Hi!  Let’s dive right in because I know you’re here for the good stuff – the organizing wins and the pretty new pieces that are making our rental feel more like home.

Since we moved in May, I’ve been slowly but surely getting our systems dialed in. You know how it is – you can unpack all the boxes, but until you actually live in a space for a bit, you don’t really know what systems will work. Well, I finally cracked the code on a few kitchen situations that were driving me crazy, and I also treated myself to some furniture upgrades that I’m completely in love with.

Kitchen Updates

Let me start with the kitchen because honestly, this is where I spend most of my time and where good systems make the biggest difference in daily life. I tackled a few key areas that needed better organization, and the difference is night and day. Starting with my coffee and supplement situation. A-hem…Priorities!

This cabinet was a jumbled mess of varying sized and shaped containers. Using snap-lock lidded containers and a turntable, order has been restored!

( containers | turntable )

This corner of the kitchen is the most visited because this is where we make smoothies, grab electrolytes, fill up pre or post workout drinks or make coffee. I smile every time I open this cabinet!

Once I had that organized, I wanted to move the coffee pods from the jar into an empty drawer below this counter. I’m trying to eliminate as much counter clutter as possible. I found this great organizer that holds 40 or 50 pods. Mine holds 40. And I added a bamboo drawer box to hold my frother collection…

( products here )

Since I was working on the coffee, I then moved on to the mugs. They had been stacked 2 high, which is a recipe for them falling and breaking. I found this pretty set of acrylic risers for the cabinet and we’re all set now…

( acrylic riser )

I have a few areas in the kitchen I’m still working on, including counter stools and the kitchen table / bar area. More updates to come.

The key with kitchen organization is keeping it simple and sustainable. I’m not interested in systems that look Instagram-perfect but fall apart the moment real life happens. These solutions are working because they’re intuitive and easy to maintain.

Closet Organization

My closet is almost done. I have one wall that needs a bit more attention and a few other tweaks, but it’s at least unpacked and organized well enough at the moment…

( elfa )

You can see I’m missing a piece of fascia at the top left. Once I have the closet completed, I will share a post with additional info. But I wanted to mention my closet because Elfa is currently 30% off! This is the highest discount you will ever find at The Container Store for Elfa. It usually hovers around 20 or 25% throughout the year, and then once in a while bumps up to 30%. This is a great time to get back to school closets or systems set up!

My free-standing drawers fit perfectly in here and grateful they transitioned from our previous home as well as they did.

The Bedroom Glow-Up

Let’s get into the fun decor stuff – I finally pulled the trigger on a new bed and mattress for my bedroom, and it’s completely transformed the space. And my sleep!

Previously, I had only a headboard which was great and pretty, but I had to DIY a bed frame and boxsping to make it work. Hello, adulting much? Well, now I am! Also, during the move, the movers damaged part of the bed frame…so that was just another sign pointing me in the direction of buying a new bed and being done with all of it.

I searched for a long time knowing I needed an upgrade and found the perfect bed – with ALL the actual pieces…lol! – from Wayfair. It’s a white upholstered bed that hits all my criteria: simple, classic, and pretty without being fussy. And this baby is SOLID. As I built it, I was very impressed with the support and the material / quality…

( bed )

I was stalking this bed frame for a few months and so glad I waited. It was deeply discounted during a recent Wayfair sale. But the timing of me sharing this is great – Wayfair is having their Black Friday in July sale right now and the bed is 41% off!

The clean lines and neutral palette are exactly what I was going for – something that feels elevated. You know I love pieces that can work in any space, and this bed definitely fits that bill. Plus, the upholstered headboard adds just enough softness to balance out the crisp white bedding.

The new mattress situation is also worth mentioning because good sleep is non-negotiable, and my old one was giving me body aches and keeping me up at night. It was a Tempurpedic, which I do love, but it was VERY soft and not as supportive as I needed. Sometimes the best organizing move is just getting rid of something that’s not serving you – even if it’s a perfectly functional mattress that’s simply past its prime or not providing quality sleep anymore.

( mattress )

After researching a ton, I landed on a Helix Mattress. I checked all the recommendations / reviews and they are glowing. Including my own review after sleeping on it for a month. It is SO AMAZING you guys. Between the solid bed frame and this mattress, I feel like I finally have a real adult set-up in my room. Grateful! And I am sleeping much better.

Living Room Console

The other new addition is a reeded console table in our living room, and it’s exactly the kind of piece I love – functional and beautiful. The reeded texture adds visual interest without being busy, and the proportions are perfect for the space.

( console )

You can see Nova loves it as well 🙂

This was also a sale find at Wayfair. It’s on sale again right now if you love it.

It adds a perfect touch under the TV, but it also provides storage. Inside I have stored our throw blankets, but there’s still plenty of room to tuck away more items if needed. It’s amazing how one well-chosen piece can anchor an entire room. This console is doing double duty as both storage and style, which is exactly what you need in a rental where every piece has to work harder.

My little apprentice loves when something arrives that needs assembly…

 

New Planner

I buy my new planners in July, not January. I like to follow the back to school season and picked up on this habit when my kids were in elementary school. It was a bit messy starting a new school year over halfway through a traditional annual planner, so I adapted and it was great!

( planner )

This year, I chose a new planner brand and LOVE it. Although it starts next week, I’ve been filling in dates. It’s The Dailee planner and I chose the daily option. They have weekly options and also planners for nearly everything from wedding planning, to students, etc. Really great quality!

If you want to see a closer look, I added a highlight to my Instagram account where you can take a peek!

Have much more to share, including an upcoming post about dorm essentials and organization. Next month my son and I are taking a road trip to college. So there will be info shared with what I purchased and what we actually use / return. 🙂 And I’ll share a few personal things as well, like checking off a bucket list item…seeing George Strait last weekend….

Dream come true!

Hope you are having a great summer…see you soon with more!

xo,

Sam