Today on weekend meanderings, I’m getting my sh** together – ahem, house in order – in the New Year. From decluttering to organizing to routine home maintenance. This is exciting stuff, friends. Let’s get the New Year off to a great start.
Happy Saturday, friends!
It’s time for the weekend post with Kim and Elizabeth. Our weekly roundup of inspirations and goings on.
Happy New Year!
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We rang in the New Year with Kyle and Melody at her parents home. They hosted a fabulous party.
New Year’s Eve Outfit ~ I wore a new leopard print pull-on skirt (inspired by Mary Ann of Classic Casual Home). And paired it with a cotton cashmere tee (I love everything about this tee and ordered another in heather grey), my years old Stuart Weitzman boots (current version here) and Vince leather jacket (updated version here). Oh, and I’m getting a lot of wear from my Gas Bijoux pendant necklace … I see that many of you bought this piece too and I hope you love it as much as I do.
The first week – or two – of the New Year are the best. A fresh start, a clean slate … and for one or two brief, shining moments everything feels under control. Of course, things tend to unravel quickly from here but as I write today’s dispatch order has been restored and I’m feeling organized, motivated and hopeful for what 2025 has in store.
And with that said, here are a few random, mostly unexciting, things I’ve accomplished so far to get my house in order and New Year off on the right foot.
Routine Home Maintenance, Clean Up & Organization
I know. Yawn. But this stuff has to get done and it feels really good to check it off the list. Here are some of the tasks I’ve (we’ve) accomplished so far this year.
- Changed the HVAC filters.
- Had the dryer vent cleaned out (clogged dryer vents are a leading cause of house fires and it’s recommended they be cleaned every two years). We called COIT to do the service and they were terrific.
- Generator annual service.
- Deep cleaned kitchen sink drain with vinegar, baking soda, and boiling water.
- Replaced mismatched food storage containers with this set of glass containers. I tossed our old containers out six months ago. Why is it so easy to make frivolous purchases but so hard to make practical ones?
- Packed up my mom’s China and delivered it to niece Sophie. This was a tough one. I’ve held onto the china for 26 years and knew I needed to pass it on before we move to our next house where I won’t have the luxury of extra space to store it. In addition to being emotionally attached to it, none of my three nieces (my mom’s granddaughters) felt ready to take on the China. Middle niece Sophie had a change of heart and I packed up the car and delivered it to her. It would make my mom so happy to know it’s with one of the girls now. I keep the China (and Christmas dishes) in these quilted bags (this one for cups) and they made it easy to transport. A serious move would required proper dish packing, I ordered these storage boxes for the platters. I also ordered an extra set of felt plate dividers.
- Cleaned out my closet (yep, again … Jim’s working on his too) and filled two of my three Trashie bags (I shared about Trashie, a clothing recycling service, back in November after hearing about it on a podcast). I just ordered their tech take back bag and we filled a box full of old cords, phones and other tech paraphernalia that’s been cluttering our office drawers.
- Ordered a Nokbox (NOK = next of kin) to help me organize our important documents in one place. This is something I’ve been meaning to do for years so when the algorithm fed me the Nokbox system I didn’t hesitate to jump on board. After receiving my box I begin to receive a series of emails with helpful tips about pulling together each section of the box. I’ll let you know how it goes.Looks like they’re currentlyoffering 20% off all Nokbox kits with code PROSPER20 (not sponsored). In addition to the Original Box I bought an extra documents bag and password book.
- Transferred important dates to my 2025 planner (Erin Condren Softbound LifePlanner).
Erin Condren Softbound LifePlanner
- Audited our streaming service subscriptions and cancelled, cancelled, cancelled. Same goes for magazine and newspaper subscriptions … paper and online. For magazines I want to continue, I cancelled the auto-renew which is a sneaky trick magazines have introduced to keep the party going forever (or until you notice).
- Ordered a new pair of Hoka Clifton 9’s … it’s ideal to replace walking/running/exercise shoes every six months. I was overdue. I’ve extolled the virtues of Hoka’s so I won’t go into that again. Suffice to say I’m a huge fan. They come in many styles (depending on what you’re wearing them for) and colors but I’m boring and stick to basic black and white.
- Our new garden’s roses came under attack this week. Not by deer, but something lower to ground. Jim sprange into action and headed to Ace Hardware and spent two evenings building protective cages. The battle continues …
Birkenstock Chelsea Boot
In my last post of the year I mentioned that I asked Santa for a pair of Birkenstock Highwood Chelsea boots. And he delivered!
You’ve got to hand it to Birkenstock, the boots fit beautifully, and are so comfortable (cheers to arch support … I know, I’m old). I’ve worn them a ton and no heel blisters (a big issue for me with other Chelsea style boots). I love the pretty cork layer detail above the sole. I just love them all around.
Birkenstock Highwood Chelsea Boot
The Cooks Atelier
Somewhere on the inter-webs I saw someone (wish I could remember who) making lemon soufflés using a recipe from The Cooks Atelier. After doing a deep dive into the Instagram account and website of mother daughter team, American ex-pats Marjorie Taylor and Kendall Smith Franchini, I was thoroughly enchanted enough to shell out for their book, The Cooks Atelier: Recipes, Techniques, and Stories from our French Cooking School, and get my hands on the lemon soufflé recipe.
(Don’t worry, Jim has the loose cord on his to do list.)
The book arrived with a thud on my doorstep … literally. It’s a huge book and must weight 10 lbs. I spent many happy holiday leisure hours on the sofa pouring over each page and absorbing their charming French country lifestyle.
The book’s photography is gorgeous, made even better by the large page format. I was so inspired by the interior of their cooking school that I saved a few photos as inspiration for our Little House on 4th’s dining room built-ins. White dishes and serving pieces plus copper pots, pans and molds … beautiful. I’ve held onto my grandmother’s silver and plan to use it in the new house for everyday. I may even keep it out in large glass jars or crockery to save drawer space.
But back to those lemon soufflés. I’ve never made a soufflé … it’s time. I love the way The Cook’s Atelier presents them in small copper pots. But for my first try I might stick with lowly ramekins. Stay tuned.
Their new book, French at Heart: Recipes that Bring France Home, will be released April.
Shrinking
Have you seen Shrinking on Apple TV?! Probably you have because I’m late – very late – to the party. I’d heard this series mentioned – in glowing terms – again and again. We finally started watching over the holidays … seasons one and two. Wow, it’s so good and a nice palette cleaner from the dark, British police and spy series we’ve been watching. It’s is a dramedy starring Jason Segel, Harrison Ford, and Jessica Williams as psychologists in practice together. The main story line is pretty heavy, but mined for comic gold. If by some chance you haven’t seen it, I highly recommend.
Current Favorites ~
And that’s what I have for you this week.
Leopard Print Skirt | The Cooks Atelier | Chelsea Boot | Dish Storage
Let’s see what’s inspiring Kim and Elizabeth.
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