usually requires a separation of space. Taking a vacation or going away from home is a great way to recover from the holidays. My choice stay is GetAway! Stationed nationally in nature, these tiny cabins are the perfect way to disconnect from the world and reconnect with the earth or whatever grounds you. I would even recommend going without your significant other. It’ll do wonders. You can read my review of the GetAway experience here. Make your first booking with my referral link and receive $25 OFF your first stay (minimum two nights required).

Declutter the Home

We accumulate a lot of things over the holidays. I look at the things we received as gifts and consider what they are replacing in our space. We try not to keep two of anything so that’s an easy way to declutter. I also try to really consider the function of things. I get rid of a lot of stuff at the end of the year. Part of that is my natural response to the frenzy that is the holiday season. I declutter to alleviate myself of the overwhelm. But the other part of it is this: I am preparing my space for an intentional life.

Clean and Organize

I don’t know about everyone else but my house tends to look as scattered as my brain after the holidays. I usually need a day to reorganize and clean. Some of the things I do is clear out the fridge and store the leftovers, which are plenty. I put the gifts away and remove the decor, which are few. I clean the kitchen, wash sheets and towels, and sweep the floors. Throughout the year, I use this cleaning list that I wrote. It is saved on my Iphone under ‘Notes’ with checkmarks next to each task. I do a weekly cleaning time block each weekend and address the tasks little by little. It’s a simple way for me to get things done.

Give back to yourself.

In the name of giving to others over the holidays, we tend to forget about ourselves. There are many self-care strategies that you can implement to give back to yourself again. This includes getting into an exercise routine, laying off the sweets, lessening the alcohol and coffee, and being openly grateful.

I know that this list is short and sweet, but these are my favorite ways to recover from the holidays. It doesn’t have to be elaborate, nor does it have to be expensive. Just make sure you are doing something for yourself to recover. The holidays is a stressful time for everyone. Don’t feel bad if you need to tell loved ones you need a break, or more space, or less time with them. We need to say no, in order to say a bigger “YES!”. That’s a good mantra to have in 2022.

10 Minimalist Humidifiers for Winter 2021

In this space, I talk a lot about skin care routines and hydration. If you’ve been here long enough, you would know that both qualify as forms of intentional living and self-care in my book. However, as the winter season approaches, we must consider the air quality in our homes, too. I have written before about improving air quality with Molekule’s Air Purifier, but I have yet to address humidifiers. Well, today’s the day I reveal 10 minimalist humidifiers for this winter!

Why Get A Humidifier?

In general, I have trouble justifying the need for home appliances. My upbringing has always been of the minimalist variety, in a bear-it, tough-skin kind of way. The AC was never on. The heater was an even worse contraption. Put on a sweater and socks if you must. Dry noses and cracked lips meant I wasn’t drinking enough water. And sniffly noses were a sure-fire sign that we weren’t taking care of our health. But never was it the environment’s fault.

Perhaps as I’ve aged, I’ve become a bit weak. I find myself less resistant to summer’s heat. I find my hair starting to fray in the Fall. Regardless, I have also become more aware and knowledgeable. I know that air humidity plays a big role in the health and well-being of our skin as well as our airways. I know that we have the means to create the correct environment that allows us to thrive. And I’ve become more accepting of appliances.

The turn of Fall and our recent move to the mountainside has really had a negative effect on my skin. I decided to round-up minimalist humidifiers that would work with any home. Since I would want my humidifier to run all season long, I am requiring that the humidifier be esthetically pleasing and not an eye-sore. In my case, this requires that it also be white. Call me a Scandinavian-styled-snob, but the white color will allow my appliance to blend into my space. Even my Balmuda toaster and kettle are white! This list includes a fairly wide range of prices, and shapes. Never did I realize before how many shape options we had to choose from. Alas, there’s got to be one for you here somewhere.

Ten Options for A Minimalist Humidifier

FridaBaby – I’ve personally used the FridaBaby humidifier years ago and it worked fairly well for small spaces. I wasn’t completely in love with the shape but it was quiet! It also has a nightlight function which would work well in a kid’s or baby’s room. Mothers seem to love this and you can find it in major stores such as Target, BuyBuyBaby, and Pottery Barn Kids.
Stadler – This is one of the more expensive options but it is also the most practical looking. I love the square shape and stand. I can see this positioned on the floor next to my desk or living room couch. This one in particular has received many positive reviews. I heard that it sees less build-up compared to other humidifiers! To avoid build-up, I use only distilled water, but for those who just don’t have it on hand, this is a great option.
Vava – This is a very affordable option. Online, reviewers say that this one is silent. My favorite feature of the Vava is that you fill it with water from the top. Most humidifiers require you to fill a giant tub, and then somehow invert it onto a platform without spilling any water. Well-known secret: I always spill water. It isn’t the biggest deal, but I love the ease of this one! Plus, I love that it looks as clean as a modern speaker or Molekule Air Purifier.
InnoGear – This humidifier is a great option for the frugal, as it is the cheapest on this list. It isn’t very big, but I can see it sitting on a work desk. It will certainly add to your work-from-home space. I can also see this on a nightstand next to the bed. It’s small size makes it ideal for portable use. What a perfect little travel companion!
Roolen – Roolen is an eco-friendly operating system that automatically adjusts output based on the current environment. It senses what the air humidity is and maintains the air at the ideal 40-60% range. Roolen is a smart humidifier, and if you’re a techy one, this might be the answer for you. It does lie on the pricier side of the spectrum.
Objecto – I added this Objecto humidifier for it’s unique shape. Although it isn’t necessarily my style, a lot of home decor stores really favor this one. Its glossy appearance makes it look more like a work of art than a humidifier.
Crane – Crane was the humidifier with the most reviews. It seems everyone chooses Crane. It is nice to look at, but the orange decal really bothers me. I just want something less … obviously branded? If that doesn’t bother you, then this may be a decent option as many people have purchased and liked it.
Canopy – I like to look for options that speak to millennials and the younger generation. Canopy really fits the bill for college students. It has a cute look to it, and a fairly large tank. My favorite part is the dish-washer feature of its components. I mean, who knows what lies in a dorm room? Who has the time to clean a humidifier? The solution: Live free of mold by dishwashing this beauty once a week. Just a great invention!

Of course, this wouldn’t be a complete round-up without opening the door for your recommendations. If you have a humidifier you absolutely enjoy, please leave it in the comments below!

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Pushcarts: A Small Space WFH Desk Solution

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Small Space Living: Tip #17: Find Versatility in Carts

I am starting to like how my work-from-home space is coming together. It’s looking so good that I can almost call it official. For a year I’ve just been a migratory worker, finding space on the dining table, on the couch, in a corner of our living room, and occasionally, escaping on the tiny balcony. It’s nice to reclaim a dedicated work-from-home space and decorate it more permanently, the way I have always wanted.

I have decided to keep my Herman Miller Aeron Chair (affiliate link) because it is such a classic and have recently upgraded my desk to String Furniture’s Work Desk (affiliate link) in Beige/White. I wrote about my excitable desk upgrade here. However, in making the transition, I did lose drawer space, exchanging it for less clutter and a slimmer desk profile. I debated about buying a minimalist filing cabinet (this one from Branch furniture was my favorite) but decided against it when my frugal side won over my need to be esthetically pleasing.

Instead, I opted for a pushcart from Ikea that was equally pleasing to me, extremely affordable ($28!), and insanely more versatile. Hence, the tip for this post. To be fair, I am partial to pushcarts, having worked as a librarian at USC while going to dental school. While my classmates were studying or relaxing at home, I spent evenings after school in the dark aisles of my favorite, Harry-Potter-esque library on campus, organizing books and tidying shelves. I was left to my own, listening to podcasts whilst I pushed my push cart around. Some nights, the library would be so deserted that I would scare myself in the silence, especially when the vents turned on or the lights of the old building flickered. To say that pushcarts lend a bit of nostalgia would be an understatement for this bookworm, who also spent 200+ volunteer hours at the local library in high-school.

The idea of using a shopping cart in lieu of a filing cabinet for a WFH space actually first came to me when I was perusing Yamazaki Home’s website. Yamazaki Home is my favorite source for all minimalist household products. They mix a Japanese esthetic with modern minimalism and use materials such as ceramic, wood, and metals. I saw this rolling kitchen island cart (affiliate link) and the rest was history! They actually have a number of cart options, all of which can be viewable here (affiliate link).

The reason why the cart was a great solution for me was because of our tiny space. There is only approximately 14 inches between the wall and the desk where I needed to squeeze a filing cabinet through. The Nissafors cart from Ikea is less than a foot wide. It has three levels, with the bottom shelf being deeper. I use an organizer that I talked about in this post to keep my camera and unsightly chargers and cords hidden on the deeper shelf. I use the top shelf to hold a candle, a jug of water, a water glass, my phone, plus other things that I am currently using for that workday. The middle shelf holds paperwork, my planner, my TBC Eyewear Blue Light blockers, and other things that I may not be using for the day but I would like to use in the near future.

I love the wheels on the cart, which took me only fifteen minutes to assemble. I sometimes push the cart to the living room when I want to collect other desk supplies that are hidden in our media console. I sometimes push the cart to the kitchen, when I want to refill my jug of water, or pick up a cup of tea or coffee. When working at my desk, I can slide the cart out slightly so that it is right next to me, like an open drawer. At the end of the day, I tuck the cart back into the nook by the wall.

Apart from being a comrade for my work station, the Nissafors cart can double as a planter stand. I can place multiple plants on its three shelves and trolley them over to the sunniest of windows. If a plant is wanting of sunlight, this cart can easily bring them there for the afternoon, and then bring them home to their resting places in the evening.

The cart also doubles as a serving tray for gloomy weekend mornings at home, when scones and coffee need to be transported to the bed or by the couch. And on days when we host dinners at home, the cart can double as a bar cart, holding bottles of wine on the bottom shelf, stocking cans on the middle tier, and serving cocktails up top. I told you this girl has a penchant for pushcarts.

Anywho, chalk this post up to a simple desk solution for small spaces. Or an absolute nerd talking up storage carts. Whatever the case may be, this is a way for me to be more frugal, minimalist, and creative in making my WFH space a bit more me. Take it or leave it, but please do leave your own solutions to small spaces, in case other readers need ideas.

How to Use Storage Boxes for Organizing the Living Room

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A tidy home equals a tidy mind, or so the saying goes. It’s no wonder most people would assume that I have an already tidy mind by looking at my home. Quite the contrary. The reason why I work so hard at keeping my home minimal is because I have a tendency to be cluttered. It becomes obvious when one analyzes my lifestyle. I am always doing something. I am always trying to be better. I have multiple jobs, and do twenty different things in a day. In order to focus on all of that madness, I need a space that is completely barebones and highly organized.

I have shared before that the best way to stay tidy for me is to keep everything behind closed doors. But things aren’t just thrown willy-nilly into cabinets and drawers all the time. I shared last week how TokoDesign (gifted) helps us keep our kitchen drawer neat. I employ a similar tactic in our living room, where we have one media console. I employ storage boxes and cabinetry to organize my stuff. Inside the media cabinets, we hide a number of things, but keep it fashionably clean.

The biggest thing we hide are our white Sonos 5 speakers. (affiliate link) I despise tech for its wires and unsightly bulkiness, even though I love tech for all the things it allows us to do. It’s a necessary but ugly thing – so my one requirement for speakers was to be able to hide them. The small size fits perfectly in our Ikea Besta media console (we have the combination with white doors/Stelsviken/Stubbarp/High-Gloss/Beige combination with a glass top and without the legs on). The sleek appearance of Sonos displays beautifully, making it okay for me to leave the doors open when it is in use. I love how the white color option really matches our home’s Scandinavian style. My husband enjoys the sound quality of Sonos speakers, and it has been so nice adjusting the volume and playing music from Spotify using our cell-phones. I love playing music from the kitchen island while we cook meals together on the weekends. It also easily connects to our record player and projector via Wifi.

The second thing I hide are all of my notebooks and binders. I use Ikea’s White Tjena Magazine Files to keep non-white colored books hidden. I first saw this tactic used in the Kinfolk Home book. I loved the way you could keep cabinets and open shelving clean, while having my most-used recipe books at-hand at all times. The file boxes are very sturdy and have a notch at the end for easy movement and grabbing. These boxes are sold in beige and black as well, in case white doesn’t match your style. As for the collection of books that have white or black bindings, I display those openly within the cabinet. These books include our Kinfolk collection and Drift magazines.

In this console, we also hold some Ikea boxes from Ikea’s Kuggis collection. This collection has a number of white boxes in different sizes. I use them both in the living room and in the bathroom. One larger box holds my desk supplies, including pens, hard-drives, envelopes, stamps, and paintbrushes. A smaller box holds Mike’s cables and other tiny trinkets. These boxes come with lids and have a circular cut-out akin to the Magazine files, which makes grabbing and moving them quite convenient.

We placed the record player in the center of the console and hide the records in the middle cabinet. I specifically chose the middle cabinet because using the speakers require the left and right cabinets to be open. I couldn’t find a white container that was big enough to hold the records, so I did what I could and hid it where it can stay hidden. Along with it are the main power plug, the cables that power the speakers, Mike’s Switch console and charger, and his gaming controller. The unsightly things go in the cabinet that stays mostly closed.

I make it a point to keep the doors to our media console closed unless we are using our Sonos speakers. This makes it easy for me to “tidy” the space. In photographs, it makes the living room look polished at all times. When guests are over, the clutter stays out of the way. Even if we play music for dinner parties, the white boxes and magazine files give the living room a cohesive look. I know not everyone shares my neatnik tendencies, but for those who do, these are some of the ways I’ve learned to cope with messiness. I’d love to hear your own tips and tricks!

How to Organize Kitchen Drawers with TokoDesign

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This post is sponsored by TokoDesign, a new modular minimalist company fabricating eco-conscious organizers for messy drawers. The name “Toko” comes from the Japanese word ‘tokonoma’, which describes a special alcove for displaying art. As I’ve alluded to in other posts about the home, I believe that our homes should be artful representations of ourselves. I am all about letting the furniture do the decorating, substituting architecturally historic or artist-driven products for hanging paintings, sculptures, or other traditional methods of home decor. By being mindful of the products we allow into our home, we can create art using house items that are equally functional and beautiful. TokoDesign plays an ode to those ideals – mimicking the emphasis on minimalism, versatility, and natural beauty in traditional Japanese interior design. TokoDesign has gifted me a set of organizers so that I may try it out myself. As always, this review and the opinions held within are my own.

I have a secret about my home, and that is, that it’s incredibly messy. However, I have tricks stashed up my sleeve to make it appear clean, neat, and minimal on social media and to my friends and family who visit, one of which is quite simple to do. I create the illusion of tidiness and sparsity by putting things behind closed doors. It doesn’t help that we have a shortage of doors at our home, living in a live-work loft open floorplan that has no door to separate our bedroom nor our bathroom from the rest of the space. It also doesn’t help that our space is tiny, in general.

Even though I don’t own a lot of things compared to the general public, the limited hiding places and my desire to hide everything from plain sight means that our few items still get a bit crowded. One of the banes of my existence are the kitchen and bathroom drawers. Filled to the brim with accessories, utensils, and gadgets, my items get jostled around with every opening of the drawers. Some people find the solution in placing cooking utensils in a beautiful holder on the countertop, but I have this insane itch to keep counterspace clear.

Luckily, TokoDesign has come to my sanity’s rescue. This minimal, modular organizer is probably the best organization tool I have come across since Marie Kondo’s Spark Joy book was published. The wood is made from renewable bamboo and has a beautiful look to it. The rails come in either black or white, which works for different home styles. I personally chose the white, because the exterior of our drawers are a light wood color and the inside is white. I preferred for the rails to blend in rather than stand out (there I go again with hiding things from plain sight!). I can see the black rails working with more modern kitchen schemes, like Ikea’s charcoal grey cabinets, or dark wood finishes.

The design is thoughtfully made so that the organizer can work for different drawer sizes. My qualm with other organizers is the pre-determined dimensions and the need to find ones that exactly fit a space. The rails of the TokoDesign have adjustable lengths thanks to a knob that you turn at the end of the rail to make it flush with your drawer length. There are multiple length options and the width of your drawer will determine which dividers you choose. There are three divider widths available, and even if it doesn’t span the width of your drawer perfectly, the end section can still be used as storage, as I’ve done below.

The rails ended a bit short in my drawer but I used the last sliver of drawer to the right of my last panel as a compartment for rubber spatulas and a TDS measurer.

What makes the process even more fun is the accessories that TokoDesign has produced. Kitchen knives stack neatly in the knife block, cutlery lay neatly in the silverware trays, spices align on the rack, and tiny trinkets and bobbles stay contained in boxed compartments. A person has the ability to create the combination that works for them digitally on their online order form. You can visualize how the items you purchase will look in the drawer before you even order them. I really enjoyed playing around with the different combinations once can make. I was even able to combine TokoDesign’s boxes with my pre-existing bamboo silverware tray, and it blended perfectly!

The versatile box system went well with an already existing bamboo cutlery tray that I had sitting in this drawer. The boxes now hold a number of small items such as our chopsticks holder from Notary Ceramics, my limited number of pipette tips and clips that we use to close coffee bags or chips.

Of course, I used TokoDesign for the drawer that gave me the most grief – the kitchen drawer that holds all our cooking utensils. However, I can see this system working just as well in the bathroom drawers, work desk drawers, and even nightstands. For women who have a lot of jewelry or makeup products, the boxes could prove quite useful for showcasing your favorite things in a way that makes you proud to open your drawers.

Ever so grateful for companies who implement zero plastic packaging.

They ship everything with as little plastic as possible, by the way. Only the side rails were wrapped in a thin sleeve to prevent scuff marks. All the divides and boxes were packaged without plastic, and the big shipping container in came in was also without plastic. I was so excited when the package arrived that I opened it immediately and started playing with the dividers right away. It seriously felt like a new toy on Christmas morning, which goes to show the extend of my OCD. It was easy to set up and assemble and it requires no tools to do! Most importantly, it really stays in place and nothing slides around. When I was finished playing with my TokoDesign, my drawer truly sparked joy.

The final product! Now things stay where they belong and are grouped by similarity in function. The middle tray, for example, are the items we use most when we make cocktails. The whisks are together, as well as the rubber spatulas and can openers (yes, we have two, a friendly reminder that minimalism isn’t a state of perfection.)

My Minimal Work From Home Desk

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Small Space Living: Tip #16: Choose a Minimal Work-From-Home Desk

Creating my ideal from-home workspace has been a long and arduous process. My intentional habits tend to get in the way of progress as I am quite particular in the function, overall look, and general meaning behind each item I introduce into our home. Couple that with my tendency to talk my way out of purchasing things, and it becomes easy to see how I get in the way of myself. It’s all migraine-inducing, but I finally feel like we are getting somewhere.

To say that we haven’t quite come to grips with our final WFH environments after a year-and-a-half into this WFH state does sound laughable. To be honest, I’ve been making do with the kitchen table, eventually upgrading to a tiny $50 Ikea Micke desk. My husband was holding meetings and conferences in our bedroom, and yes, it has been odd having no doors in our home to create any sort of privacy. In order to talk to someone during Mike’s workday, I have been stepping onto our balcony and shutting myself out, imposing my conversation on our neighbors, while the streets around us impose their city noise. We ended up getting Herman Miller chairs sometime earlier this year, and by doing so, cluttered our bedrooms and living rooms respectively. However, with the advent of our roommate moving out at the end of August, we reclaimed the downstairs space which we are now turning into Mike’s permanent WFH area, after the company’s recent extension of remote work.

Meanwhile, I’ve moved from my dark nook in the living room to the bedroom, where Mike used to be. And with this new location comes a bright, shiny new desk. Well, shiny to me, but in reality, it’s quite humbly muted. I upgraded to the ever iconic Work Desk (affiliate link) from the Swedish company, String Furniture, and I must say that I am beyond excited about this improvement.

Famous for the modular system that they created in the 1950’s, the work desk is made up of rails and a large, hanging platform. I chose beige for the rails paired with a classic white desk. Positioned right next to three window panes that look out to the downtown streets below, the rails allow plenty of light to pass into our home and my workspace, where many plants reside. I made sure to position myself right beside the windows, so that I may look out and daydream, as that is part of a writer’s job.

The entire desk took three months to ship from Sweden but came packaged in two thin boxes, lighter than the desk from Ikea. I could lift both boxes easily. Essentially, the desk is founded on the two light-weight side rails mounted to the wall by four nails. The desk sits on four pins hooked onto the rails. The height of the desk can be changed so that it can work for a child as well as an adult. The back bar for the desk holds the platform down, locking it into place.

This simple design and easily shipped product is the reason why they won the national competition in Sweden in 1949, and why they have been classified as Applied Art under the Copyright Act in 2009. So yes, the desk is a piece of artwork itself. This is something I have been trying to do in my home – that is, adding art in the form of furniture and design, rather than the traditional painting, print, or sculpture art. In essence, this is a way for me to add beauty AND function using fewer pieces, thus maintaining minimalism in the home. Let the furniture do the decorating.

String Furniture hasn’t just made a desk, by the way. This modular system was originally designed to produce a shelf (affiliate link), which once decorated the UN headquarters in NYC in the ’50’s and which became the best-selling Scandinavian furniture in Germany in the ’60’s. The shelf has turned into a system that can also be a nightstand, media console, desk, dining table, and kitchen cabinetry.

In true fashion, I’ve ordered the most minimal combination. The rails are floor panels that only reach halfway up, contrary to the original desk design that used panels that reach higher to place shelving above. I have the desk without the drawer as well, just the platform on which to work. Eventually, I would like to put a small filing cabinet in the 12-inch space between the desk and the wall, and I’ve got my eyes set on this one by Branch furniture. I want a filing cabinet that triples as a drawer, a paper organizer, and a side table as well.

Having the desk situated by the windows is useful as the sill doubles for a place to stack my planners and notebooks within arm’s reach. I also charge my phone on the sill at night, further away from my bed, which is a habit I’ve adopted a few years back to create distance between my phone and I. Meanwhile, my desk mates consist of plants which surround me on either side, adding a bit of life and fresh air to this space. Most of the plants I own are gifted, some from The Sill (affiliate link), a company that ships plants directly to your door, pottery et al.

I’ve also loved my Herman Miller chair but I recently saw this modern, ergonomic option by Noho Co (affiliate link)., and have been contemplating switching out my wheels for a more grounded sitting situation. The going is slow in my space but I am so happy with the current state and what I’ve put together so far.

My daily coffee mug is from Hasami Official and the water glass is Pokal from Ikea. The linen coaster is from Fog Linen.

I also wanted to share with you the contenders I had for desk options, in case you don’t love the String desk but are also hoping for your own minimal desk upgrade.