Hello friends!
It’s been a few months, but I’m still primarily in Quarantine with my dogs and my lovely husband.
You know what threw me for a loop? Ben was supposed to have in-person classes, and then one day (the day before classes started) he was just like, “By the way, I moved all my classes online and now I’m never leaving.”
I know, it’s probably good and all, but I also like my alone time so I was a bit taken aback when I realized it was all gone for the foreseeable future. I think he really had a secret plot to stay home and take classes so I would get sick of him and then he could play video games more often and tee it up as “giving me space”.
Where is Ben as I write this, you ask? He’s playing video games. I told him I needed some space ;)
What’s New With Me?
Nothing. Because remember when I said we should settle in since we were going to be home for a long time? I was right. Occasionally I see people and they ask what’s new, and it’s just really awkward because I don’t have anything to say...
I’m still home. I’m still tucked away for safekeeping.
I’ve recently had renewed anxiety about Covid. It never really went away, but it certainly relaxed and I even went out to eat on a patio three whole times since March. Don’t worry, I felt acutely guilty each time and was stressed both leading up to said eating out adventures and after said eating out adventures for at least six days. Fun, right?
But now I’m full force anxious again and will probably hole back up for this long, long winter we’re about to enter.
(PSA: winter is coming and you need to start lotioning your hands before they hit the point of no return. You’re welcome for the reminder. Also get your flu shot. Also vote.)
I Have a New Hobby and You’ll Never Believe It.
The good news is, I’ve lost my mind and found a new hobby which could only be brought on by an extended global pandemic: organizing.
For anyone who has ever seen a space I lived in between the ages of birth and 23, I’m certain this new hobby will come as a shock to you.
Y’all, I’m the QUEEN of mess. I had one solution to all my problems for the first 23 years of my life: throw it on the floor. Just check out this photo of my dorm room during finals if you don’t believe me. It was BAD.
Even when Ben and I moved into our apartment together, clutter didn’t seem to bother me. Honestly, the only reason I ever cleaned up is because Rex is a giant dog beast and if you left clutter around he would certainly find it and clean (chew) it up on your behalf. And that made a bigger mess, so it was just the lesser of two evils to be not completely disgusting.
But at some point, something switched in me and clutter started to stress me out. All of a sudden, if I was surrounded by things with no clear pathway to get out of a room, I was stressed out. Weird.
It was definitely pre-Quarantine, but Quarantine made it worse. Once Quarantine set in, it was like, I live here and I work here and I dine here and I literally never leave here, so it needs to be clutter free or I will LOSE MY SHIT.
The worst part throughout Quarantine has been all the dishes. I mean, OMG, we make a BUTT LOAD of dirty dishes when we never leave the house. Plus (we’ve chilled out now), but at the very beginning of Quarantine I would straight up slap a glass out of Ben’s hand if I saw him using it more than once. So we had extra BUTT LOADS of dishes.
So needless to say, as much as I tried to remain clutter free, the clutter built up, the dishes absorbed the kitchen and I LOST MY SHIT. Just ask Ben who was undoubtedly the recipient of my lost shit. All of a sudden, I’m like, “WHY DON’T YOU TELL ME I’M BEAUTIFUL AND FUNNY MORE OFTEN?!” when really I probably should have just said, “Dude, we gotta clean up these dishes. I’ve gone insane.” But stress manifests itself in weird ways (especially during a pandemic) so obviously no one can blame me.
So How Did We Get Here?
Fast forward to now. I, like many of you I am sure, started watching The Home Edit on Netflix and I am HERE FOR IT.
Watching them pour rice into a canister is my zen.
Looking at their effortless rainbows or craft supplies, legos and clothing grounds me.
So I figured, I could do this, I could be like them and organize my home into a place of functional beauty.
Sidebar: Don’t Mind Me Bragging About Myself
I must say, I’d like to take some of the credit for myself. Before The Home Edit even came out, I did the whole process with the bathroom closet. Why? Well because the bathroom closet had some major smells going on and we had to clean it out, but once it was all out I was like, now is my moment, let’s organize. Thanks, smells!
So I edited. I got rid of all that expired cetirizine. I threw away that weird bottle of hotel shampoo I felt like I paid for but will probably never use.
I categorized my soaps with my sani and my band aids with my antibiotic ointment.
And then I contained. I even LABELED.
It almost had the process down, almost like The Home Edit BUT it wasn’t beautiful, it was just clean. I mean, as I was doing it all, I thought, this is my bathroom closet. Probably no one should ever open it, and if they do, they’re being invasive and so I should judge them instead of them judging my non-matching bins, so close my closet and back it up.
Back to The Main Event
Anyway, after my bathroom stint, I got busy doing whatever I was doing (probably watching Netflix, eating chips and sleeping in), and I kind of fell off the organization wagon until my Home Edit gals reminded me that organization is neat!
And then one day, I was in the pantry getting a snack, and then the next thing you know the pantry is empty and everything we own is sitting on the kitchen floor. An impromptu edit, one might say.
If you’re reading this ladies from The Home Edit, I know an impromptu edit is not recommended. I’m sorry & please forgive me. I got out of hand.
I thought to myself, I guess this is happening. I surely can’t leave my whole pantry sitting on the kitchen floor all weekend - Rex will LITERALLY eat us out of house and home, and probably get super sick along the way.
So I made my piles, I guesstimated how many bins I would need and I set out to buy them.
First stop - The Dollar Tree. Is this home edit approved for storage? Probably not, but they got cheap, matching bins perfect for pantry storage, so WHO CARES. Highly recommend you hit up the good ole Dollar Tree if you need not-super-sturdy cube storage. One dollar cubes are impossible to come by anywhere else.
Second stop - Target. I did something unusual and didn’t buy the cheapest container I could find. I allowed myself to splurge on some fancy, cute bins. I felt so SPOILED. And then, I found a gift card, so I also felt economical!
Then I came home and I did the thing AND LOOK AT MY ORGANIZED PANTRY.
Yes, this is me bragging again, but no one comes in my house (thanks, Covid) so I’ve regressed to seeking compliments via my blog. It’s cute, right?!
And from then on out, I just kept going. I did my closet. Matching bins. Matching hangers. Rainbows in each section of clothing. (Again, Who TF am I?)
I organized the downstairs closet. I even got rid of some dresses, which I haven’t worn in years but obviously still love with all my heart.
I organized Ben’s closet.
I got the perfect storage for the sunroom. I even started on the basement, but it’s a major work-in-progress, so no pictures to be seen.
Y’ALL ORGANIZATION IS SO SATISFYING.
I don’t know if it’s the clean look itself that is most satisfying, or if it’s the fact that there is a system to maintain the cleanliness. I think the system is key for me. During this adventure, I definitely learned that I’m a system person. I need bins. I need labels. I need everything to have a defined place or else, THROW IT ON THE FLOOR.
And (just ask my mother) that is not a sustainable and certainly not a beautiful system. Sorry bout it, Mom.
I know, I know. After seeing all my beautiful organization, you might feel intimidated.
But I’m still a normal person just like you. I still have a chair in the corner of my bedroom that I pretend is for sitting, even though we all know it’s just for piling stuff.
The trick? Hide it behind the door and no one will even see it unless (AGAIN) they’re being creepy invasive and walking into your room without permission. SO RUDE.
Beauty for the Sake of Beauty is Cool Too
The other thing I’ve gotten into is seasonal home decor. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve always loved (the idea of) decor, but decor ain’t cheap! When you’ve got a house you just spent all your money on, decor isn’t usually top of mind. I mean, it took me 1.5 years just to afford curtains and rods for the whole house! And like 40% of those were gifts!
Plus, as a (sometimes too) practical person, I’ve often wondered what the point of buying something with no function is. Like, you’re telling me decorating means buying a vase that I won’t ever put anything in. Or like, buying a bowl which I will then fill with a “decorative filler” which will just sit around. And seasonal decor is even LESS functional because you only look at for like two months every year. The idea of it just hurts my budget-conscious brain. I just don't know where "decor" fits in the spreadsheet.
Lots of other items I can reconcile with. Ya know, furniture can be pretty, but it has a function. Did I once buy a whole new couch just so I couldn’t see dog drool on it? Yes, but it was the dog couch, so it made sense.
Towels can be cute, but they’re an essential. We gotta clean our hands and our bodies (though much less infrequently these days, thanks Quarantine!)
Dishes can have lovely designs but after all, they’re still dishes perfect for serving up a tasty meal or drink.
Decor is just pretty for the sake of being pretty.
So (as I’m sure you can tell) I had a hard time getting on board for that concept. But then sometimes I see other people’s houses and all the ones which I like a lot have these not-so-functional decor pieces, so I figured they must be onto something.
Plus, all my trips and plans were cancelled, so I finally had some money to spend on decor!
What did I buy you ask? I bought a handful of “stylish” pumpkins and some boho beads. Yes, that is all. Because then the decor budget was depleted.
But turns out all it takes is a handful “stylish” pumpkins and some boho beads to convince a girl that decor IS useful. I’M SOLD on the concept now! Looking at my fall-themed centerpiece gives me peace. This is an investment in my mental health!
Bye, bye useful, functional items. Hello things that serve no purpose but look CUTE.
I’ve even gone off the deep end a bit and started looking at Christmas decor in EARLY OCTOBER. Don’t worry! I’m not putting it out yet, but I feel like this is the year I might finally own Christmas decor that I didn’t get from the Dollar Store when I was 12. Not totally convinced yet, though.
TBH, we still don’t have that much decor that isn’t photographs (are photos decor? Because they should be. They’re memories and they’re practical), but you gotta start somewhere. Maybe I’ll buy a few new things next year and the year after. I didn’t have THAT MANY trips cancelled and decor is still kind of bougie. I mean, during my adventure into Christmas decor, I saw reindeer figures for $80. EIGHTY! Maybe that’s normal and I’m just cheap. But I can guarantee I would NEVER spend more than like $17 on a single reindeer figurine.
Either way, it’s been a fun project to focus on and I look forward to future decorating and organizing! Wow wow, I’m a whole new me!
What Are Other Good Quarantine Hobbies?
I want to know what else is a good stuck-at-home hobby! Please, if you have ideas, send them my way. I’m concerned winter is going to be really terrible and lonely (I’m saying it cause I know we’re all thinking it) so I would seriously love some recommendations!
Here’s the rest of my new at-home hobby list if you’re in need:
Canvas painting - who needs wine and canvas for $35 when you can have DIY wine & canvas brought to you by Barefoot & YouTube. Pretty painting not guaranteed, but if you get drunk enough you won’t even notice. Which one do you think I did & which one do you think Ben did?
Reading - yes, this is a new hobby. College ruined me. I just didn’t like reading anymore, but I’m taking the plunge to get back into it. Right now I’m reading two wonderful books: The Home Edit book, which is 50% pictures. And Bernie’s biography. Balance is essential!
Thinking about house projects you can’t afford - Nothing gets me more jazzed to stay home than picturing the perfect version of our home which we won’t be able to upgrade for 15 more years. Highly recommend, v fun.
Games - this isn’t new. I love games. I love a good game night. When I was in high school, game nights were my sh*t. Some kids were out at house parties drinking and running from the cops, I was down in my friends’ basements playing an aggressive game of Peanuts. (No, I wasn’t a nerd).
Baking - I’ll be honest, I think baking is terrible and Quarantine hasn’t changed that, but I have a lot of time so I don’t seem to mind the clean up quite as much. Do I still spill the entire bottle of vanilla every time I use it? Yes. Do I still create a cloud of flour so large I go into a coughing fit? Yes. Ah, the joys of baking. Check out this giant cookie stuffed s'more we made!
Plants - I've gotten really into my plants recently. If you're not great at keeping plants alive, being at home more is the perfect situation for you to get some practice. I've only killed off a few of my new plants. I've also loved picking out planters and pots, deciding where they will go and learning about how to keep each one alive. Thrilling!
Brunch - at-home brunch has been so relaxing for me. I love getting the coffee (or mimosas) brewing, turning on some soft music, lighting a candle and cooking up something new. Have you ever had Shakshuka (picture #1)? Highly recommend!
Journaling - I guess I wouldn’t say I just “journal”, except for Stuck at Home with Lisa which is like a public journal (stop reading my diary!). But I have been doing some gratitude journaling and some other focused journaling activities. I recently bought this journal called “Let that S*** Go” and it’s all about moving on from worries and refocusing negative thoughts. I’m a big fan, because it’s helpful, and it features colorful adult language which makes me lol.
Buying candles - they’re beautiful & they’re functional and sometimes they’re 50% off.
Until Next Time
Well, it’s been nice catching up. Thanks for providing me an outlet to show off my mini-projects (aka brag about myself). Feel free to compliment me as you see fit. If you want to show me your projects, I will shower you with compliments. If you want to talk recipes, candles or how to handle going a little bit insane, I'm (very, very) available.
Cheers,
Lisa (I’m reclaiming Lisa and saying goodbye to QL)
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