Ready or not, ’tis the season for celebrations and gatherings aplenty! Also known as, my very favorite time of year. From impromptu guests popping in for holiday cocktails to full fledged dinners complete with the in-laws, chances are your house sees more action over the last couple months of the year than the rest of the year combined. We entertain at least a couple times a month all year long and even for us the holiday season is bustling. To help you get you ready for all that merriment, today I’ve teamed up with BISSELL to share my tips for how to prep your home for the holidays! After years of always scrambling and feeling stressed when friends and family were set to arrive, I’ve finally settled on a handful of habits that make opening our home to loved ones feel so much more enjoyable. Have anything to add to the list? Chime in below – I always love new tips!
Living
This time of year I almost always have fresh cut flowers around the house. It’s almost a little crazy just how happy a big bunch of blooms in the center of the dining room table or tucked on the mantle can make me. Now that the snow is finally gone and the screen doors have been opened up, flowers around the house really drives home that spring vibe and they make me insanely happy. I get a lot of questions from friends about how I take care of cut flowers and I’ve shared them before here, but it seemed like a good time to revisit my favorite easy tips for how to keep flowers fresh, alive and perky for as long as possible. Any other tricks you can share with me? Fill me in!
Over the last few years I’ve seen several people share their favorite items from Trader Joe’s, and while I love Trader Joe’s as much as the next gal, the one nearest to us is an hour away. When we’re in the area we usually have a long shopping list of stuff we want to stock up on (we love their coffee and I’m crazy about the dried baby sweet pineapple), but we only make it there every month or two. Instead, I do our daily shopping at Aldi. I just started shopping there regularly less than a year ago and since then, I’ve become a huge fan. I think Aldi has a bit of a weird, mixed bag reputation (even though it’s owned by the brother of the guy who founded Trader Joe’s), which is why I kind of always avoided the place. The truth is, they have some incredible stuff at really unbelievable prices.
Friends, let’s talk about planners! Does anyone else love starting the year with a fresh, crisp, clean new planner? For me it’s a carry over from my college days and while I use Google Calendar for tracking my editorial calendar and deadlines (gotta love those reminder alerts), my daily go-to system for staying organized is …
I know, I know, that fall drum is going to be beaten a lot around here and on every other blog in the universe in the next few weeks, but can we talk about one of my favorite fall things for a moment? Catching up on my favorite shows and discovering new ones! Is that …
When I got a peek at the new fall Target Threshold collection a few weeks ago, I went a little crazy on the inside. Then, as soon as it hit stores I was busting through the door at my local store to snag one of the gorgeous brass task lamps for the studio. It’s incredibly …
At this point I think it’s pretty undeniable that fall has arrived. I can give up the game of saying it’s “late summer,” because although technically true it feels nothing like summer here this week. The leaves are starting ever so subtly to stain red and orange. The wind has a crisp edge even on …
This post was sponsored by Uncommon Goods. Thank you for supporting the sponsors that so generously help The Sweetest Occasion keep the party rockin’! Do you guys know Uncommon Goods? I’ve been a huge fan of their quirky and cool collection of home decor, entertaining pieces and accessories for quite some time now. We’re talking …
Lately I’ve been finding myself really seriously inspired by kids rooms. Specifically of the beautiful, modern and largely neutral-hued variety. Whether it be with Scandinavian inspired black and white or bright white walls with subtle pops of juicy color, I find these rooms to be so much more sophisticated than the primary colored kids rooms …
As the leaves begin to turn and the air turns crisper by the day, I’m definitely finding myself in the mood to whip our place into shape before the cold settles in for winter. What is it about fall that always makes me want to organize and clean and get all the linens and extra …
I’m sure I’m not alone in being absolutely over the moon that H&M finally offers online shopping. For so long I’ve just wanted to be able to buy online and have my pretty little things show up in a box on my doorstep. But what I’m really excited about? H&M Home! This was a complete …
I make no secret of the fact that by the time summer comes along I have about zero interest in being kept inside. Once the sun is shining and the days grow long, I’m all about getting outside and enjoying every minute. Give me sunscreen and bug spray and send me out into the woods …