Things I’m Loving Friday #462

Hey friends! How are you doing? I’m doing well and buoyed by some good news! Thank you all for your kind words and prayers for my dad. I truly believe they’re working as he was able to get the drain in his abdomen out earlier this week. We are all incredibly grateful for this change and believe it’s a huge step forward in his recovery.

As for our gang, we had a fairly normal week. Our weeknights were all a little slammed which was a bit unusual — work and personal commitments — so I’m very much looking forward to a lower key weekend. The weather certainly makes it look like it will be a good one with the exception of a little rain on Saturday so we’re planning to spend a lot of time outside. I hope you all have a great weekend and enjoy this week’s roundup of favorites!

Things I’m Loving Friday

• Big Kids’ Closet Organization

One afternoon this week, I set out to organize Chase and Ryder’s bedroom closet during Rhett’s naptime. We donated the dresser in the big boys’ bedroom before we moved and never replaced it so their closet is where all of their clothes, underwear, socks, shoes, etc. are stored. We have hanging racks in their closets I think will be good for the boys long-term but right now, when they’re still so young, I am all about quick-folding their clothes so putting their clothes away is a breeze.

During our move, I basically unloaded all of their clothes and didn’t really give their closet a ton of thought so every time I walked in there, I’d start to feel a little itchy just looking around the unorganized space.

Here’s the before:

As you can see it was a bit of a disaster. I knew I needed a better system because admittedly sometimes outward chaos can impact my inner calm, even though I’m not a neat freak by any means. The lack of organization irritated me daily so I knew it needed an improvement!

My sister actually had a shelf with pull-out storage bins for her kids’ toys in their play area in their home and it made me think something like that would work in lieu of a dresser in the boys’ closet. I ordered this 6-cube storage shelf for Target pickup and these 11” bins from Amazon and got to work! (The gray felt bins were a previous ALDI find!)

Here’s the after:

I tried to be realistic when I tackled this project and didn’t do any fancy folding or anything I didn’t think we’d be able to stick to when it comes to keeping the boys’ clothes organized. The pull-out cubes are filled with underwear, socks, swimwear and seasonal clothing. The more visible shelves have all of their clothes on display and I’ll just rotate which ones are easiest to reach depending on the season. (I also know the clothes would look prettier in bins but I wanted them fully visible. I’m all about practicality with kids.) It wasn’t a big project but it was one that instantly made me feel lighter when it was complete!

• Wooded Sage Candle

A few years ago, I shared a blog post about little indulgences that equate to big happiness through a concept called a “modest splurge” I heard about through the Happier podcast. In this particular episode the hosts discussed indulging in a “modest splurge” as a way to increase personal happiness. A modest splurge, by their definition, is something quite small that brings you great joy. It may be something you buy, but it may also be something you don’t usually take the time to do that doesn’t cost any money at all! Some examples of indulging in a modest splurge might include buying yourself a new snazzy notebook, taking time to reread a favorite childhood book, burning a candle, etc.

This may sound crazy but this episode actually inspired me to light my candles. I used to save them for special occasions but having a lit candle flickering in our home makes me feel a little spark of cozy joy and if that’s something I can bring into my daily life, why was I holding back!? Now I’ll light candles a few times a week and love actually using the candles I’ve purchased.

I say all of that to share my latest favorite candle find! I love fall and holiday-scented candles (balsam, fir, cinnamon, pumpkin and spice candles are my favorite) but when I find a not-too-seasonal candle that can be burned year-round without making my house smell like a Christmas tree, I’m all about it. I fell in love with this Wooded Sage candle from Target and ended up purchasing three — one for our kitchen, one for our bedroom and one for our guest room. The candle is aesthetically gorgeous and the smell is softly sweet, woodsy and natural. I adore it so much.

• Winter Storms by Elin Hilderbrand

My rating: B+

I just adore Elin Hilderbrand’s Winter Street series so much! The characters are interesting and different and the family has their issues and drama but somehow you root for every single one of them. (If this interests you, start with book one, Winter Street, or you’ll likely be a little lost!) Winter Storms was the third book in the series and just as enjoyable as the first two. I don’t want to reveal too much as it could ruin the first books if you haven’t read this series yet so here is the summary from Amazon if you’re looking for more info:

Some of the stormy weather of the past few seasons seems to have finally lifted for the Quinns. After a year apart, and an ill-fated affair with the Winter Street Inn’s old Santa Claus, Mitzi has returned to rule the roost; Patrick is about to be released from prison; Kevin has a successful new business and is finally ready to tie the knot with Isabelle; and best of all, there’s hopeful news about Bart, who has been captured by enemy forces in Afghanistan.

That doesn’t mean there aren’t a few dark clouds on the horizon. Kelley has recently survived a health scare; Jennifer can’t quite shake her addiction to the drugs she used as a crutch while Patrick was in jail; and Ava still can’t decide between the two lovers that she’s been juggling with limited success. However, if there’s one holiday that brings the Quinn family together to give thanks for the good times, it’s Christmas. And this year promises to be a celebration unlike any other as the Quinns prepare to host Kevin and Isabelle’s wedding at the inn. But as the special day approaches, a historic once-in-a-century blizzard bears down on Nantucket, threatening to keep the Quinns away from the place–and the people–they love most. Before the snow clears, the Quinns will have to survive enough upheavals to send anyone running for the spiked eggnog, in this touching novel that proves that when the holidays roll around, you can always go home again.

• Don’t You Cry by Mary Kubica

My rating: B

I was on a mission to check out Mary Kubica’s Local Woman Missing based on your recommendations but the wait time for that novel is about a month through my local library/Libby app so I’m on the waitlist. While I read and enjoyed  figured I would move ahead with Don’t You Cry by the same author in the meantime!

The book is interesting enough that I flew through it. Don’t You Cry is an easy read with a twist at the end that definitely surprised me but the characters in the novel lacked a lot of depth so I never felt overly invested. I’ll still absolutely read other novels by this author as I’ve heard great things but this book wasn’t a slam dunk. It also wasn’t a total miss so I’m giving it a solid B because I enjoyed listening to it on audiobook as I multitasked throughout my days.

Don’t You Cry begins when Quinn Collins discovers her roommate, Esther Vaughan is missing. Her bedroom window was left mysteriously open and everything about her disappearance leaves Quinn rattled, especially when she discovers a typed letter addressed to “My Dearest” and Esther’s phone abandoned in her bedroom. As she continues to try to figure out where Esther went, Quinn becomes increasingly concerned, first for Esther and then for her own safety as she wonders if she might be in danger.

Nearby, a young man named Alex cannot help but notice a new visitor to the small-town coffee shop where he works. She’s mysterious and interesting and as his curiosity about the woman grows and he learns more about her, he realizes there is so much more to the woman than he ever could’ve imagined; more intelligence, more beauty and more danger.

• Friday Flashbacks

Easy Marinated Pork Chops (Sharing this one because I used the marinade on chicken this week and it was so good! One of our family’s favorites for sure!)

Easter Gift Ideas for Kids (Just in case you’re hoping to be ahead of the game!)

Question of the Day

What is one thing you’re loving this week?