So for those of you who keep up with my blog regularly, you might remember me making a series of reviews in one of my posts- one which involved the brand Angela Roi. They're a cruelty free, sustainable brand that makes handbags and other accessories. A while back last year, I bought a wallet from them and I still love it. Today however, I'll be sharing my thoughts on a new purchase I made secondhand.
I've had my eye on one of their bags (called the Cher Tote) for quite some time, and because it's always best to buy secondhand first, I decided to see what Poshmark had to offer. Thankfully, I was able to grab one for myself that was $30 less than the original price. That may not be much of a discount for some, but I believe it's worth it. For the longest time before making this purchase, I've had this navy blue tote with gold detailing from TJ Maxx, and while I did love and use it some, I just felt like it was time to find something that's a little more versatile and classic, with minimal design and no embellishments- this bag in particular met all of those standards.
(Link): https://www.angelaroi.com/products/cher-tote-signet-black
Out of the times I've used this bag, I've noticed that the material is durable and will probably last me for many years if not forever. Sometimes I can be hard on my bags, so knowing that the leather isn't real but still high quality is a plus for me.
The inside of the bag consists of only one middle pocket which is perfect for my wallet and phone, and I appreciate how the rest of the bag is structured to fit everything you need with a little extra room. I will say that this probably wouldn't be able to hold a laptop, but I think an iPad or some other tablet would work. I'll also note that because I'm a bit short (my height is 5'1"), so I'll probably have to get myself a longer strap eventually. So other than that, I don't have any complaints about the bag overall. It's perfect and I'm excited to get more use out of it!
This blog basically has a little bit of everything from entertainment reviews, my insights on fashion and style and other topics related to how I live my life. I hope you enjoy reading my thoughts!
3/29/2020
3/23/2020
Minimalism Guide: Different Clutter Enablers
Since adopting a more minimalist lifestyle a little over a year ago, I’ve found that the saying “less is more” couldn’t be more true. I never really considered myself to be messy or a hoarder as I always liked to keep my stuff organized, but even with all my stuff being organized, I still just had too much.
If you’re someone who enjoys organizing but is still stressed out by having too much stuff, this can be a problem. It’s easy to just shove things into a drawer or box, knowing that everything is placed somewhere, but what I’ve learned is that it’s better to eliminate that clutter (or even the boxes themselves) to help reduce that feeling of stress. Now If you’re someone who likes to collect certain items or knick-knacks, then that’s totally fine.
Collecting items comes with a price, and that price is usually money we’ve either earned or saved over time. Now I’m not saying that you’re not allowed to have collections of certain items, but what I would say is consider whether or not they’re of actual value to you. I myself used to collect handbags, Bath & Body Works products and DVDs, but nowadays, I find it’s best to either place a limit so I can get full use out of what’s already available, or to just downsize my collection to what I absolutely love and use most.
The next clutter enabler that I want to talk about is unused furniture. If you have a dresser, chair, bookshelf or end table laying around that’s filled with stuff you’re not using (or things that don’t add value to your life), then perhaps you should consider donating it. One thing to consider is that the more open surfaces you have in a home, the more likely you are to start piling stuff onto them. One alternative that you could implement for reducing visual clutter is to do what’s called the “one touch system”. This simply means that once you’ve touched something once, it needs to be dealt with in that moment. It can also mean that instead of keeping your coat and other belongings in the front hallway or family room upon entering your home, you put them away in their proper spot.
I feel like it’s no secret that most people either have a closet, kitchen drawer or even a garage that continually gets cluttered, leaving it to be under-utilized for its original purpose (whatever that may be). Our homes aren’t going to be perfect all the time, but I feel like the concept of having a junk drawer or closet is something we should try harder to maintain. One of the biggest ways you can change this is to simply be more mindful of what you bring into your home when you go out to buy things. It also helps to do regular sweeps to see what’s not being used, and then find new homes for the things that are being used.
If you’ve noticed how most people these days don’t use their garage for parking their cars, it kind of makes you wonder why that is sometimes. I personally think that the less cars we see on the side of the road, the better we’ll feel when we try to park our own cars on the driveway or in the garage like a normal person, haha! :P
Now I’m not saying it’s a bad thing to park your car on the side of the road, but if your reason for doing so is because you don’t have enough space inside your garage, then perhaps it’s time to declutter it.
I hope this post provided some motivation for you, or that my insights were helpful in some way. And even though it’s been a while, I do still enjoy making these minimalism posts as they can help give me that boost to declutter whatever is not needed or isn’t essential to my life. Have a great day and stay safe!
If you’re someone who enjoys organizing but is still stressed out by having too much stuff, this can be a problem. It’s easy to just shove things into a drawer or box, knowing that everything is placed somewhere, but what I’ve learned is that it’s better to eliminate that clutter (or even the boxes themselves) to help reduce that feeling of stress. Now If you’re someone who likes to collect certain items or knick-knacks, then that’s totally fine.
Collecting items comes with a price, and that price is usually money we’ve either earned or saved over time. Now I’m not saying that you’re not allowed to have collections of certain items, but what I would say is consider whether or not they’re of actual value to you. I myself used to collect handbags, Bath & Body Works products and DVDs, but nowadays, I find it’s best to either place a limit so I can get full use out of what’s already available, or to just downsize my collection to what I absolutely love and use most.
The next clutter enabler that I want to talk about is unused furniture. If you have a dresser, chair, bookshelf or end table laying around that’s filled with stuff you’re not using (or things that don’t add value to your life), then perhaps you should consider donating it. One thing to consider is that the more open surfaces you have in a home, the more likely you are to start piling stuff onto them. One alternative that you could implement for reducing visual clutter is to do what’s called the “one touch system”. This simply means that once you’ve touched something once, it needs to be dealt with in that moment. It can also mean that instead of keeping your coat and other belongings in the front hallway or family room upon entering your home, you put them away in their proper spot.
I feel like it’s no secret that most people either have a closet, kitchen drawer or even a garage that continually gets cluttered, leaving it to be under-utilized for its original purpose (whatever that may be). Our homes aren’t going to be perfect all the time, but I feel like the concept of having a junk drawer or closet is something we should try harder to maintain. One of the biggest ways you can change this is to simply be more mindful of what you bring into your home when you go out to buy things. It also helps to do regular sweeps to see what’s not being used, and then find new homes for the things that are being used.
If you’ve noticed how most people these days don’t use their garage for parking their cars, it kind of makes you wonder why that is sometimes. I personally think that the less cars we see on the side of the road, the better we’ll feel when we try to park our own cars on the driveway or in the garage like a normal person, haha! :P
Now I’m not saying it’s a bad thing to park your car on the side of the road, but if your reason for doing so is because you don’t have enough space inside your garage, then perhaps it’s time to declutter it.
I hope this post provided some motivation for you, or that my insights were helpful in some way. And even though it’s been a while, I do still enjoy making these minimalism posts as they can help give me that boost to declutter whatever is not needed or isn’t essential to my life. Have a great day and stay safe!
3/17/2020
KonMari Method vs. Minimalism: Miscellaneous and Sentimental Items
This last category spans into a lot of different things, like the garage, attic, basement, closets that don’t house clothes and drawers that hold other items that may not have another place in your home. It also covers sentimental items unless you find everything in your home to be sentimental.
The guidelines from Marie Kondo’s method remain the same as it did with books and clothes: take everything out to where it’s all visible, start with something that’s an easy decision to make, and ask if it sparks joy. Once you get down to those smaller items (saving the sentimental category for last), use boxes or containers to help divide your stuff into separate piles.
If you find yourself struggling in any way, here are a few more questions to ask yourself here:
1. When’s the last time this item has been used?
2. Can I see myself using this item in the future?
3. Do I have another item like this that serves the same purpose or works better?
4. If I were to see this item in the store, would I buy it again?
I know that for me personally, it was a challenge to let go of those “just in case” items, or those extra storage bins because I thought I’d need them if I find more stuff to put it in. The lesson that I learned here however is that life shouldn’t be about buying and storing items for my future, but to save and make room for where I’m at in the present moment.
In my personal opinion, I feel like being sentimental can either be a good or bad thing depending how you view your stuff. It’s like a double-edged sword in some ways, because while there’s nothing wrong with it in general, there are some things that we should be cautious about when it comes to certain things we have in our lives. An example of this is finding an attachment to something that was given to you, or even something you bought yourself. The process of decluttering in general is not to deprive us of things that may have value, so in saying that, if there are fond memories attached to a certain item, then that’s okay. What I’d be cautious of however is finding justifications to keep an item, like saying “This blanket was passed down to me by my great-grandmother. I’ve never used it, but it’s special.” or “This dress was worn on my wedding day. I haven’t worn it since then, but I don’t know what to do with it.” In cases like that, I think it’d be best to find a charity shop, a local church or homeless shelter, or consignment shops that give to good causes if you don’t know what to do with certain sentimental items.
One last tip I would recommend during the decluttering process is to consider what is sell-able and what is trash. Being sustainable with what’s in your home can be a good thing (to an extent), but in the end, most of what we buy just doesn’t stay intact forever. In the case of hand-me-downs, I can understand that feeling of guilt or sadness that may come with decluttering those items, but ultimately, we have to remember why we started in the first place and stay focused on that goal.
So from my experiences at least with the KonMari method, I’ve found that asking that “spark joy” question wasn’t enough in some cases. It’s good for those who are wanting to get started but don’t know where to start, and in the beginning, I did use that approach. You kind of just have to find what works for you, take what’s most useful and leave the rest.
The guidelines from Marie Kondo’s method remain the same as it did with books and clothes: take everything out to where it’s all visible, start with something that’s an easy decision to make, and ask if it sparks joy. Once you get down to those smaller items (saving the sentimental category for last), use boxes or containers to help divide your stuff into separate piles.
If you find yourself struggling in any way, here are a few more questions to ask yourself here:
1. When’s the last time this item has been used?
2. Can I see myself using this item in the future?
3. Do I have another item like this that serves the same purpose or works better?
4. If I were to see this item in the store, would I buy it again?
I know that for me personally, it was a challenge to let go of those “just in case” items, or those extra storage bins because I thought I’d need them if I find more stuff to put it in. The lesson that I learned here however is that life shouldn’t be about buying and storing items for my future, but to save and make room for where I’m at in the present moment.
In my personal opinion, I feel like being sentimental can either be a good or bad thing depending how you view your stuff. It’s like a double-edged sword in some ways, because while there’s nothing wrong with it in general, there are some things that we should be cautious about when it comes to certain things we have in our lives. An example of this is finding an attachment to something that was given to you, or even something you bought yourself. The process of decluttering in general is not to deprive us of things that may have value, so in saying that, if there are fond memories attached to a certain item, then that’s okay. What I’d be cautious of however is finding justifications to keep an item, like saying “This blanket was passed down to me by my great-grandmother. I’ve never used it, but it’s special.” or “This dress was worn on my wedding day. I haven’t worn it since then, but I don’t know what to do with it.” In cases like that, I think it’d be best to find a charity shop, a local church or homeless shelter, or consignment shops that give to good causes if you don’t know what to do with certain sentimental items.
One last tip I would recommend during the decluttering process is to consider what is sell-able and what is trash. Being sustainable with what’s in your home can be a good thing (to an extent), but in the end, most of what we buy just doesn’t stay intact forever. In the case of hand-me-downs, I can understand that feeling of guilt or sadness that may come with decluttering those items, but ultimately, we have to remember why we started in the first place and stay focused on that goal.
So from my experiences at least with the KonMari method, I’ve found that asking that “spark joy” question wasn’t enough in some cases. It’s good for those who are wanting to get started but don’t know where to start, and in the beginning, I did use that approach. You kind of just have to find what works for you, take what’s most useful and leave the rest.
3/09/2020
Movie Review: Disney & Pixar's Onward
Pixar has come out with a lot of great movies over the years, and this one is no exception. Onward is about two boys who lost their father, but after coming across a magical staff and a spell, they have the ability to bring him back for only one full day.
Tom Holland is best known for his Spiderman movies, and of course, I enjoyed those a lot. I think having him voice the main character (Ian Lightfoot) was a good and obvious choice since he has the talent (and is still young in age). Of course, the rest of the cast is very much talented as well, so I don't have any complaints about that.
The story line keeps a nice pace as it usually does with most Pixar movies, so there's no shortage of action and dialogue (and humor) to help keep it going. I also have to admit that the studio continues to improve with its attention to visual detail and animation. If you watch this movie in a Dolby theater, you'll feel even more in touch with what's going on in this world of magic and wonder.
To paraphrase what one reviewer has said (Sandie Angulo Chen from Common Sense Media), I can see a similarity with how these animal-like characters decide to adapt themselves into a more suburban/modern kind of society, like what Zootopia has. We have elves living in houses, centaurs driving in cars, and tiny, yet tough looking sprites riding motorcycles. The only difference here is that the setting has its moments where it crosses paths with something mythical or ancient, knowing that most of this world's population doesn't believe in magic or old spells.
So because the anchor for this movie's story is the loss of a father figure, the ending had me feeling appreciative of my own father still being in my life. I honestly can't imagine how hard it must be to only have one parent around, so for that, I'd say this movie captures those feelings well without having too much dialogue. Overall, the movie still follows a formula that's true to Pixar, but with a direction that's still exciting, endearing and unique, which makes the experience worthwhile every time.
Tom Holland is best known for his Spiderman movies, and of course, I enjoyed those a lot. I think having him voice the main character (Ian Lightfoot) was a good and obvious choice since he has the talent (and is still young in age). Of course, the rest of the cast is very much talented as well, so I don't have any complaints about that.
The story line keeps a nice pace as it usually does with most Pixar movies, so there's no shortage of action and dialogue (and humor) to help keep it going. I also have to admit that the studio continues to improve with its attention to visual detail and animation. If you watch this movie in a Dolby theater, you'll feel even more in touch with what's going on in this world of magic and wonder.
To paraphrase what one reviewer has said (Sandie Angulo Chen from Common Sense Media), I can see a similarity with how these animal-like characters decide to adapt themselves into a more suburban/modern kind of society, like what Zootopia has. We have elves living in houses, centaurs driving in cars, and tiny, yet tough looking sprites riding motorcycles. The only difference here is that the setting has its moments where it crosses paths with something mythical or ancient, knowing that most of this world's population doesn't believe in magic or old spells.
So because the anchor for this movie's story is the loss of a father figure, the ending had me feeling appreciative of my own father still being in my life. I honestly can't imagine how hard it must be to only have one parent around, so for that, I'd say this movie captures those feelings well without having too much dialogue. Overall, the movie still follows a formula that's true to Pixar, but with a direction that's still exciting, endearing and unique, which makes the experience worthwhile every time.
3/03/2020
My Minimalist Makeup Collection (2020 edition)
When I first shared my makeup collection last year, I was in that mindset of wanting to try new things and challenging myself. So while I do still find it beneficial to step out of my comfort zone every once in a while, I feel like I kind of went a little overboard with that habit, and return, I’ve realized that I’d rather just stay true to me and not get carried away.
So for the most part, I don’t wear makeup and that hasn’t changed. On the daily, I’ll only wear chap stick and maybe fill in my eyebrows on occasion, but that’s about it. If I feel like adding in a little more color however, I’ll be turning to my Anastasia blush trio and maybe add a little eye shadow. I would also apply some powder beforehand to even out my complexion.
My face in general has become a little more sensitive over time, so because of that, I now only own a tinted moisturizer from First Aid Beauty. I bought it at Sephora, and surprisingly, I love how it felt on my skin when I first tested it out. It’s not cakey like other foundations, so I think this will be a good alternative during the summer months.
My lip gloss collection continues to stay minimal as I only have four options, but what I did add was a compact mirror, a roller ball perfume and a new set of EcoTools brushes. The ones I had before were from Amazon, and while I did get good use out of them, I knew they wouldn’t last forever (plus I wasn’t using most of what came in the kit).
So overall, I feel like I’m finally in a good place with my collection. I don’t have too much, but I have enough for me and what suits my own lifestyle. I’m not sure why others feel the need to have more, but that’s fine with me because I’m just doing what works for me. I enjoy letting my skin breathe, even if my face is red some days or if I get a dry spot on my cheek. Those imperfections are what makes me who I am and I’m okay with that.
So for the most part, I don’t wear makeup and that hasn’t changed. On the daily, I’ll only wear chap stick and maybe fill in my eyebrows on occasion, but that’s about it. If I feel like adding in a little more color however, I’ll be turning to my Anastasia blush trio and maybe add a little eye shadow. I would also apply some powder beforehand to even out my complexion.
My face in general has become a little more sensitive over time, so because of that, I now only own a tinted moisturizer from First Aid Beauty. I bought it at Sephora, and surprisingly, I love how it felt on my skin when I first tested it out. It’s not cakey like other foundations, so I think this will be a good alternative during the summer months.
My lip gloss collection continues to stay minimal as I only have four options, but what I did add was a compact mirror, a roller ball perfume and a new set of EcoTools brushes. The ones I had before were from Amazon, and while I did get good use out of them, I knew they wouldn’t last forever (plus I wasn’t using most of what came in the kit).
So overall, I feel like I’m finally in a good place with my collection. I don’t have too much, but I have enough for me and what suits my own lifestyle. I’m not sure why others feel the need to have more, but that’s fine with me because I’m just doing what works for me. I enjoy letting my skin breathe, even if my face is red some days or if I get a dry spot on my cheek. Those imperfections are what makes me who I am and I’m okay with that.
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