I grew up the oldest of six children, with three brothers and two sisters.  I always shared spaces with sisters and the sharing continued as I went off to college and had roommates.  It continues as a married woman (and that is the sharing I love), however, my beautiful vanity is a space of my very own!  Today I’ve partnered with Pottery Barn to share tips with you to organize and style an elegant vanity.

This post contains affiliate links for your shopping convenience. Click here to read my full disclosure policy and here for my privacy & cookies policy.  All opinions are my own.

I love those old Hollywood movies where the movie stars are sitting at their vanities and using their talc poufs, applying lipstick, and putting on their diamonds.  Don’t you want that to be you?  Instead, the reality is sometimes having your vanity turn into a “hot spot” or landing area for junk and clutter.  It becomes a place to to set your things at the end of the day.  It may even be a place where you think you need to store every single piece of makeup or every pair of earrings you own.

WRONG!

If you’re like me right now (and the rest of the world), you’re probably loving the Tidying Up “movement” going on and you’re organizing every inch of your home.  Besides the the closets and the drawers that are getting attention to organization, it’s important to organize and beautifully style the spaces that you look at every day also…..like your vanity!

Here are my simple tips.  Follow these and you can easily create an elegant vanity also!

GET RID OF THE CLUTTER & DON’T DISPLAY EVERY PIECE

First off, make things easier and sort through the good and bad.  Go through all of your perfumes and through out what you don’t use or what’s expired.  Go through your cosmetics and do the same.  Through out your hair and cosmetic brushes that are no longer useful.

I love perfumes but, while I have my signature perfume that I’m known for wearing, I always change it up depending on my mood or the weather or seasons or the event.  However, I don’t need to display every single bottle that I own.  It would look so cluttered.  Right now it is spring and so I’ll keep a couple of spring/summer scents displayed and put away my heavier scents or scents that I might tend to wear more in fall/winter in my closet or in a special drawer.  Make the few things you have out feel “special”…ha!

If you’re displaying some jewelry, choose the few pieces beautifully that also coordinate with your room.  Think of them like a piece of decor as well.  Don’t display all your compacts of brushes or lipsticks…again, choose just a couple or a few that coordinate with and compliment the space.

Less is more in this case. You also want enough space to bring out and set down your makeup case or hair tools while you’re getting ready.  A vanity shouldn’t be over-crowded before you even sit down to use it.  It needs to be functional!

THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX WHEN STORING/DISPLAYING YOUR PERFUME & COSMETICS

I’ve had this darling vintage-style cake stand with crystals and have displayed my perfumes on it for several years now but I’ve also thought that I wanted to find a pretty way to hold my favorite Scentbird perfume vials (the others are in the vanity drawers below or I’ve given them as gifts) on it also.  I also have a ton of makeup brushes and I like keeping my newest ones displayed as well as some of my prettiest lipsticks.  I’d repurposed old candle jars before and that was darling BUT when I thought of really taking it a step up and giving my vanity an even more elegant look, I knew exactly what I needed from Pottery Barn!

I already own one set of these around my home but I grabbed another set of these White Eclectic Mercury Votive Holders to use for storage on my vanity.  The largest votive was absolutely perfect for my perfume vials/rollers that I pick from on a daily basis.

The other tall votive holder with the fleur de lis medallion was so darling with the new set of brushes that I just received.

ONLY CHOOSE A FEW SPECIAL PIECES OF JEWELRY TO DISPLAY

I have drawers and boxes of jewelry.  I’ve owned a boutique for over 11 years so I’m always getting in new, pretty pieces.  I keep them organized in my dresser and in my closet, depending on what they are.  However, for my vanity, I wanted to bring out some treasured pieces that I adore and wear often.  So look at what you wear most and what you love most and then ask yourself…
Would it look beautiful if it was displayed on my vanity?
Would it go with the look I’m trying to achieve?

HOW TO DISPLAY SPECIAL JEWELRY ON VANITY

These are bracelets I wear often but also are reflective of my style.  I chose Pottery Barn’s stunning Glass Cloche Jewelry Storage pieces and this watch/bracelet cloche is just precious!  The few pieces you choose to display under each cloche feel even that much more special when displayed like this.

The ring cloche is really neat because it holds a few of my favorite rings and then it also has some extra space along the bottom so I decided to just grab a few of my special pairs of earrings that I wear more often and put them there also, including my grandmother’s pearl earrings.  Doesn’t that look so pretty?!  There’s also something else of my grandmother’s that I have displayed in another cloche below.

Isn’t this necklace cloche the most gorgeous thing you’ve ever seen?!  I’m telling you…this set just takes your vanity to the next level.
I chose some meaningful pieces and some that I wear a little more often than others, like my monogram or initial necklaces.  The most special piece to me is the Young Woman medallion (hanging on the right) that my grandmother received for accomplishing some goals that she’d set for herself in church in the Young Women’s Program.  I have the same one that I earned so it’s really neat to have them both hanging in this cloche.

With your jewelry displayed like this in these glass cloches, there are a few things I really love about it:

First, they also double as decor for your room and look so elegant and luxurious. Second, you don’t have to dig for those intricate pieces and they don’t get tarnished or tangled as they normally would.  Third, those sentimental pieces, like my grandmother’s necklace and earrings, bring so much joy when you get to see them every day and think of the person that they belonged to.

I can’t believe what a difference these pieces have made!  I’m so in-love with the storage and organization of my vanity and the elegance and added glamour that they’ve brought to my bedroom.

To choose a vanity, mirror, or stool….see THIS POST for so many beautiful ideas and links of beautiful finds.

I’m linking the items I used below as well as other gorgeous jewelry storage and organization pieces from Pottery Barn for your shopping convenience.  Please click on the arrows to scroll right and left and click on the picture of the item to shop.

A huge thank you to my friends at Pottery Barn for collaborating with me today so that I could share this pretty space with you!  They have so many other solutions for storage and organization so make sure to browse their site as you thoughtfully plan out each space that you need to tackle next!

I hope you’re feeling inspired to reorganize and style your vanity and make it a luxurious and elegant space of your very own!  On a silly note…one of my sisters is coming to visit next week with her kiddos and I may even share my vanity with her for a few days {like the good ‘ole days} and let her sit there and feel like a queen while she gets ready (wink).   I think she’ll love it!

I’m so glad you could stop by today!  I would love it if you could subscribe at the top of the page in order to receive my weekly emails of all my latest blog posts and see everything I’m working on!  You can also follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook to see what I’m up to in creating a home and lifestyle of inspiration!

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The post Tips To Organize & Style An Elegant Vanity appeared first on Summer Adams.

Hello friends!  Okay, by the show of hands, who is watching Marie Kondo on Netflix and starting off their new year with a ton of tidying up?  Me too!  Honestly, at the beginning of each new year I feel the itch to do this but it’s been fun to see my kids actually enjoy her show too and want to organize their rooms and drawers a little better.  Speaking of organization…my friends and I are getting together to share our organizational printables with you today and there are so many fabulous ideas.  I’ve been so excited about this!  I’m sharing my pink to-do list and cleaning schedule printables (that I designed a while back) for free.  There are 3 printables I’m sharing today.

Is our home really that clean and organized all the time?

Many people that follow my blog or that follow me on my social media platforms typically like to ask my kids or husband upon meeting them, “Is your home really that clean and organized all the time?”  They will answer “yes” and really believe it and, for the most part, it stays pretty clean.  Now, as a mom who sees all and has her own definition of “clean”, I’ll tell you that our home gets messy and chaotic from time to time.  But truthfully, it stays pretty clean because we stay on top of the housework. If we don’t, well then….we go through a few busy days and can’t stand it anymore and we get cleaning again.  It is NOT always camera-ready. It does need to be fairly clean and tidy though or else it would be a HUGE chore to have to do, every single time I wanted to take a photo.

You’ll notice that my home is very light in its design and there’s a lot of white, like the kitchen, my living room sofas, and most of our bedding.  When you discipline your kids and teach them cleanliness from a young age and you are CONSISTENT, you can have the house that you want.  Again, consistency is key!  You need to show them how to respect the things around them while still living and playing and having fun.

Free Pink Organizational Printables

Each Sunday or Monday, I tend to make a quick Cleaning Schedule for the week.  I have a housekeeper that comes every other week and does a deep clean but the opposite weeks are left to me and the kiddos and also a few tasks to my hubby.

It’s VERY important to me that my kids learn how to clean properly and organize and, honestly, they do a better job than most of the housekeepers we’ve had in the past.

Anyway, if I just write down what needs to be done each day (or let them choose the days) and put their names next to them, the week goes by smoothly and everyone knows what their assignments are.  There’s no negotiating or complaining or whining (for the most part) and it just keeps us clean and organized.  You’ll see Sunday through Saturday sections on the printable to help you.

Tip:  I like to clean in “zones” instead of all at once.  If you do one or two tasks a day, it’s much easier to keep a clean and organized home!

Of course, morning and night have regular daily chores like trash and dishes, sweeping the kitchen or picking up the bonus room before bed.  That’s why I love those “morning” and “evening” boxes as a nice reminder.

Click to print my CLEANING SCHEDULE.

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The post Free Pink To-Do List & Cleaning Schedules Printables appeared first on Summer Adams.

Hello, friends!  I have a fun post for you today because I’m joining some fabulous blogger friends to share lots of awesome organizing tips for your home, sponsored by HomeGoods.  If you’re anything like me, HomeGoods is already like a 2nd home so I was excited to go grab a ton of great items I’d seen there to help me turn “the black hole” under the kitchen sink from a place where we just throw stuff into a beautifully-organized and functional space to be proud of.

I’m so mad that I forgot to get a “before pic” {face palm} but I can trust that you know exactly what I’m talking about when I say “messy”.  Most of us probably have this problem.  On the outside it looks beautiful and I found these lovely hand towels at HomeGoods.

But after grabbing a lot of different storage and organizational items, this is what it looks like now…

Ta-Daaaaaaa!

Seriously, our entire family really loves this space.
Ok, let me break it down and tell you what I used and what it’s used for.

First I should tell you, when I called this space “the black hole” before, it literally was because {since our sink faces the corner} there’s a hole in the back cut out in case we need to get to the plumbing against the wall.

I found these 2 darling little white cleaning caddies and knew they’d be perfect for all our sprays and cleaners.  I can even pick them up and take them around the house if needs be.

Underneath all the supplies you can see this pretty light blue and grey contact paper I found.  It was light and serene and was the perfect choice for a dark cabinet.

In the back, you can see the plastic grocery bag saver.  We needed that desperately!  Our other method didn’t work very well and it always led to the kids just tossing them under the sink.  Sheesh!  It drove me bonkers!

In the middle section, I found a white plastic tub that said “organization” on the end and wasn’t too high.  It was perfect for our garbage bags and some pet and carpet supplies, as well as my pink ruffle cleaning gloves, Swiffer duster handles, and dish scrubbers.

In the front, I grabbed 2 smaller OXO pop up canisters (I looooove these things!!) and they are so easy to just push and then they pop up so that you can get what’s inside.  No picking the entire canister up or twisting the top off is necessary.  I have borax in the left, which I use from time to time, and then in the right one I have placed those Lemon Shine pods (rinse agent).

The tall OXO canister has all of our dish detergent pods.  It’s been so nice to have these and be able to see how much is left and what needs to be put on my grocery list without picking anything up and shaking it or looking inside.  You can also label these, which I think I’ll make on my Silhouette machine since family will be visiting soon and will want to know what they contain.

Ok, for the fun part….

These stackable acrylic drawers come in twos.  I grabbed 2 units and put them on top of each other.  You could probably put a piece of double sided tape to keep them from moving or a dab of hot glue but I didn’t and they’re fine.  Guess where I found these?  In the makeup organizing area!  So this is what I have in the drawers:

1- Wet Ones packets that I can send with the kids in lunches or use at home for extra anti-bacterial help.

2- Sponges for the dishes in the back AND Magic Eraser pads in the front.

3- Disposable duster refills

4- Dry sweeping pads

I could label these but there’s really no reason.  You can see exactly what is inside each drawer.

One more look…..isn’t it great?!  It was so ridiculously easy!  Nothing is tipping over and spilling out, creating a huge mess.  I know what I have and what I don’t.  I know what amount I have of each product and if it needs to go on my grocery shopping list or not.  And, anyone visiting (i.e. babysitter, family, friends, house cleaner) can open the cabinet and know exactly what is there and find what they need with ease.

While I was at it, I found a couple of great storage items to organize Giorgio’s dog food and treats.  I like that they went with our kitchen so beautifully.  (Giorgio is our little 14 year-old Yorkshire Terrier.)

I’ve also finished my pantry so make sure to check back for that separate post.  You can see my entire kitchen HERE in my kitchen reveal.

Now…I have a handful of friends that you absolutely MUST visit because you’re going to find so much inspiration to go and tidy up all of your unkept and unorganized spaces in your home.  January is the perfect time of year, as we like to start off fresh, with organized homes that function with ease. Click on each of their names below to visit their blog posts!

Home & Fabulous  |  KnowHowSheDoesIt  |  Summer Adams

  Kristy Wicks  |  Oscar Bravo Home  |  House of Five

 The Pink Dream   |  Crazy Chic Design  | Emily Everyday

Anita Yokota  |  Designs By Tamara Lee  |  GoldALaMode

Thanks so much to our friends at HomeGoods for helping us get organized and and thank you to our friend Lizbeth at Home & Fabulous for hosting this organization home tour today!

***

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xoxo,

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The post How To Beautifully Organize Under Your Kitchen Sink appeared first on Summer Adams.

Once upon a time, in a public place, my purse tipped over and everything fell out.  That “everything” would include lipsticks, receipts, medications, my cell phone (which resulted in a cracked screen), coins, wrappers, kids’ toys, feminine products (face palm), every stick of gum, and the list goes on.  It was embarrassing and I’m sure it’s happened to you, too.  Am I right?  Fast forward about 8 years and someone in church next to me commented on how organized and pretty the inside of my purse was, as they watched me reach down to grab us a couple of sticks of gum. My flashback of the first shared experience came into my mind and I laughed to myself.  I’d arrived…ha!  So today I’m sharing with you what every girl needs to know: How to organize and maintain the prettiest purse.

I own some very specific essentials that one must have.  They’re not only pretty but they’ll keep everything in its place.

Pretty Essentials Every Girl Needs For Her Purse

First, you need a wallet that holds everything well.

Make sure you have enough spots for all your credit cards, cash, coins, store loyalty cards, and stamp cards.

Go through all your stamp cards and toss the ones you never ever use.

Then go through your loyalty cards and decide if you need them or not.  If they are all registered with your phone number (and most of them are) just toss them!  You can use your phone number instead when you check out and then you’re carrying less bulk in your wallet.

My latest wallet was a very important purchase!  We’ve had some serious credit card fraud lately (it had to have happened locally) and I’m not sure if it came from using my credit card at the gas pump or from someone walking by me with their card reader and snatching my card number.  So  I found this one and it has SafeKeeper that will protect your credit card numbers from being scanned and saved by any fraudulent devices.

Here are a few different wallets I love:

Second, a small cosmetic bag or pouch is perfect for carrying cosmetics, a roller ball perfume, and my favorite pink nail polish for an emergency.

I also keep a small pill box in there of pills that I need to take during the day, when I’m out and about.

Here are some cosmetic bags I like:

Third, a small water bottle is essential!

You don’t want one that’s too heavy to carry in your purse or that can crack and leak all over everything.

This one holds just 12 ounces and has a silicone sleeve so that it doesn’t “sweat” all over the other items inside my purse.  If I need to take a pill or I’m thirsty from shopping, I have my water.  Do you see the cute  little bows on it and the “drink me” on the side?  It’s so “Alice In Wonderland”, right?!  I adore it.

This water bottle by Ted Baker sells out often so I’m sharing a few others that I love below:

Fourth, this gorgeous small pouch is another essential for your purse and staying organized.

For some, this might hold receipts or snacks or sunglasses or band-aids, or pen and paper.  But this is what I keep inside…

I keep 4 different flavors of gum in mine (all 4 of us in our family like a different flavor hahaha).

I also keep a protein bar in there, post it notes, and a pen.  Pouches carry all of those loose things that you would otherwise through in to your purse and end up at the bottom all crumpled.

Here are some other beautiful pouches:

Fifth, my cell phone with a shatterproof case.  Do you notice a theme here?  I love blush pink.  It’s important to be organized but it’s even better for all of it to be pretty!  Who said the inside of your purse can’t be as pretty as the outside???

Here are some pretty cases:

Sixth…a great keychain is essential for staying organized.  There’s nothing worse than throwing your keys into your purse, or “The Black Hole” (as my husband calls it), and not being able to find them when you need them.  Even more embarrassing is taking everything out, one by one, in order to find them.  Been there, done that.

This cute pink leather tassel with a rhinestone pineapple was a keychain that I recently purchased at The Royal Hawaiian when we were in Hawaii last month.  You just toss your keys on the inside and hang the other part on the outside.  So it’s stylish and it also stays put.  Then I can grab my keys when I’m ready.  No digging or unhooking.  Brilliant, right?!  I love it so much.

Here are some other great keychains I found:

And that’s how it looks inside.  My sunglasses go in the side zipper pouch and my phone goes in one of the pockets.  It’s clean, everything fits, I can find anything I need quickly, and guess what…it stays pretty light.

*Update: Right after I posted this, I realized I’d left out one more small blush pink pouch.  It has a small pen, mini note pad, small tape measure (very important to have on me at all times), and a protein bar.*

You might look at this and think it’s heavy but it’s not.  I have shoulder issues and can’t carry a heavy purse.

Without your purse being clean and organized, you’d be surprised how heavy it gets.  You tend to just throw anything and everything into it.  And before you know it, you’re me eight years ago and frantically picking up all of your embarrassing contents off the floor in front of strangers and throwing it all back into your purse.

So treat yourself to some organization!

And treat yourself to a pretty purse with pretty essentials for organizing everything that should go inside.

Here are some purses I love:

I hope you find this inspiring and helpful.  I’m so glad that I got my “stuff” together and created this lovely and organized system for my purses.  There’s something delightful about organization, especially when it’s your handbag.

I would love it if you subscribed at the top of the page in order to receive my weekly emails of all my latest blog posts and hear about digital printables & freebies, as well as sales or new items in My Online Shoppe.  You can also follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook to see what I’m up to in creating a home and lifestyle of inspiration!

xoxo,

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The post How To Organize & Maintain The Prettiest Purse appeared first on Summer Adams.

As I sit and write this blog post, my oldest child (and only daughter), Brooklyn, is 10 1/2 years old.  And going on 16.  It happens so darn fast.  I remember every detail of the day she was born like it was yesterday.  Between then and now, we have done so many things that my pre-motherhood self dreamed of doing with a daughter one day.  There are so many events and milestones to come and memories to be made.  I’m in no way rushing it, not one bit.  But there are so many things that I want to tell her and things I want to teach her.  Many of these things are very deep or spiritual or personal and so those will be written down somewhere else.  But the advice for my daughter that I share here, I hope someone else can also benefit from.

To keep from writing a novel instead of a blog post, I decided to choose just 10 (of the 500+ things I could tell her) to share here. I hope she takes these bits of advice to heart as she grows into a woman and marries and has a family of her own.

1- Make dinner time your sacred family time!  When kids come home from school, it’s snack time, homework, maybe a short break and then either dance, sports, scouts, cheer, church activities or play dates.  We are a very close family and I want it to stay way. I don’t just mean that I want us to get along but that I want more.  I want us to be connected! Dinner time is sometimes crazy or quick and even an occasional frozen pizza on paper plates.  But we make a habit of sitting and blessing the food and eating dinner together.  I love it.  Every single time I think to myself, “THIS is what it’s all about.”  You will get this one day.

This pic was taken for our Back To School Party dinner….see more HERE.

Occasionally I’ll set the table in a special way or throw a surprise themed dinner and I feel like a cross between June Cleaver and Martha Stewart. And then there are the times that dinner is whatever I can throw together quickly or order and grabbing the paper plates and I feel more like Peg Bundy ha!  But that time is still sacred!  Many times, you kids will share something you didn’t feel like sharing earlier or forgot about.  It’s time to resolve problems or talk about goals and plans. It’s time to be a family!!! I love it.  Every dinner. For one day my babies will be gone and I will miss those conversations and cooking for both of you.

This was a fun night!  See more of Our Luau At Home dinner HERE.

2- Fall in love with homemaking!  Whether you live on your own one day or have a house full of children, your home is your castle. Make it yours! Beautify it and make it comfortable and a place you long to go to at the end of the day.  Find your own unique style and don’t listen to everyone else telling you how you should decorate (unless you ask for opinions).

Take pride in keeping a beautiful, clean home.  Learn how to find a look or style for less.  Always be learning new things and find some DIY projects you love that can add a special touch to your home or be useful.

My DIY bathroom shelving tutorial found HERE.  You can also search on my blog for other DIY projects that I know you’ll just love!

Keep up your love of baking and make sure you learn to cook, too!  I love that you love to make “healthy choices” and I’m also so glad you love to bake things with me like macarons and cookies and cupcakes and cakes.

These Lemon Cream Cupcakes (recipe HERE) were sooooo fun to make with you!  Our new frosting bulb was hilarious to figure out and make it look like this.  But you catch on quickly.  You’re a natural!  Baked goods are even more fun when they’re shared!  So always do what I do (your kids will probably complain about this like you guys do) and give some away!  It brightens someone else’s day when you show up with baked goods at their doorstep for no good reason.

3- Take care of your skin and body!  I’m currently 38 years old and oh how I wish I would have listened to my mother and grandmother and taken care of my skin!   They said to wear sunscreen, even on my face. I did not. They said wash your face each night.  I am not always good at this, eek.  But you need to wash off that pollution and everything that your face endured that day.

They said wear moisturizer early and eye cream when you’re older.  I just started doing this the last couple of years.

Ugh, I cringe and wish I would’ve listened. I see the sunspots now and I am starting to see the fine lines.  NOW I’m listening.

And treat yourself to a face mask!  It is so so good for your skin and feels amazing.  Now that was one I enjoyed, even at your age, with my girlfriends when we had sleepovers. Ok, we mostly liked the pictures that came from it and jumping out to scare our brothers with green and brown faces but still…so fun!

Trust me….you’ll be so grateful for this advice 30 years from now.

These gorgeous robes were sent to us by our sweet friends at Plum Pretty Sugar and they are dreamy!   Shop below!

4- Don’t compare yourself to others!  This might sound impossible because, especially as women, we tend to do it. BUT DON’T!  I don’t see you struggle with this now and I’m grateful.  But you’ve not hit your teenage years and everyone is trying to figure out “how to be cool” and “who they are” and “what they should wear or look like” during that time.  Just be you. You’re fabulous.  You’re gorgeous.  You have the funniest and best attitude I know and the biggest heart! Don’t forget that quote we love, “She knew WHO she was and WHOSE she was.”

More on Brooklyn’s Pursebox (lunch box) HERE.

I wish I had half of your self-worth and confidence at your age that you have.  I’ve tried hard to instill that in you.  It wasn’t until, maybe the last 4 or 5 years, that I just didn’t care anymore.  I realized I was beautiful, at any size, and I knew I was talented and smart and funny and had a pure heart.  I’m not perfect, but I LOVE MYSELF! I want that for you, now and always!  You’ll always be content when you realize that you are uniquely you and NO ONE can be YOU!  That’s your superpower, girl!  You’re everything I could’ve hoped for in a daughter and I’m very proud.

I think I would have enjoyed my teenage and young adult years so much more, had I known “who” I was.  Meaning, I wish wish wish I knew my value! But I do now!  I love sharing that with you!

5- You CAN have a stylish AND comfortable home while raising a family!  Except for baby-proofing cupboards with poisons and outlets with covers, I didn’t ever “baby proof” anything.  I taught you and Beckham how to wash your hands, not leave the kitchen with food, grab a tissue to wipe your nose and not wipe it on my nice sofas or curtains.  I taught you to not knock over or touch my floor pillar candlesticks or pick at my beaded pillows.  And you didn’t.

People told me “you can’t have nice things when you have kids” or “you can’t have white bedding when you have kids”…

…and especially “you can’t have white sofas when you have kids”.

Well I always have and they are all still in good shape.  It’s up to you!  If you take time to teach your kids, then hopefully they’ll listen and obey.  Consistency is key and there must be consequences if rules are broken.  That being said, some of our little ones come to this earth with stubborn little personalities (haha) and if it’s too much of a battle, it’s not worth it.  Use good judgment.

See more details on this look-alike Restoration Hardware Balustrade Coffee Table HERE.

And ALWAYS remember that you can have a beautiful home on any budget!  Find joy and thrill in getting the same look for less!  It brings a great sense of accomplishment and that is how you can also give support to your family’s finances.  If you are smart with your money and live within your means and stay on a budget, you might be able to stay home and continue enjoying your role as a homemaker.

6- Organization is your key to sanity!  You see me run around like a crazy person but I wouldn’t have it any other way.  I wear a lot of hats and you probably would too.  Between our family activities and my personal commitments and all that you children have going on…there is no way on this earth we’d be able to do it all without organization.  It’s 2016 and thank goodness for cell phone alarms and alerts and calendars to keep me straight and remind me of all we have to do and places we have to be.

See more HERE on my office space and DIY Framed Wallpaper Panels.  Office reveal coming soon!

I make lists weekly and daily. Not to pressure myself or feel this award-winning sense of accomplishment (although there are many days I do a happy dance and feel a trophy is deserved for checking everything off hahaha) but I make these lists to keep me focused and driven and remember what tasks have the higher priorities and are essential in keeping our family and household (and my business) running smoothly.  I see you with your planner now.  Keep that up!  It’s a good habit to be in, to keep a planner.

Organization applies to your home!  Your closets and cupboards and pantries and even your fridge can be organized and tidy kept in order.  Not everyone values this advice and that’s fine.  To each their own.  Not to say I don’t have that junk drawer (a necessary evil) in the kitchen or that small little secret “Monica closet” (Friends reference haha…i need to clean that and organize that thing) but you will feel greater peace and a sense of order and pride in a home that is organized and neat and clean.

You won’t have a meltdown when someone announces they are coming to stay with you as they are passing through town.  You’ll be ready and it will be a joy to have them.

7- Create your own special occasions for no reason at all!  It doesn’t need to be a birthday or holiday to create something special.  You can serve and present things in a way that make people feel special and enjoy what you’ve made even more.

Celebrate the fact that it’s cold outside….finally! (We’re in Texas so we wait longer for the fall and winter seasons.)  Remember the time it was freezing and you and Beckham came home from school to this fun little Hot Chocolate Bar I put together for you and your friends?  You loved walking in the door, shivering and cold, to find this.  Y’all got soooo excited!

We also “celebrated” our first time making macarons together and then made them over and over and shared them with guests so beautifully.

Fresh-baked cookies is always a “special” occasion ha!  I love that you kids appreciate how I put them out for you.  We even did this for our movers and they felt so special.

The first day of school is always special but last year you and Beckham didn’t want anything heavy or fancy.  You wanted muffins and juice.  That’s it.  Well, that left me with the need to get creative to make it feel a little more fun.  So I did.  My muffins weren’t very big and fluffy but they were delicious and I loved seeing the look on your faces when you came downstairs.

Last year you kids walked in from school and saw this…..

“What’s the occasion?  What’s this for?”, you asked.  No occasion.  It was just Friday, the end of a long school week, and I had just bought fresh pink peonies (our favorite).  Do you see now?  Everyday is a good day to make it a special day.

8- ALWAYS have a grateful heart and have an attitude of gratitude!  Count your blessings and tell people “thank you”.  A hand-written note is becoming a lost art and it makes me sad.  Sit and tell someone you appreciate them.

One of my favorite quotes….”When you look at life through eyes of gratitude, the world becomes a magical place!” ~Jennifer Gayle

See blessings and miracles tender mercies in each and every day!  The more you focus on your blessings and what you’ve been given, the happier you are and you will have room to receive more and more of the good things in your life.  God wants to bless you and He loves when His children are grateful.  Go to Him and tell him “thank you”.  This will keep you happy and optimistic and it will continue to be 2nd nature for you to find joy and beauty in each day.

9- There is always room for one more!  This has been repeated over and over to you since you could understand it but please don’t ever forget it.  Do NOT belong to a clique.  Do NOT have a name for yourselves or publicly announce that you are a “tribe” or “club” or “squad” or give yourself some title.  That is exclusive and hurtful to others.  Do NOT limit yourself to just one group of friends.  Be friends with EVERYONE!  You are no better than anyone else.  I have always wanted to be friends with everyone and it has brought me so much joy!  I have met the most amazing women! You might be missing out on very dear friendships and the blessing of getting know others.  Some, of which, might desperately need your friendship.  Some of my closes friends are women I never thought I had anything in common with, until we got to know each other.

That being said…know who your true friends are and in whom you can trust.  Stay away from the “mean girls”.  Forgive, but move on.  Do not put yourself back in a position to constantly be hurt over and over.  Remember our favorite saying that, painfully, we’ve had to learn over the last few years?  “Invest in people that invest in you!”

This advice doesn’t come from a bitter place.  It comes from a grateful heart.  You will find so much joy in this principle as you grieve friendships that are not healthy or in friendships with those that don’t make an effort with you, as you do them.  You open your heart to those that God will put in your path and can become great friendships.  Also, and this is huge, make sure that you are kind to everyone but in no way do you need to hang out or be friends with those that make choices that do not live up to your standards.  If they constantly participate in behavior that is not in accordance with your standards, the standards we’ve set as a family, and if they are not kind to others.  Walk away.  Be kind, but walk away from them. (I know you’ve done this already.) They will not bring out the best in you or uplift you.  They will not encourage you to be the best you can be and attain your full potential.

10- Stand up and be counted!  Never follow what everyone else is doing.  Think about it.  Be a leader. Do what is right, no matter how hard it is.  You are special and not sent here to fail.  You’ll make mistakes, but I see how you pick yourself up and get right back to it. You’re a go-getter.  That’s my girl!  I love how you stand for what is right even though {at an early age} some have given you grief for it.

There was a poster I saw hanging in my Life Skills Class in high school and it said…“What’s popular is not always right and what’s right is not always popular.”  You might stand alone in certain choices or opinions or beliefs.  That’s okay.  God is with you and He is there for you.  He will strengthen you and bless you for your courage and right choices. Don’t forget…You ALWAYS have me!!!  And your dad and Beckham and all your loving family members.  But I’m always here and you can talk to me about anything and everything.  You’re already doing that and I love it.  I love our talks. I love pillow talk and I love our obsession with Audrey Hepburn and Anne of Green Gables and pink and baking.  We have the best time.

BONUS tip- Find what brings you JOY!  Yes, life is hard and we are here to learn and grow.  But we are also meant to have joy.  Find joy in the big things, eternal things, important things.  Find joy in the little things like….a butterfly landing on your arm, a dance party while we make dinner (or in our robes in my bathroom just before bed, haha), finding a good sale on our shopping outings, and putting on your rain boots and dancing in the rain!  Life is so good.

Excuse our selfie but we wanted to remember this hilarious dance party we were having!

You’re like looking into a mirror.  You look like me and you act like me and, as Dad says, you even cry like me.  Not because you’re not your own person, but because you are a part of me.  You’re also much better at some things than I ever was (i.e. being on time).  Take pride in that all!  You have so much ahead of you and I’m loving watching you grow into this beautiful young lady.  If I had picked out everything I wanted in a daughter and ordered you online, you’d be exactly what you are now.  You made my dreams come true the day you were born and every day since.  Even on your worst days, I have been proud of you.  You’re learning and growing and trying your best.  Keep it up, sweet girl!  I love you more than Diet Coke, Disneyland, Creme Brûlée and Christmas all put together!

Love, Mom

The post Advice For My Daughter appeared first on Summer Adams.

Hello there, gorgeous!  If you’re linking to my blog from my friend Tanya at The Blissful Lane, welcome!  I’m so thrilled you are here!  If you’re a regular visitor to my blog, I’m so delighted that you could join me again as I share some more of my home with you.  Today is a special occasion though because we’re not spending time in the kitchen or visiting my living room.  I am inviting you into my boudoir, or bedroom, to see how I use of few of my favorite pieces of jewelry and perfume to be displayed and double as decor by adding glam in this blog hop.

Over the years, I’ve been helping clients with interior styling in their home. I’ve also helped them with styling their wardrobe and re-organize their closets and dressing rooms.  One of the most common things I see, besides disorganization, is that they tuck away all their pretty accessories and perfume bottles into drawers and cabinets.

It’s such a shame!  Look how beautiful these perfume bottles are!  They were designed to be seen.  Your husband, or significant partner, isn’t the only one using this bedroom.  Make a feminine statement and add a touch of glam!  I’m not asking you to apply floral wallpaper, ha! Just personalizing a little more.

On my side of the room, just next to my nightstand, I have this lovely linen dress form from Pottery Barn Teen that I purchased years ago.  I bought one for my brick-and-mortar boutique and then loved it so much that I bought another one for my bedroom.  I add some of my favorite necklaces and switch them out from time to time.  A piece, like this sleeveless cardigan, is also a fun addition.  I may even add a belt or a scarf for fun.  Add a touch of glam by using things you already have.

There are so many fun ways to change it up.  One important rule though – make sure that the pieces you choose flow with the color palette of your room.  Remember, you’re not displaying all of your pieces. You’re just using a few of your favorites that can double as decor and add femininity to the space.

Even though I have a built-in vanity in my master bathroom, I love having a vanity in my room as well.  This piece is special because it is a family piece that my mother-in-law gifted to me years ago for Christmas.  On a girls’ trip long ago, I found this cute cake stand with crystals on it and knew I wanted to use it to display my perfumes.  It was the perfect addition.

Everything just looks better on a cake stand, don’t you think?  They’re not just for triple chocolate chip bundt cakes!

Apothecary jars are the PERFECT way to store strands of pretty pearls.  I have a lot of pearls.  Not all need to be displayed, just a few strands in one and some pearl bracelets in another.  A few weeks ago while spending an entire day antique shopping, I happened upon this vintage silver sugar urn.  I just knew what I wanted to use it for.  Any guesses?  My chapstick!  I love chapstick and apply it several times a day.  But instead of just tossing it on this vintage mirror tray, putting it in this small urn is so much prettier!  It’s another easy way to add that touch of glam to your boudoir.

Owning a boutique for over 9 years now and having been a girly-girl my entire life, I have a LOT of jewelry.  I have a dresser full of drawers and dividers to organize pieces by color and then hang a majority of my necklaces on a system in my closet.  For the pieces that I wear most days, like my rings and watch and a couple pairs of favorite earrings, I like to keep them on my vanity in these little dishes.  These two dishes are both gifts from friends and so that makes them extra special.

There’s no doubt when walking into this room that a woman lives here.  But it’s just enough glam and femininity without being overwhelming.  It’s classy.

I know I sound like a broken record in my household when telling everyone to put their things away where they belong each day.  But who says you can’t leave your handbag out if it looks so cute in your room and compliments the decor?

I’m pretty good about my nightly routine and getting ready for bed.  However, if coming home half-awake, I just want to take out my earrings or tear off my pearls and sink right into my bed and dream away.  It’s nice to have a little something pretty to put my lovely pieces in.

If you ask me, it looks like they’re meant to be there!

I hope you feel inspired to look through your pretty things and find a way to display some of your favorite pieces. Adding glam to your boudoir is simple and it’s fun. Thank you for joining me here and hope you come back soon! I would love it if you subscribed to my email list so that you’ll know when I’ve posted on my blog. It will also let you know when I have new items in My Shoppe or if there’s a sale!

I invite you to hop on over to the next blog, Moth Design, and find even more inspiration from Erica. I am loving the ideas shared today. Don’t forget to share these ideas on Facebook or pin them to Pinterest so that you have them whenever you go to decorate!

All Blog Hosts:
SummerAdams.com
Moth-Design.com
LoveYourAbode.com
StyledWithLace.com
ClassyGlamLiving.com
ThePoshHome.com
LetsDazzleDarlings.com
TheBlissfulLane.Blogspot.com

The post Adding Glam To Your Boudoir – Blog Hop appeared first on Summer Adams.

_Blank_DailyTaskChart

School’s out and it’s officially “summer vacation” and you know what that means…..chore charts!  Ha!

Instead of calling them “Chore Charts” and hearing “noooooo” again from my kids this summer, I decided to make this “Daily Task” chart and they loved it!  Not everything is a “chore” but they do need something to help keep them organized with the things that they need to be doing every morning before playing and in the evening before going to bed.

I couldn’t find any I liked.  They were WAY too colorful or hard to read/follow or didn’t meet our needs.  So, I whipped this baby up last night and decided to make a blank one to share with all of you!  My kids are excited about it!  And Moms out there!!  If you have daily tasks you need to focus on, you can use this too for yourself!  I hope this helps someone else :-).

Download the pdf chart —–> HERE

The post Daily Task Charts appeared first on Summer Adams.