LINK-END ROUND-UP

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This weekend I plan to finally attempt to get into the holiday spirit, because I feel so behind. Everywhere I look, people are putting up Christmas lights and I even know a few people who have already put up their tree. Although it seems a little premature to me, I will try to buy a few festive decor items or the bare minimum of finalizing a color scheme.

Since I spend all my Thanksgivings as a guest, I don’t have to worry about cooking anything. So, the prepping I have to do for Thanksgiving is to eat light meals to prepare my mind and body for the abundance of food I will inhale on Thursday.

Here is this week’s Link-End Round-Up. Enjoy, have an amazing weekend, and see you on Monday! Let’s meet here! 😉

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How To Organize Your Winter Wardrobe

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Slightly surreal to think that winter is almost here and we have to replace our cute and lightweight cardigan with thick and heavy winter coats. However, that’s exactly what you have to do in order to properly prepare and organize your winter wardrobe.

Over the past couple of weeks, I’ve been slowly transitioning some pieces in and out of my closet, because the has been all over the place. One day it can be cold and windy, but sunny and hot by late afternoon. I guess that’s why they call it ‘flu season’.

Anyway, this weekend I plan to completely pack away all my summer and early fall-friendly clothes and pull out the rest of my late fall and winter (i.e. heavier) clothing. So, I here’s how I decide what stays and goes when organizing my winter wardrobe.

COLORS & PRINTS

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Personally, I believe that you can wear any color any time you please. However, there are just some colors and prints that are more chic and complimentary of cooler months. Other than the obvious neutrals of black, white, and grey; deep jewel tones such as burgundy, purple, and teal are very becoming in the winter.

There are so many types of prints that are associated with fall and winter wardrobes, including plaids, animal prints, and dark floral.

STASH vs. STOCK

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STASH – Items that you wear mostly in the spring and summer should get put up, such as cut-off denim short, billowy dresses, and thin tees. These are items in your wardrobe that need to get stashed away until spring rolls around. Here are some other items that you should put remove from your winter wardrobe:

  • Shorts – SIDENOTE: leather shorts are okay, but when paired with thick, opaque tights.
  • Extremely distressed denim – A slit here or there in a dark rinse denim is okay, but those comfy and overly cut-up jeans that were perfect for hot summer days will not be great in the snow storm. So, let them go hibernate for the winter.
  • Thin, light-weight fabric – Sheer and gauzy fabrics are great for extra protection for your skin on sunny days, but the need for them are pretty much obsolete.
  • Sandals – Obviously.

STOCK – Items that are great for colder temperatures and great for layering should remained stocked in your fall/winter wardrobe, including thicker cardigans, and opaque tights, and heavier knit scarves. Also:

  • Leather – Faux or real, leather is a heavy material that’s great for added warmth and style.
  • Suede – Suede is a great transition fabric, because it’s provides a nice amount of extra warmth. However, it’s not as heavy as leather, which makes it great for fall and winter.
  • Heavy Knits – Can you really have a legit winter wardrobe without at least one heavy duty cable-knit item?
  • Silk – Rich silk is perfect material that’s soft and not too heavy.

STORAGE

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When it comes to your winter items, you can store them the same as you would your spring summer by hanging them in your closet, with the exception of heavy knits and sweaters. If you hang your sweaters on a hanger, they will get stretch out and lose their shape. Instead, opt to store your sweaters by folding them and placing them on shelves in your closet or dresser drawers. For more tips on storing your sweaters, check out my previous post on how to take care of sweaters.

Coats might seem like a no brainer: “Hang them up, duh”. However, when hanging up your outwear, pay attention to the type of hanger you are using. Never use a thin hanger to hang up your coats, because the hanger can cause the shoulder of your coat to bend and damage that area. Instead, use thick hangers with rounded edges. Also, if possible, always hang your coat up in a closet with plenty of space so your coats don’t get cramped with other items and lose it’s shape and possible get damaged by other items. That’s why coat closets exist! 🙂

 

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Inexpensive Winter Skincare Routine

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I love when Fall hits and the temperature starts getting cooler. Not only does it mean that I can start breaking out all my boots and live layering, but it also means that I can cut back on my skincare and follow my trusty and very affordable winter skincare routine.

What I mean by “cut back” is that I can stop using certain products that my combo/oily skin needs in the humid heat, but so much in the cooler days of fall and winter.

The most basic skincare needs three core steps: cleanse, tone, and moisturize. It took me a few years, but I eventually found a simple and very basic skincare routine for normal skin.

Cleanse – In the colder months, I don’t really have to worry about finding products for oily skin, because my skin is more on the normal side. So, I take a break from my cetaphil and use a regular bar of Dove soap. Yes, you can use bar soap on your despite what commercials and old wives tales have told you, but it has to be the right kind of soap. If you have normal to dry skin, stay away from ‘antibacterial’ soaps, because they are very drying. However, Dove soap is great, because not only is it gentle for most skin types but also very moisturizing. Any extra touch of moisture for your skin in the winter is great.

Tone – I always keep a bottle of witch hazel in my skincare stash for those days when I run out of my trusted toner which I preferred product in the summer, this is always the next best option. However, in the winter, when my skin is normal and doesn’t need the extra oomph of my summer toner, I reach for my Dickinson’s witch hazel. It gently wipes away any remaining dirt and make-up that didn’t get removed in the cleansing step and also helps calm and balance my skin without over-drying it.

Moisturize – Coconut oil is seriously my BFF, because it always my back. I buy a large ja of coconut oil and ration it off in various size containers to put in various sots around of my house. I keep a medium size container in my bathroom cabinet to as a deep moisturizing mask for my hair, I keep a small jar in my purse for random moments of dryness on the go, and I keep a small jar on vanity to use as a moisturizer for my skin. Plus, a little goes a long way.

This is my go-to easy, inexpensive, and simple skincare routine that I can actually use all year that consists of products that I buy almost anywhere and anytime (thanks to 24 hour Wal-Mart) Feel free to list some simple and inexpensive skincare products for winter below.

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LINK-END ROUND-UP

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We are less than 2 weeks away from Thanksgiving and the stores have already decorated to make it feel like we are in Christmas wonderland. Sheesh.

So, my holiday loving sister is dead set on finding and buying a new (fake)Christmas tree this weekend. She wants at least 7ft, which is a cute little upgrade from our trusty, but whimpy 6ft one that’s been holding us down for the past few Christmases. So, we’re Christmas tree shopping this weekend. eh.

As usual, I hope you all have a great weekend and here is this week’s Link-End Round-Up:

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Unique Night Lights

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Nights were once used to help small children fall asleep and without having the “boogeyman” sneak up on them while they are in bed and parents to safely go check on their babies without disturbing their sleep by turning on a bright light.

When I was younger, I shared a bedroom with my brother who “needed” a night light on in order to go to sleep, which was usually some cartoon mostly aimed and favorited toward boys. I vaguely remember falling asleep with a soft light coming from one of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles plugged into one of our bedroom walls.

Eventually, we got our own rooms (Yes!) and my brother stopped requesting night lights all together. However, now that I’m older and a little smarter, I come to recognize that adults could benefit from night lights, too. Who wants to wake up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom and stub their toe, because they can’t see where they are going? This may or may not have happened to me recently after moving my bedroom around a few hours before and forgot. Like I said, may or may not.

Added safety and navigation aside, a soft and subtle light in the background as you fall asleep can be very soothing and appreciated.

Here are some more mature and unique night lights for us adults and still appropriate for kids.

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I love the simplicity and fun feel of this owl night light. Plus, the modern design helps easily blend into your living space for an extra touch of decor. You can never go wrong with a laser cut design of an owl…in my opinion.

moon-night-light

Looking for a traditional nightlight without the kiddie vibes? You might be interested in this moon night light, which is very simple and very cool the same time. It looks like it can be very entrancing.

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As a pseudo-minimalist, I love when convenience, function, and design collide to create something awesome. Case in point, the book rest lamp provides a soft light to read, but also doubles as a book rest to help you never lose your page. Here is where design and creativity enters. When you place your open book on top of the lamp, it creates the look of a house! So cute!

Lumio_Product_Maple

If you are a fellow fan (read: obsessed) and avid watcher of Shark Tank on ABC, then you might remember the Lumio. It was one of those inventions that was so unique and amazing that almost all the sharks wanted a piece even with the high price investment request. In case you aren’t familiar, Lumio lamp is a portable, multi-functional lamp that conceals itself in the form of a hard-cover book and opens to 360 degrees. Not only is it functional and convenient, but so cool. It comes in various sizes, including one that’s small enough to fit in your back pocket. I want Santa to bring me one this year.

 

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