oliveswrites

How to Have Sustainable and Economical Jewelry for Less

For anyone who’s reading this who wants to have beautiful, sustainable, and (let’s be honest, most importantly) economical fine jewelry pieces: You’ve come to the right place.

For some background: I love fine jewelry. I love unique pieces. I have what some would call expensive taste. However, I don’t want to spend thousands of dollars on jewelry that was the product of exploitation of other human beings- just to have a sparkly rock? No way.

This is what compelled me to do some research beyond the overrated, overinflated diamond.

I researched different gemstones and their qualities. I researched what colors would look best with my skin tone. I researched what gemstones paired best with what metals. I researched everything I could, and I just didn’t feel like anything was a perfect fit.

Until I found moissanite. Moissanite was the answer to all of my questions. It is ethically and sustainably sourced. It’s affordable. It is a clear gemstone, like a diamond, with a more brilliant sparkle. It is basically the unicorn I was searching for. Let’s get into a little more of what this stone is and why it’s basically perfect (at least in my book it is!)

The way I like to describe moissanite to people is that it’s basically a space diamond. Yes, you heard that correctly! Let me explain. We all know that diamonds are formed under a lot of pressure over a long period of time. This is also true for moissanite as well, but instead of forming in the Earth, they form in space rocks(!!!)

Moissanite is just about always made in a lab. That’s because it’s not every day that a meteorite comes crashing to Earth filled to the brim with this magical, sparkly stone. The fact that they’re lab-made is the reason why they’re ethically and sustainably sourced- we aren’t digging into the Earth extracting stones that take billions of years to form. Using up materials faster than we can produce them is not what we’re going for here! We can produce moissanite just as fast as we use it, which is the beauty of sustainable sourcing.

Some things that I love about moissanite are that it refracts light different than a diamond. In this case, moissanite gives a rainbow sparkle instead of the white sparkle that diamonds have. This comes down to personal preference, but I’ll take the rainbow sparkle of a moissanite over the white sparkle of a diamond any day. They are also just below diamonds on Mohs Hardness Scale. They are similar to diamonds in a lot of ways; they’re not like CZ stones. They’re precious gemstones that maintain their quality against the test of time.

My favorite place to find moissanite jewelry is Etsy. There are tons of unique pieces and supporting small crafters is just another bonus to this whole unicorn situation!

Stay posted for more tips and advice on advancing in life on a budget. See you next time!

How To Travel for Free (or Close To It)

Have you ever wished you could just travel? Not worry about the finances of it, or where to stay, or even where to go? Do you wish there was a way you could just go?

Well, I’m glad I can be the one to deliver the good news.

And it’s not just good news- it’s tried and true, which in my book makes it great news! Enough with the build up- Let’s get into it!

If you have a vehicle, you can go wherever you want. You can take a trip to the lake, the beach, the mountains, or wherever your heart desires. As long as it’s on a piece of land and there are roads connecting you to your destination, you can go wherever you want.

And, your car isn’t just good for taking you places. It can also be your home while you’re on the road. Now, hear me out.

I’m sure you’re having either one of two reactions to this:

Umm, not what I was expecting… but I’ll hear you out
Yes! Tell me more!

Regardless of your initial thoughts, let’s get into the nitty-gritty of how to travel for free (or close to it)

Let’s talk money: How is this possible?

Other than gas money, there really aren’t any necessary expenses. If you want to pack water and food before you leave, and you’re just doing an overnight (or two) at the beach, you won’t need much. Bringing a portable charger means you won’t need to stop anywhere for a charge up and you won’t need to drain your car battery for any impromptu late night Netflix marathons. Even if you didn’t want to pack anything to eat, you can certainly eat a couple of cheap meals on the road.

So, where do I sleep?

Well, in your car- but I know that’s not what you meant. Where do you park your car? I personally find that parking in Walmart parking lots are almost always the safest bet. They’re usually well-lit, have security cameras, and have overnight workers at the store, so your car won’t be the only one in the parking lot. My advice is to just ask a store associate if it’s alright for you to overnight park in their parking lot, and if they say that’s fine, park near a more private area of the parking lot. If there are medians, or trees, or both, try to park nearby! These offer a little bit more separation and privacy than spots in the middle of nothing. Plus, you won’t be the first one to do this! There are several YouTube videos of people explaining how they camp in their car, and it often includes a Walmart parking lot!

How do I keep my privacy?

This is a cheap fix- go to your local Lowe’s or Home Depot and buy a roll of reflective insulation (this is the same stuff that comes precut for you to put in your windshield when it’s sunny outside) and a couple large cardboard boxes. Cut out the cardboard boxes to fit your windows, and cut the insulation to the same size as the cardboard cutouts. Secure the two together, and you instantly have sturdy, insulating, privacy covers for your windows.

How do I stay safe?

This is a valid concern, and your gut knows best! If you get into an area that doesn’t feel great, it’s completely up to you where to go next. That’s the beauty of this! You’re not held down to just one location. Other safety tips are to tell people where you end up for the night, choose a well-lit area with security cameras, and keep you phone charged and pepper spray on hand. Another tip is to keep your keys close by, so if you need to set off your alarm, or turn on your car quickly, you have the ability to do so.

If you want to know more, stay tuned on my instagram @anolivewrites to come along with me on all of my future adventures!

The Easiest Way to Start Building Credit

Clearly, you’re reading this because you have a goal in mind: establishing or building credit.

Luckily, you’ve come to the right place!

Credit doesn’t have to be something scary or unknown or “dangerous.” Before we get into this simple way of building your credit, you first have to understand what credit is, and what it means for your financial future.

Credit, put simply, is just a measurement at how good you are at paying back money. When you use a credit card, you are using the bank’s money to buy something. All they care about is that you 1) don’t use too much of their money at once, and 2) pay it back. Let’s dive deeper into these two concepts.

1) Don’t use too much of their money at once. This isn’t literally a rule, because you technically can spend money right up to the limit of your credit card. However, that doesn’t mean you should. Ideally, you want to spend less than 1/3 of your credit card limit. Using only 10% of the amount is even better. This will boost your credit score and show that you’re responsible with your money.

2) Pay it back. The bank will lend you their money and allow for you to pay it back over time in payments smaller than the initial amount you charged to your card. The caveat here is that interest accumulates on your balance. The amount of money that is added on from interest depends on the interest rate on your card. (The interest rate is a percentage of the amount you owe that is added on, increasing the amount you owe. The interest does not go towards your outstanding balance, otherwise known as the principal. The interest you pay is money you’re giving to the bank since they let you borrow theirs.) Interest may seem scary, but there is a way to avoid it! Since interest is added on in cycles (usually monthly), if you pay the amount you owe before the cycle is complete you don’t owe the bank any extra.

For example, if your statement balance is $100.00 and it is due on the 30th of the month, but you pay the $100.00 before the 30th (let’s say you pay it on the 25th of the month), then you only pay the $100.00 that you charged to the card, and you don’t owe the bank money that you didn’t spend.

So, now that we know the very basics of how a credit card works, and we know it is in our best financial interest to pay off the card before it’s due to be paid, what is the best way to start building credit?

My answer (as well as many other financial gurus) is to open a secured credit card. This card works a little bit differently from an unsecured credit card.

An unsecured credit card is basically a card that has the bank’s money on it and none of yours- so you are borrowing from the bank, then paying them back. If you don’t pay off the card within a certain time frame (like missing multiple payments), your credit can plummet and you have to figure out a way to get their money back to them.

A secured credit card works differently, because your credit limit depends on how much of your own money you let the bank hold on to. You will give the bank some of your money, kind of as an insurance for them. In case you don’t pay them back, they’ll pay themselves with the money you gave them when you opened your card. You don’t want to ever have this happen, but the absolute worst case scenario doesn’t leave you on the verge of financial havoc. Assuming everything goes smoothly as you have the card, whenever you’re ready to close the account for the secured card you get the money back. It serves as insurance for the bank, and they don’t need it anymore if you’re not using their credit card.

This card is good for a couple of reasons:

Your limit depends on how much money you already have. This is good because you can’t spend you don’t have with a secure card. If you give them $500.00, then your limit is $500.00. You won’t have that $500.00 in your pocket for as long as you have the card open, so you’ll still make monthly payments. But as you learned earlier, you will get that money back when you close that account.
Because you have to give the bank your money upfront, you have a much higher chance of being approved for a secure card. With unsecured cards, the bank really has to trust you- and if you don’t have the credit score or history to gain that trust, you application for a card can be denied. With a secure card, since you’re giving them your money up front to be able to open the account, the bank is going to be much more trusting of you (and even if they don’t trust you, they have your money incase you don’t pay them back theirs). This gives you good chances of being approved, meaning you’ll be able to start on your credit building journey!

While you still treat a secure card as an unsecured card, it is a helpful tool to use as a stepping stone into building credit.

Now, what are you waiting for? Get started on building your credit today now that you’re well equipped with the tools for success!

6 Simple Ways to Build Savings on a Low Income (That Aren’t Investing)

I hear you asking yourself the question, “How am I supposed to save money if I hardly make enough as is?”

I get it. I really get it. Without a good foundation to begin with, it’s hard to even imagine yourself in a comfortable financial situation. It’s even harder imagining yourself being able to do the things you want to do with the money you don’t (yet) have!

Luckily for you, many people have traveled this road before you got here- including my family. Here’s how we have learned in only 6 months how to save money AND live with a better quality of life

1. Create a budget.

Here is a previous article I wrote about budgeting for beginners. I suggest you take a look at that for a step-by-step process of creating a simple budget. Knowing the basics of spending is important for understanding how to save!

2. Cut the subscriptions.

This is easier said than done. We get used to living the lifestyle we have been leading- but that’s the same problem that got us into our current situation to begin with! According to a study performed by West Monroe Partners (a management and technology consulting firm), 84% of Americans underestimate how much they spend on subscriptions each month. Recent data shows that the national average spending on subscriptions is $273! That’s a good chunk of change that can easily be pared down!

3. Rethink your grocery list.

Well, first of all, just making a grocery list can keep you on track to spending less since you’re not just picking things up randomly as you see them. Once you’re past that, consider what you’re buying and where you’re buying it from. Is it possible (and maybe even likely) that some of your smaller local grocery stores are going to cost less than larger grocery stores for the exact same items.

4. Set a limit for eating out.

This is easier than just saying “don’t eat out as often.” If you actually set a hard limit for yourself, you’re much more likely to adhere to it. For example, I allow myself to eat out once a week from a cheap place and once a month from a restaurant. Easy math, quick savings!

5. Quality, not quantity.

Saving money is all about being creative and frugal with things. Buying reusable items saves you money in the long run, and it often feels better to use something nice than something that’s basically trash as soon as you use it. For example, a box of 100 plastic straws on amazon will run you about $8. Over the course of a year, that’s about $32 dollars if you use one straw for one drink every day. On the other hand, a single reusable straw costs less than a dollar on amazon. That’s over $30 in savings for a straw. What can you do with that $30? You can change your oil once, eat several meals, invest it, or put it towards a larger savings goal. This specific $30 won’t take you far, but a penny saved is a penny earned!

6. Put systems in place to set yourself up for success

Let’s say you get paid $800 one paycheck. By the next paycheck, you have $100 left over in addition to the new money coming in. Yay, an extra $100! Right? Wrong! That is not an extra $100 for spending money- that is an extra $100 towards your savings goal. Having a saving mentality is the most important piece to this puzzle.

For more personal finance tips and information, check out the Personal Finance section here on my blog.

How To Make A Living Wage Without A College Degree

Whether you’re someone who is in college working towards your degree, someone who isn’t ready for college yet, or someone who has decided college isn’t for you- I’m sure you’ve come across this dilemma at least once in your life:

“How am I going to afford things without having a good education?”

While it is often easier to break into better-paying jobs with a college degree for most people, there are plenty of options for those who don’t have one. (Also keep in mind having a college degree isn’t a guaranteed pathway to jobs. It’s about the bigger picture (or resume))

1. Get Certified!

Getting a certification is a great option for many reasons. First of all, there are certifications for positions in just about any field that you can possibly think of. Certifications and/or training courses are often aimed towards trade jobs. If a traditional trade isn’t your thing, look into certifications in healthcare, cosmetology, or highly in-demand skills like computer programming. This is what I did before I entered college, so I am definitely biased towards this option!

2. Profit Off Of Your Passion

This one may be a bit controversial, because there’s always the question of if your passion should be your career, or if that causes burnout and therefore your passion should be your hobby. Whichever way you lean on the discussion, the potential to earn money is still there. Crafty hobbies may do better on a platform like Etsy, whereas if digital design is more your thing you may find something like Fiverr more suitable.

3. Invest Your Time In Getting Experience

While this isn’t as quick to get into as some of the previous options, you do have to consider your long term plan at one point or another. Maybe four years spent getting a bachelor’s degree sounds horrific, but four years of experience in your career feels right. If this is the case, consider gaining work experience in lieu of education. This won’t work in all fields- imagine if your doctors just played doctor for 12+ years and then got their title (eek!) However, for something that can be self-taught, like web design, this may be a viable option for you.

4. Become an Entrepreneur

This, of course, is an easy answer to the question of what to do without a college degree. However, becoming an entrepreneur still takes a lot of time and effort. Maybe you’ve been a plumber or electrician for years and want to have your own business. Or maybe you have solutions to problems that haven’t been tapped into by anyone else. If you’re considering starting a business, remember that it can be whatever you make it- the sky really is the limit here.

Hmm… None of those answers felt right? Lets ask this:

Why not go to college? If nothing that you read here sounds appealing, you may want to reconsider why you don’t want to attend college.

Is it the cost? Consider community college.

Is it the time commitment? That time will pass either way. Whether or not it’s spent obtaining education or valuable experience, the next one, two, four, six, years will pass no matter what you do. Make your time worth it!

Are you not ready to make a commitment to one thing (and spend thousands of dollars on it?) Choosing a college major can be scary. But, really, what’s the pressure? Who is making you decide what you need to do? It’s okay to take your time to figure things out. This actually is exactly what I’m doing- fumbling my way through school and finding out what I like and what I don’t. In the meantime though, I pay my bills as a Pharmacy Technician.

Let me know what your experience has been with this commonly faced dilemma! Reach out to me or leave a comment below!

Finding Life’s Purpose (To Be Continued)

As someone who’s always been “ahead of the crowd” in every way growing up, it’s amazing how I feel like my growth has stunted when I needed it to flourish the most.

As a kid, I was the gifted honor student who adults always praised for being “So Mature!” Well, as it turns out, many people who are So Mature growing up end up confused a decade later when suddenly, they’re not ahead of everyone else.
This was me. This is me.
I’ve spent hours, days, weeks, maybe even months trying to figure out life (and my role in it). I’ve researched majors like no one’s business, researched careers as if there’s a code to crack that I’m so close to finding out, and researched “how to _____” just about anything I’ve ever wanted to do.
What stresses me out the absolute most is the journey to figure out how to get to my end goal. Even when I’m unsure of what that end goal is, I just want to be there instead of here.
My biggest dream is to make it as a freelance writer. To be any type of writer brings me enough joy to want to do it for free, but it would be amazing to get paid to do what I love. The only problem is figuring out how to do just that.
I’m sure many people who are at a cross-roads in life, or who are young, or both, completely understand how I feel. If nothing else, I want my words to help you feel like you’re not alone in this crazy, scary thing we call life.
However-
I want to tell you that your life’s purpose cannot be achieved if you’re not taking care of yourself. If you don’t love where you are at this moment, I can’t give you a roadmap from beginning to end. I can give you the first few steps in the right direction though.

1. Take care of the necessities

This means having clothes on your back, a roof over your head, food in your stomach, and taking care of your emotional, physical, spiritual, social, and mental health needs. This step alone is a lot to take on. You may be working a job you don’t love, living in a place you don’t want to be, leading a life you’re not proud of. Unless these things are causing you harm, stick it out. Take care of your wellbeing before anything else.

2. Grow into yourself

This can be confusing- how do you grow into yourself? For me, a lot of my growth has come from taking classes at my local community college as well as changing jobs. Changing jobs has brought me into a healthy work environment that I flourish in, although it’s not my dream career. That’s okay for now. Taking classes at my local community college has been more of a growth-inducing thing than any sort of growth that’s comfortable. I have mostly learned what stresses me out and not so much what I love- but knowing what doesn’t suit me is just as important as knowing what does.

3. Make changes, one at a time

This is something that I have a really hard time with, especially since I’m a very sentimental person. Going back to the last point, I changed jobs. This was hard. My previous work environment wasn’t what I needed, but I still loved working with a lot of the people there. It was emotionally difficult for me to leave that job and start my new one. Looking back on it, I could not be more grateful for my decision (thank you, past Olive). My current job pushes me to grow in ways I’m not always comfortable with, but starting there was just one change that made a huge impact. My next big change is moving out of my current dwelling. It has worked for me and was a good place to start, but it’s not a place I want to be- so, I’m changing it. This change is not something that was quick or easy, and it’s taken almost a year of living in a place I don’t love with problems I can’t fix, and I still have several months more. But, changes don’t have to be quick or plentiful- they can be slow and one at a time.

This is all I have for now, because this about catches you up to where I’m at as I write this post.

(To Be Continued)

Budgeting: What It Really Is and How to Start Doing It

Budgeting may seem like it’s a difficult, time consuming thing that can only be done by people who have their lives together. Well, I’m here to tell you that the idea that budgeting is only for some people is harshly incorrect.

Before we get into the nitty gritty, let’s take a look at what budgeting is:

Budgeting is really just a personalized plan that allots resources to areas that need those resources. You can budget many things, but in this article we’re going to focus on money.

While budgeting may seem like it is complex, difficult, time consuming, or energy draining, it is meant to be the total opposite of all of these things- it is meant to be simple, easy, efficient, and freeing.

How do I get started?

Obviously, you’re here for a reason- you want to know how to get your financial life together, and you’ve decided that budgeting may be a good place for you to start. Well, let’s start with making a budget. It should look a little something like this:

Calculate your income. Figure out your net income- that is, everything you actually get to keep at the end of the day. We don’t want to do this based off of your gross salary (what you make before deductions like taxes) because we want to be able to see what we’re actually working with.
Calculate your fixed expenses. These are things like your rent/mortgage, phone bill, insurance bill, and any other bills or pre-set contributions (like putting x amount into your retirement account every paycheck.) These are things that do not vary.
Now, subtract your fixed expenses from your net income. This will give you the amount you are able to spend after your for-sure set-in-stone expenses are covered. This is not your “fun money”… we’ll get there soon, though! Hang in there!
Roughly estimate your variable expenses. Variable expenses are expenses that can change from one pay period to the next. These can include things like groceries, gas, craft or hobby materials, pet costs, childcare costs, and whatever else is a priority in your life that you spend money on. This is meant to be a rough estimate, and it’s a good idea to budget just a little bit more than you think you may need. Having cushion room within your variable expenses is important… life happens, so it’s good to be prepared!
Savings Savings Savings! After you subtract your fixed and variable expenses, you can allot some of your money to savings. You can make this fancy and create sinking funds, or keep it simple and contribute a certain percentage to your savings.
Now… time for the fun money! After you’ve covered all of your expenses and even set aside some into savings, you’re left with a little chunk of change that is for whatever you want to spend it on!

And… It’s easy as that! If you’re interested in more specific budgeting tips and methods, stick around for more!

5 Things To Do When You Feel Lost in Life

So, here we are. As you’re reading this, many moments have passed since I wrote this article. But here’s the thing: right now, it is probably safe to assume that what you’re feeling is what I am feeling as I write this. So, again, here we are. Lost. Without direction. Without a safety net. Needing change.

I try to be honest with myself and others when it comes to who I am, but that can be difficult when I feel like I’m still trying to create myself. How do I decide who to be as I am building myself from the ground up?

Well, thankfully we are here together. So, as I stumble my way along my journey, I’d like to share a few things that I feel have helped me to gain some direction.

1: Identify what is making you feel stuck. This shouldn’t be difficult to pin down- what is the main thing that you feel dissatisfied with in your everyday life? Is it school? Work? Your home life? Often times, the thing that steals our sense of direction is something we cannot change. What we can change, though, is how we approach that thing.

2. Find a way to shift your perspective. This step is both healing and eye-opening… It is also difficult. For example, if you are a broke college student trying to make ends meet (I see you!), it is probably difficult to keep up your motivation. Assignments are overwhelming, and it feels like teachers don’t understand that you have a job and a life outside of their classroom. I get it, I really do. But, why are you there in the first place? Something had to motivate you enough in the first place for you to put yourself in school. You have to go back to that motive to be able to get through the day sometimes. While you may feel helpless in this current moment, know that you at some point decided to better yourself and your future and this was how you were going to do it.

3. Learn something new. This doesn’t have to take up a lot of time and money. Maybe you want to learn French- okay, where do you start? There are plenty of free resources (namely YouTube and Duolingo to start) that will give you access to a wealth of knowledge. Maybe you want to learn all about mushrooms and which ones are edible and which ones aren’t. Maybe you want to learn how to crochet. Whatever it is that you want to learn, it doesn’t have to bring in income for it to be valuable to your life. Read that again if you need to. It doesn’t have to bring in income for it to be valuable to your life. It is okay to learn something and to enjoy it purely for what it is rather than what it can do for you.

4. Take a break. This will obviously look different for everyone. Maybe this is a weekend spent learning how to bake bread and take a mental break from life. Maybe it’s a study abroad semester. Maybe it’s committing yourself to one month of yoga. Whatever your lifestyle allows, find a way to take a break. It is so easy to fantasize about starting with a blank slate, but it can feel impossible to do. Once you take a break, you may come to realize that each moment of your day starts off as a blank slate. Perhaps you had previously felt like you had already bought a pre-drawn design for your slate, so you stuck with it. However, hopefully after your break away from the monotony, you realize that you truly can do whatever you want with that blank slate. You don’t have to wait until New Year’s Day, or next month, or next week, or even tomorrow morning. Every moment is yours to decide who you want to be.

5. Try a change of plans. This isn’t for everyone- but it doesn’t always hurt to try it out. Let’s say you’ve gone through all of the previous steps, and you’ve come to the conclusion that you truly need something completely different in your life to feel satisfied. Maybe you’ll need a license for it, like working in real estate or certain healthcare jobs. Okay, so would it be the end of the world for you to work on getting that license and trying it out? (Spoiler alert: it’s not the end of the world!) Best case scenario, this new thing really does pique your interest and you truly found something that you would rather pursue than what your original plan was. Worst case scenario, you spent some time and money pursuing something that didn’t pan out. Either way, you learned something about yourself, and that is quite alright! Not all learning experiences blossom into money and opportunities- often times, they end up being a lesson to you of what is not a good fit for you. You may have to teach yourself to be okay with either outcome.

Now, let’s stumble through this messy growth process together and see where it takes us. À plus tard! (That’s French for “See you later!”)

10 Small Things I Did To Make My Space Feel Like Home

We’ve all either been there or will be there soon enough- you have your very own space: your apartment, your house, your condo, your room, your van, your mobile home, your [insert type of home]. Whatever your space is, it’s yours! Now what?

If you’re anything like me, you see different types of aesthetics and you just can’t choose which one is your favorite- they’re all so visually pleasant, and your taste changes as quickly as Florida weather… In other words, you just can’t make up your mind! Well, luckily for you, I have done the legwork and trial and error to figure out how to make your space feel like home. Without further ado, let’s get onto the list.

Clean your space. This is a simple yet (often) daunting task. Cleaning up your space will bring you a sense of peace and relaxation. Being in a space that is free of clutter and filth is going to be reflected in your mental and emotional wellbeing. This doesn’t have to be done in one huge chunk if that’s not your thing- you can focus on one room, or area of a room, and just clean that one space. When you’re done, move on to the next spot. Making small chunks of cleaning a part of your routine will help you maintain a nice home. If that’s not motivating enough, you’ll need a clean space to start working on the next tips on the list 😉.
Donate the things that just don’t fit you. This does not include things that are sentimental- we’ll get to that later. Some things just don’t “fit” you- whether that be literally or figuratively. We all have random stuff that we don’t know what to do with; we don’t like it, we don’t use it, we don’t have an attachment to it, but we think there might be a chance that we use it someday. Yeah, whatever you have that fits that criteria, donate it! This will help shave down the number of items you have occupying your space, as well as help you narrow down you likes and dislikes- this the first big step towards finding your aesthetic!
Find some Pinterest Inspo. Now, don’t get too carried away with this part (I understand- much easier said than done)! Find what you resonate with and save/screenshot what you like. This is fun, so enjoy this part of the process!
Find the common ground in what you like. If you’re noticing a lot of your inspo pics include gold frames and wood elements, you know you like warmth in a space. If you noticed most of what you have liked is bright and white, you know you like things that look clean and simple. If you love the look of gallery art walls and eclectic furniture, you might go for a funky maximalist style in your home. Pick out the underlying key elements, and go from there!
Spend some quality time at your local second-hand shops. I am a huge fan of doing things in the least wasteful and most ethical way possible, and while you are trying to create a space you love, why not do it in a way you feel good about? Some of my absolute favorite items in my home have come from the Goodwill right down the road- including all of my decorations, which leads me to tip number six!
Get creative with your decorations! One of my current projects is creating a gallery wall above my work nook. It will consist of 9 picture frames (that currently have random photos in them) of varying sizes and textures that I got from Goodwill with some simple line art printed from home! This is a simple Pinterest hack that looks nice and is completely affordable (about $17 total- but who’s counting?).
Invest in your organization. Unless you’re a superhuman who naturally is perfectly tidy and organized and has no problem with keeping everything in their home neat, it may be helpful for you to invest in some type of organization for your home. My husband and I have an antique hutch that acts as a bookcase, shoe storage, and holds our random items that just don’t belong anywhere else. This one organizational unit basically saved our living room from being in a state of constant disaster.
Florals, florals, florals. I love the effortless look of flowers delicately placed around a home. However, I kind of suck at keeping anything but succulents alive. This is where fake flowers come in! I have fake flowers around the apartment (of course only in the most decorative manner). Flowers, whether real or fake, can make a space feel like it has just the finishing touch. I will honestly say that when my apartment was fully furnished and mostly decorated, it was the flowers that made it feel like home.
Bring in some different lighting. This is something that many people gloss over, but like florals and decorations, it can totally change the energy of a room. Edison lights, color changing LED light strips, cool lamps, a different light fixture, or even a different light bulb sets the atmosphere for the room. (As a tip, you may want to consider using whiter light for the kitchen and bathroom, and a yellower light for living areas such as the living room and bedroom.) This will help to change the mood of your living space and make it feel less sterile and more suitable for a living space.
Include your sentimental items in your everyday life. This doesn’t mean we have to use these items the way they were originally intended, but it does mean that you will be able to truly enjoy these items. If your sentimental item is something that is meant to be displayed, you’re in luck! Find a place that it is showcased nicely, and let it be enjoyed there. If it is something you use that is fabric, (like this t-shirt that was made into a quilt by ProjectRepat), you can use it, wear it, make it into something new, or display it. If it is something that is fragile and needs preservation, like a wedding bouquet, invest in preserving it to keep it as nice as possible- I promise you can’t put a price on keeping your special sentimental items in their best condition.

Bonus tip: Use texture to your advantage. Sheers, curtains, and blinds all bring a different tone to your living space. Accent colors, different aromas, and your own special pieces are what will make a space your own and make it feel like home.

Now, what are you waiting for? Get on Pinterest, get out to Goodwill, and make your house more than a space you occupy- make it your home.

How I Keep Myself Motivated: 6 Tips and Mindset Hacks

It is so normal for people to struggle with feeling motivated. Especially since COVID-19, my own motivation has plummeted. At least my motivation for what I thought I wanted plummeted. So, how do I keep myself motivated? Well, let’s start with what we actually want to do with our lives and let our motivation come from that.

I used to be a Type-A personality, but I will admit that it was more or less the result of the conditioning of the American public school system (and the fact that unless you’re a Type-A person, you will probably struggle a little extra). My motivation used to come from the pressure and demand I felt through my education, and my more creative and laid-back true-to-myself Type-B personality didn’t ever get the chance to shine through. I have always been an All-A Honor Roll student- not because I’m magically a genius, but because having anything less than an “A” terrified me. When I started doing online schooling (thanks to the pandemic), I began to understand the importance of getting enough rest and spending time with people who make me feel loved. With all this being said, it is clear that my motivators has changed my motivation.

How to feel motivated (by something other than fear or stress):

Find passion in what you do. Now, I can practically see you rolling your eyes through the screen, but this is the easiest, most effective way that you can find motivation in what you do. Although cliché, finding passion in what you do will inevitably translate into feeling motivated to do “the thing,” whatever that thing may be.
Stop doing what you’re not passionate about. This doesn’t mean that if you’re not passionate about laundry and dishes to stop doing them- this means that if you’re not passionate about your job, or you outgrew one of your hobbies, or if you’re generally dissatisfied with where you’re at in life, you have the permission and ability to change it- so don’t limit yourself. I was not passionate about one of the best-paying jobs I’ve worked thus far, and despite the opportunities it provided, I knew I had to move on for myself and find something I enjoyed. My mental and emotional well being is a key component of me feeling motivated, and I’m sure this is true for more people than just myself.
Have the mindset that the time will pass whether you’re productive or not, and you never get a moment back- so spend your time wisely! This mindset will motivated you to get your stuff done now and have your fun time later.
Understand the value of getting things done- you feel good about yourself, your to-do list, your space, your workload, your peace of mind- whatever it was that you needed to accomplish will be accomplished sooner if you start NOW! (or, at least when you’re done reading this post)
Your time is valuable. It is worth more than mindlessly scrolling through social media. Your time is worth your mental health and general wellbeing, so take care of that first and foremost.
You never get this day back- make the most of it! Not to freak you out and make you feel like you’re missing out on life if you’re not constantly elated- that’s just unrealistic. But keep in mind that you might miss your peaceful morning if you stay in bed. Your motivation doesn’t have to be centered around productivity. Your motivation is allowed to be something beautiful and peaceful, like the way the morning light shines in your home or the way the birds sing in the morning.

I hope these quick tips and changes of perspective as you view your day-to-day life and value of your time help you to feel motivated. Your worth is not measured by your productivity, but being productive can and does improve your life. Take care of yourself, and stay posted for your next quick read!