I’ve been in the new condo for about a month now and it’s finally starting to feel like home. I’ve come to notice that there are a few things that make a house feel like a home and not just a place you keep your stuff.

After three years and four major cross country moves, I’ve come to realize that there are a few key essentials that make a house really feel like a place you can feel confident unpacking all the boxes-  a true home.  I’m excited to finally put down roots and invest in some personalization, home decor and general craftiness.

1.  Bring your family into the space, even if they can’t be there in person

Until I unpack the pictures and put them on the walls and adorning the shelves, any place would feel like a hotel, not like home.  Right now, I’m fascinated by photo collages.  We’re planning a Route 66 themed wall collage with photos, state plates and road trip memorabilia.  I got a great deal on a set of black photo frames in various sizes from Rakuten.com which made the ideal grouping easy peezy.

I can’t wait to print out some of my road trip and family pictures that have been hiding in my camera and finally give them a home on my wall.  I’m hoping to have a ginormous collage that will tell a story and add warmth to the condo.  A space still feels like a hotel until you have the people you love staring back at you, even with art or fancy decor- it’s not home without people, even if they can’t all be there.  The only thing that makes the distance easy is feeling like you’re surrounded by the people across the miles, who love you.

2.  Good books that give your space personality

I feel that there is almost nothing that makes a greater statement about who you are than the books on your shelf.  To me, books are a prized collection, one that I prefer to cultivate with quality rather than quantity.  So, I very rarely buy books, instead I opt for the library and when a book is worthy of keeping, I seek it out to own.   There are a few books I’ve fallen in love with in the last few years that had to be purchased, and through several moves, I still couldn’t part with them.

Is it just me or are books more expressive than artwork? I feel that books not only tell a story about who you are, they’re an expression of the memories you have with them, unspoken time capsules that trigger memories of learning, stories and experiences only you could know when you see them.  Books are ot

3. Morning coffee

Smell is an important aspect of adding warmth and personality to a home.  While I’m a huge fan of scented candles and tea lights, no candle captures the  aroma of “morning” better than fresh coffee.  Without morning coffee, not only do mornings feel unbearable, but it doesn’t smell like home. Every time I’ve moved, I’ve always gotten a new coffee maker within a day or two if I didn’t have one handy.

Coffee is fabulous for early mornings to run or head to work, but on a relaxed Saturday, spiking it with some Bailey’s ain’t bad either.  Good memories around coffee make any house a home.

4.  A house isn’t a home until it’s covered in pug hair

Having pets has always been a part of my life- but it wasn’t until a few years back when I narrowed down the fur affection to just pugs.  When I went off to graduate school two years ago, I was assuming I’d be so busy with school I wouldn’t notice a lack of fuzziness in my life, but yet- I totally noticed.  The coffee maker, photos and books in my first “Chicago home” couldn’t make Chicago feel like home until I adopted Ralph. Two years later, Max came thundering into our lives, and the new digs are just right with dogs.

Honestly, sometimes homemaking would be less crazymaking without two furballs running around that shed year round, shred their toys and have a tendency to dribble food, water and treats all over the floor- but then again, who needs clean floors?

So, what do you do to make your place feel like home?

What’s one thing you always unpack first when you move?

Many people roll their eyes when they hear someone citing the “power of attraction,” or the importance of a positive mental attitude-  ever since the commercialization of The Secret and the commercialization of self-help by what feels like a million “self help gurus,” many of us are rightfully annoyed by anyone piping up about all that “power of attraction” mumbo jumbo, I myself, am one.

For the past year, my life has undergone a complete overhaul.  This time last year, I was getting ready to graduate with my master’s degree in sociology and was totally deflated about the idea.  I had moved to Chicago two years prior to get my M.A. with the idea I would earn my Ph.D. and become a college professor, but within weeks of starting the program, I realized that I was walking down the wrong road.  I could see the path before me, crumbling at my feet as the economic and political realities of working in my “dream field” began to sour before my eyes.

By the time I was approaching graduation last spring (I finished the degree simply to get my money’s worth, apparently universities have a no-refund policy and you can’t put “1/2 a M.A.” on a resume), my whole life was in tumult.  I knew I didn’t want to be a professor early on in my program, so I began to build a blog and discovered a more applied sociological approach to work- I wanted to work in marketing, not academics.  I built the blog up enough to get me through school and launched my own social media consulting business, Cake Mix Media.

I knew that graduation was coming fast and that moving on from the rough patch in my life as a graduate student meant serious and swift change.  I was unsure of what would come but I had to have faith that anything would have been better than the life I’d been living-  on $800 a month, on dates that went nowhere, unsure about my career and hoping for more.

I had dreams I didn’t want to admit-  I wanted to have a partner I could depend on (yep, I wanted a boyfriend..and not just any boyfriend..a damn good one!), I wanted work that I loved, a place I could call home and the ability to travel, explore and experience the world.  Coming from two years of rough living on low income and endless course work I didn’t find fulfilling, this seemed like a lofty venture, especially to myself.
I wrote the below “Future Me” letter in February, 2012. I scheduled it to send on a random day a year later and totally forgot about it.  The email arrived in my inbox, the day I started my dream job as a social media coordinator for a racing company I’ve admired since I started running last year… (cue creepy music here).

As I write this letter- things in this note came true.  The email arrived on a date I randomly picked over a year ago- not knowing what the future would hold, and it arrived the day I started at my new company.

A year ago I was deeply dissatisfied that my life was “frugal” but not very “beautiful.”  I had been working multiple jobs as I grew my freelancing gigs, I was chronically underpaid and was living in a less than comfortable situation.  I often envied other bloggers that had a home of their own (even if it was rented, they made it feel like home) or had the extra income to do fashion posts, or chronicle their family vacations and fancy dinners.

At the time, I had to walk four blocks with a suitcase full of clothes to do my laundry- rain or shine.  I didn’t have insurance, a reliable air conditioner, a car and going to my favorite place to shop (Target) was a 40 minute train ride…and yes, I would carry everything back to the apartment.  Not to whine, but I longed for convenience, security and the things that most other people took for granted (like not having to lug back toilet paper and dog kibble in the snow after a long train ride, haha!)

I don’t write this post to boast- I am here in awe of how much things can change in a year if you sit down to admit what lacks in your life and commit to changing it.  I write this post to give you hope- if you’re not happy with how your life is going, own up to it.  If you “should” be happy, but you’re not (as I felt wanting to get a day job when everyone else seemed to be trying to strike it out on their own and bucking against the idea of a “day job”)  own up to your dissatisfaction, without judgement, and commit to changing your life- a year from now, you’ll be so surprised at how far you’ve come.  A year makes a world of difference…it’s a long time from now, but will seem like the shortest and most worthy year you’ve changed when you look back.

So…how has your life changed in a year?
Have you ever written a “future me” letter?

Many of us love having pets, even if our allergies don’t agree with us.  If you want to allergy proof your home and are a pet owner, I have some tips that have helped me manage my sneezes for a few years now.

If you have the chance, schedule an appointment with a physician to get tested for what allergens give you the most trouble and how to manage them with any coordinating allergy medications.  While you’re at home though, there are some universal tips and tricks that will help reduce the amount of allergens in your home, reduce pet dander and keep you and your loved ones sneeze free (or at least less sneezy!)

 1.  Use Covers On Anything Your Pet Touches  & Wash Them Every Week

If you have pets, chances are, they shed..a lot.  You will want to have covers for just about everything they touch- and if you have pet beds, make sure they’re easily thrown in the washer to remove pet dander and fur.  Invest in a good set of sofa covers, chair covers and mattress covers that are intended to capture and trap allergens like dander, mites, dead skin cells and dust which can contain the allergens and be easily cleaned.

We wash our pet beds every other week and wash the sofa covers every week or so.  Washing sheets, linens and pillows can seem like a hassle, but if they reduce allergens, your nose will thank you!

2.  Have Someone Else Do The Dirty Work

When it comes to vacuuming, I LOVE it- there is nothing more satisfying than a clean floor and it’s much easier when you can vacuum for instant resultes!  A friend of mine that suffers from allergies told me that her doctor told her to let her partner do the dusting and vacuuming when her allergies were acting up, and if possible, to do the cleaning when she’s out of the home.  It’s not always easy to schedule a deep clean, but if your partner, children or house mate can do the housework that kicks up the most dust, dander and pollen while you’re out- it should settle within 4 hours as you return home.

Of course, you can help out with other tasks when allergens are at their worst, but ladies, isn’t it sexy to have your fella do the housework? Tasks like vacuuming, dusting, and sweeping can kick up allergens that could make you miserable- so if you’re already suffering, dispatch someone else to do the dirty work and leave the home for a few hours.   Kudos to my man for looking so handsome with our new Dyson, rawr!

3.  Invest In An Air Purifier That’s Efficient But Doesn’t Scare Your Pets

Max, our little pug is terrifie of appliances.  While most dogs are fearful of the vacuum cleaner, this little guy is even scared of oscillating fans, opened drawers and the dishwasher.  You can imagine when were shopping around for air purifiers we wanted one that would be effective, on budget, highly rated and of course, not scare our little pug into wetting himself so we could breathe easy.

I’ve used a variety of air purifiers in the past- but you want to look for one that has a high rating.  Read reviews of your air purifier to make sure it’s easy to install and clean, energy efficient, is relatively quiet with an unobtrusive design (they don’t have to be ugly), and will either be standing upright in a corner or able to sit somewhere out of the way.  We chose this Honeywell QuietClean HFD air purifier because it was quiet, had great reviews for the price on Rakuten, had an oscillating feature and sat upright to be easily moved and tucked into the corner of any room.  It wasn’t refurbished, but was on sale- so you can make it fit your budget!  As you can see, Max is not terrified of it, so I’d say it’s a win and my breathing has improved!

4.  Invest In The Right Vaccuum Cleaner

Having the wrong vacuum cleaner can do more harm than good. When we moved into our condo, all we had was one of those flimsy little rechargeable vacuum cleaners, which usually caused my allergies to worsen every time we used it (which is so not the point of a vacuum cleaner).  If you’re using an outdated vacuum cleaner, it could be sucking up the big stuff, but simply kicking up the allergens to resurface the mites, dust and dander to circulate in the air- no good!

This year, we invested in a small but powerful Dyson vacuum cleaner-  it is one of the easiest models to use and came highly recommended by friends and pet lovers alike.  The canister is easy to change and there’s no guess work as to when it’s full or not working properly (because who likes to vacuum an entire floor only to realize it didn’t suck much up at all!)  We got our refurbished Dyson from Rakuten.com and it came with an extra pack of Zorb to freshen carpets and helped us snag a sweet deal.  If you want a better vacuum cleaner, buy high end but go for refurbished to save money-  you will still get a warranty with the company and pay less!

Special Offer: There’s also a 20% discount on Dyson products right now, using promo code DYSON2020 (ends May 12^th) AND on top of the 20% off, you receive 20% back in Super Points from Rakuten.com!

5.  Suds Your Buds & Furminate Frequently

I attempted to take a picture of the pugs during their last bath, but as you can imagine, like most dogs, they weren’t feeling particularly camera ready during their last trip to the tub!  One of the easiest ways to eliminate dander and collect pug hair is to give your dogs a bath every week or every other week if it’s especially traumatic to them.  Bathing your pets at home can reduce grooming costs, and you can wash your furry friends in the backyard, sink or bathtub.

Giving your pets a regular bath reduces dander, skin irritation and also loosens up the thick undercoats of certain breeds so it will be easier to remove with a brush.  Most of the shedding that happens on a pet is from their undercoat, so after your loosen it up with a warm bath using pet shampoo, invest in a good fur brush like a Furminator to tackle the undercoat without hurting your pet.  You will be amazed at how much fuzz comes off your furry friend!

Do you have any advice for allergy sufferers?

How do you manage both pets & allergies?

I received product to facilitate this review as a brand partner withRakuten.com- celebrate Earth Month with exclusive deals on refurbished, eco friendly and recycled products!.  Opinions and content are entirely my own since I love these products and hope you’ll benefit from my review!

Hello All!

I’m officially in “nest” mode.  I’m really excited that on Frugal Beautiful I’ll be featuring more thrifty domestic ideas since I finally have the space in my new condo to get crafty and a place I feel I can put down some roots!  The beau and I have been out thrift hunting lately- well, more than that- we also scored a table for FREE in the alley.

To work with the colors in the condo (mainly warm/neutral tones with reds) since I’m too lazy to repaint everything and too broke to care about those details, we’ve decided on a vintage Americana/Route 66 theme…see some of my latest thrift store finds (just ignore the shot glass and cheese cutter, those are a gift and a kitchen doodad we needed)…. to get ideas…. all in all, I spent like $3. While the vintage plates were a rare find (we’re only getting plates from Route 66 states), I was thrilled to start the collection for cheap!

Yes, that’s one great thing about living in the city- people often leave furniture in the alleys when they don’t want to bother calling a thrift store to come get it, have a garage sale or it simply doesn’t fit in the moving truck.  Many times, there’s nasty stuff out there like old mattresses and filthy chairs- but a few times, I’ve found great IKEA tables, wooden chairs & working lamps there!  Our neighbor was giving away a table that we gladly snagged and just needs some TLC…not sure if it’ll go in the dining room, office or bedroom- we’ll keep you posted!

As stated, it’s been awhile since I’ve gotten seriously crafty- and I will need your ideas on how to gussy up these pieces.  We’ve already decided on a photo/plate montage of Route 66 and vintage Americana items for our walls- but the furniture is leaving me a bit contemplative- I’m not sure where to begin.  If you’re a Pinterester or just savvy with upcycling furniture- I’d love your ideas!

This was $6!  Right now, this little bookshelf is perfect at window height-  great for window plants- but I may end up putting it in the bedroom as a nightstand since I don’t have one for the time being.  I’m thinking since the tops of the shelves are so badly damaged, I may coat it in gold glitter and then add some sealant to the top so it doesn’t flake.   So, I could leave the brown/red color on it (sort of matches the cherrywood we have in the bedroom) and then coat the tops of the shelves in girly glitter… yay? Nay?

This was $9!  There are two drawer pulls inside this bad boy- I’m hoping to add some vintage handles and paint the front of the shelf and the top with chalkboard paint…or perhaps the whole thing?  I think it would be a cool visual element to have in front of a window, graffitied in removable notes- or if we only paint the front of the drawers, it could be a fun label for what’s inside!

This was free!  I keep flip flopping on where to put this table.  It’s a bit beat up (hey, it was free) but I love the fact that it’s wide open to easily display items or store stuff next to the door.  I think it would fit really well in a windowed corner by the door to hold some of our house slippers, car keys and stuff we need to take to the car-  plus, it’s falls right below the window level, so it could also hold some plants and the mail.

Of course, since I love the open look of this, it can be equally helpful in the office or the bedroom…I just haven’t decided what color (besides orange, which oddly, doesn’t look horrible with the reds/browns/khakis of the condo but it does look beat to hell).

So far- we spent about $21 on furniture and a few additions to the vintage state plates we’re working on finding, not bad eh?  This is where I need your help though- if you have some brilliant ideas on how to upcycle this furniture and make them look less….thrifty and more nifty- that’d be great.  If you have pinned ideas or favorite DIY blogs you’d like to share, I need your help!  

Also, where is the best place to stock up on supplies like glitter, drawer handles and what’s the best product to seal glitter with? I would like to find something either unique, vintage, cheap or supporting small businesses if possible- though that doesn’t always happen.

Muchas gracias in advance!

Decluttering is usually one of the most emotional portions of redecorating, moving or simply reappropriating a room in your house.  Any time you’re ready to change your space, it can be totally draining to have to face a mountain of stuff- most of which stays with us not because we want it, but because we feel compelled to keep it.

Most of are stuff keeps us feeling suffocated because we’re stuck in emotional attachments to them- guilt, buyer’s remorse, procrastination, obligation to keep lugging stuff around, disorganization.  If you’re ready to declutter but you just can’t seem to face your stuff, there may be some emotions you need to address before you move forward.

Here’s Why It Pays To Declutter:

• If you’ve been late to work or have trouble getting out the door because you can’t find something, it’s time to cut back.
• Your clutter could be costing you cash- paying to store or paying $10 for bins to “organize” junk you don’t need in the first place.
• If you’re moving to a new location, shipping, hiring a mover or renting a truck can mean big bucks.  If you don’t need to spend $500, DON’T.
• Decluttering not only clears your space, but your life. If new agey retreats and meditation don’t appeal to you, you’d be amazed at the soul renewal that comes from a good declutter.

How To Take The Emotion Out Of Decluttering:

Often, many of us are derailed on our attempts to declutter and reorganize because we have an unrealistic attachment to the stuff we own. These unhealthy attachments fall into Someday stuff: “Someday I’ll finish this quilt!”, Guilt stuff: “If I hadn’t gained so much wait, I’d still be able to wear this”  and Obligatory stuff: “My aunt gave me this and if I don’t keep it, she’ll ask me about it.”

Dealing With The “Someday Stuff”

A.K.A. Unfinished Projects & The Clutter That Goes With It

Last year, when I moved out of my first Chicago apartment, I had to deal with the fact that I was looking at some major unfinished craft projects and it really irked me that they weren’t done, yet I didn’t have the gumption to tackle them.  Would it make you feel better just to toss them?  If you’re insistant they get done- set a date to get them done, mark it on the calendar, otherwise, toss or donate them. Unless you’re willing to commit to a finish date, they wont’ get done.

Dealing With The “Guilt Stuff”

A.K.A. Pants That Don’t Fit, Clothes You Bought But Never Wore & Other Impulse Buys

It looked so cute on the rack, then you got home with good intentions but you never wore it.  Or, perhaps with weight loss or gain, you no longer fit into clothes you used to but they’re still “good” clothes.  Remind yourself, that clothes and clutter, if gone unused or simply driving you crazy does no one any good.  If you’re feeling guilty about wasting money, you don’t get that money back by having it hanging in your closet- donate it or sell it to recoop the costs or finally make that item useful to another person who can finally use it.  Dust collectors help no one.

If you’re feeling guilty about weight gain, holding onto a little black dress that doesn’t fit anymore doesn’t help you lose weight or get active.  If you’re happy with your weight or simply don’t feel like changing, that’s okay too- but holding on to old stuff as a reminder of the fun times you had sporting it, serves no one- it just keeps you stuck in the past.

Dealing With “Obligatory Stuff”

A.K.A. Stuff You’re Holding On For Other People But Don’t Want

We often hold onto our stuff for other people- gifts we didn’t like but hold onto in fear we could hurt feelings, or magazines we intend on giving to a friend, just lots and lots of clutter that we don’t want, yet we feel holding onto it honors other people.  Well hun, it doesn’t.

If you have a gift that you’ll fear an auntie will be crushed if you donate, perhaps let her know you had another friend who absolutely adored it and you passed it onto her to brighten her home (even if that friend is a random stranger at the thrift store, she doesn’t need to know). If you have things you’ve been holding onto for a friend for over a month or you keep forgetting to give to her- there might be a reason you haven’t passed it on so go ahead and donate, toss it or put it in your purse, car or put it in the mail right now!  Anything that doesn’t give you the warm fuzzies should be on it’s way to GONE.

Quick Decluttering Tips To Remember

• If you’re holding onto stuff out of obligation, chances are it’s in your head. The gifter probably won’t remember, and if they do- let them know you passed it on to someone special who loved it as much as you do.

• Stuff that we hold onto out of regret or “hope” doesn’t actually help motivate us to change habits (like start exercising) Letting go of the guilt can be the key to moving on and getting started on real change.

• Put things you feel emotional about in a box, if you don’t use it or think about it in 6 months, donate the box without pilfering through it, activating another emotional cycle.

• If you have a penchant for knick-knacks & small items that don’t have a good spot to display or get in the way- remember not everything has to be on display at once!  Cycle your favorite pictures, figurines and collectibles.

• Ask yourself:  What emotion (that isn’t love or usefulness) is causing me to hold onto this item and how is it holding me back?  Has this item been lurking around in the hopes I’ll use it, but I never do?  Do I have multiples of this item or could a different item I already have be of better use?  What about this item is keeping me from having the clean space I desire- would I truly miss it?