Category: Lifestyle

So Delicious Dairy Free Coconut Milk Yogurt Alternative Review | Strawberry

Posted on by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Food Friday! Today I have a review of a vegan yogurt from the brand So Delicious. I will be honest with you – I have never liked eating yogurt, but I wanted to give the vegan variety a try to see if it tastes different. I had a coupon for So Delicious, and I decided to grab the Coconut Milk Yogurt Alternative in the flavor Strawberry to try. Let me share my thoughts on this product with all of you!

The So Delicious yogurt is coconut milk based. I was quite surprised to find that this container has less than one gram of protein, but 15 grams of sugar. That’s quite disappointing! I know many people enjoy eating traditional yogurt for breakfast because it is high in protein, but this one does not pack the same about of nutrients at all. I am glad to see that the yogurt does have 20% each of calcium, vitamin D, and vitamin B12.

I picked up the strawberry flavor of yogurt. As soon as I opened the package I smelled that distinctive yogurt smell. Keeping in mind that I did not eat much yogurt as a non-vegan, I find this So Delicious Yogurt Alternative to taste exactly like traditional yogurt. The strawberry flavor is nice, and the consistency is the same as non-vegan yogurt. Unfortunately, that means I personally do not like this product, but I am glad that vegans who do love yogurt will not have to miss out on a favorite food!

Overall, I’m quite impressed that the So Delicious Dairy Free Coconut Milk Yogurt Alternative tastes just like traditional yogurt. I do wish it contained much more protein and a bit less sugar, but if you are a yogurt lover who wants to go vegan, this is a great option for you! You can learn more about this product on the So Delicious website HERE. I’m glad I tried out this product even though I ended up not liking it much. It’s always fun seeing how a vegan alternative compares to the traditional option!

Have you tried a vegan yogurt? Let me know in the comments!

 

My KonMari Journey | Decluttering Paperwork

Posted on by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Wednesday! My KonMari journey continues today with a chat about my experience decluttering paperwork. After dealing with my book collection (see that post HERE), I was ready to tackle some items with which I did not have an emotional connection. While I do own a lot of papers that I consider sentimental, such as letters, cards, and photos, I am saving all of those paper memorabilia items for the end of my KonMari journey when I go through the sentimental category. The paperwork I will be discussing today includes all of the boring stuff – bills and statements, manuals, newspaper and magazine clippings, schoolwork, etc. Let’s talk about decluttering paperwork and how this process went for me!

This blog post will not contain any photographs of my actual paperwork as I wanted to ensure any confidential information was kept private. I do apologize that I cannot share more of this decluttering process with you, but I still wanted to share my thoughts on decluttering papers.

Here’s what my file tote looks like!
Purchase this from Amazon by clicking on the photo (affiliate link).

When I placed all of my paperwork into one large pile through which to sort, I had two piles of old schoolwork, two piles of miscellaneous papers, and one plastic file bin half filled with old papers. I started with all of the papers that were not school related, and found it very easy to weed through them. Marie Kondo recommends keeping only those papers for which there is a clear purpose. She also says it is important to keep a pending box for all of those papers that require your attention, such as bills that need to be paid, recipes you want to try, and cards to bring to the post office. This pending box allows you to keep sorting through your paperwork without attempting to complete any tasks that may interrupt the process. However, it is important to set a date to go through your pending box and complete all of the needed paperwork so it doesn’t sit uncompleted forever.

I couldn’t believe how easy it was to declutter my papers! I had tons of paperwork from when I first applied to college. That was ten years ago now! Why did I originally keep all of the informational brochures and various letters from each school? I separated all of the papers I was discarding into a pile that needed to be shredded and a pile to recycle. After going through all of the papers, I could fit all of them into about one-third of the plastic file tote! This leaves me plenty of space for future tax years, and I might even get a storage box that is half the size once my tidying campaign is over.

When it came to my schoolwork, I did break Marie Kondo’s rules a little bit. She recommends getting rid of all your old coursework, but I decided to keep some of it because I only graduated from law school a couple years ago and am still in the early stages of my career. That being said, I did pay careful attention to what I was keeping and what I could easily recycle. This process took a long time, but in the end my two piles were reduced to one. I even ended up with a spare storage crate!

All in all, tidying papers was much easier than I expected. It took me a total of three hours and forty-three minutes to declutter my paperwork, but the time went by quickly and it was very easy to feel what sparked joy. I recognize that my starting pile of papers was probably smaller than the average person’s, but that is because I only have my papers to deal with and I’m still quite young. Nonetheless, I think tidying your papers will be much easier than you think if you follow the KonMari method! As always, feel free to divide the paperwork category into smaller categories that work for you so you do not get overwhelmed.

How do you store paperwork? Let me know in the comments!

Dollar Tree DIY | Easy Halloween Wreath

Posted on by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Friday! Halloween is just around the corner, and today I am excited to share with you a fabulous and affordable DIY project that will help you celebrate the holiday in style. I recently stopped by my local Dollar Tree store and found everything I needed to put together a cute Halloween wreath. This DIY is easy and quick, but the finished product looks stunning. Plus, since all the supplies you need are at the Dollar Tree, this wreath only costs $6.00 to complete. Let me share with you how to create this spooktacular wreath!

I am not sponsored by or affiliated with Dollar Tree. I simply love shopping at the store and want to share this DIY with you!

WHAT YOU NEED:

  • Floral Garden Metal Wreath Ring (14″ inch wreath form)
  • 4 Rolls Crafter’s Square Decorative Mesh (20 yards of mesh total)
  • Decorative Spiders
  • Hot Glue Gun and Glue Sticks (not pictured)

I found the wreath form in the floral aisle of Dollar Tree, and the decorative mesh in the front of the store with the Halloween items. The mesh comes in black, orange, and purple. I went with two rolls of black and two rolls of orange. I decided to purchase a pack of purple spiders to add to my wreath, but you can grab any decoration of your choice. I went with purple so the spiders would stand out against the black and orange wreath. The one supply I did not purchase at Dollar Tree is a hot glue gun that I used to attach the spiders to the wreath. If you do not have a hot glue gun at home, you can purchase super glue from Dollar Tree to complete the project.

Now it’s time to begin the wreath! I followed THIS YouTube tutorial created by Paige Nicole. She demonstrates how to weave the decorative mesh through the wreath form to create the wreath. This process is very simple, but it does take some time. Set aside 20-30 minutes to complete the wreath. The decorative mesh can be a bit tricky to work with since it sticks to itself, but be patient and take your time during this weaving process. You can always unravel the wreath and start over if you make a mistake! As a guide, I made 5-6 loops in each section of the wreath form to achieve the fullness I liked.

The second and final step is attaching your decorative items to the wreath. I used a hot glue gun to glue my spiders onto the mesh. I planned out where I wanted the spiders to go, and simply glued them onto the wreath. I recommend getting lightweight decorations so they do not weigh down the mesh. As mentioned above, you can also purchase super glue at Dollar Tree if you don’t have a hot glue gun. Once the glue is dry, your wreath is complete! The wreath hangs very easily as well – simply place the top rung of the metal wreath form over a hook.

I am amazed at how easy this Halloween wreath is to make, yet it looks so expensive! In fact, similar wreaths sell on Etsy for $30.00-$50.00, and ours only cost $6.00 to make! This is a great gift to give during the Halloween season, and you can adapt this tutorial for any holiday by using different colored mesh and decorations. I’m so excited to hang this on the front door once October hits!

If you make this wreath, please tag me on Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook so I can see it!

Want more Dollar Tree DIY projects? Let me know in the comments!

 

My KonMari Journey | Things Get Tough When Decluttering Books

Posted on by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Wednesday! Today I’m excited to share with you the next step in my KonMari tidying journey. If you missed the first two installments in this blog series, make sure to read them HERE and HERE to learn more about why I’m decluttering my life using the KonMari method. I’m following Marie Kondo’s advice very carefully, and she recommends tackling your books after tidying your clothing and clothing komono. I have to admit I was nervous to begin decluttering my books, and wasn’t sure how this process would go for someone like me who is a huge reader. Spoiler alert: decluttering my books was very tough for me to do!

I began the tidying process by putting all of my books in one huge pile on my bed. To be fair, this pile only included the books currently on my bookshelves. I also have some books in storage from my childhood that I decluttered earlier this year, and that were not a part of my KonMari tidying campaign. Nonetheless, my pile was quite large and didn’t even fit in the photograph you see here. I’ve been a reader my entire life, and books are very important to me. They are treasured items, but I was also ready to declutter my collection. After using the KonMari method to declutter my clothing and accessories, I thought I had a good idea of what sparked joy. Well, I struggled big time with my books!

Marie Kondo recommends only keeping books that truly spark joy and that you know you will read again. I definitely agree with this, and when I read a book I only keep it if I plan on rereading it. However, she also says to get rid of any and all books you have not read. While I think this is a good idea for people who are not readers, it simply does not work for me. I am reading constantly, and I love having a section of unread books on my shelves from which to choose. Thus, I knew I would be keeping unread books, but it was challenging to decide which of those sparked joy since I haven’t yet read them.

In fact, tidying my books was emotionally draining, and I often lost sight of what that joy felt like. To help me find the joy again, I would hold a favorite book, or even go to my closet and look at the clothing I kept that sparks joy. I ended up taking a lot of breaks during this process, and felt quite overwhelmed at points. I was upset with myself that I wasn’t getting rid of a lot of books!

In the end, I reminded myself that the KonMari method is about quality and not quantity. In Spark Joy Marie often stresses that if your items are truly sparking joy, it is okay to keep them all. She also mentions in the chapter on books that you can always revisit your book collection in the future and declutter more. The photo above contains all of the books I ended up decluttering. The top row includes the books I hope to sell on eBay, and the bottom row includes the books I will be selling on Decluttr and Amazon, as well as the books I’m donating. This may be a small portion compared to the books I’m keeping, but I made progress and am happy with the work I put into this tidying project.

All in all, decluttering my books using the KonMari method was difficult, but I’m glad I powered through and allowed myself to get rid of some books in my collection that no longer sparked joy. This process took me a total of three hours and thirteen minutes, but it felt like much longer since I took breaks throughout the day. If you are not a big reader, you will most likely fly through the book portion of your tidying campaign. If you are more like me and treasure your book collection, make sure to take your time and try not to get frustrated. Struggling with my books just helped me to realize how emotionally attached I am to some material possessions, and I knew the rest of my tidying campaign would be easier after this.

Do you have a large book collection you love? Let me know in the comments!

My KonMari Journey | Clothing Accessories + Komono Declutter

Posted on by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Wednesday! Today I’m continuing to share my journey implementing the KonMari method with all of you. If you want to learn more about what the method is and why I decided to declutter my home in this way, please read the first blog post in this series HERE. I decided to follow Marie Kondo’s advice as closely as I can, so after decluttering my clothing, I moved right on to the clothing accessories, or what she calls clothing komono. This includes bags, shoes, jewelry, scarves, hats, and so on. Today I will be showing you some photos from this step in my tidying campaign, and sharing the experience I had with each category.

The clothing komono category may be tackled all at once, or in smaller sections. I decided to break down all of my clothing accessories so it would be easier to see how much I had in each category. I used a spare sheet as a drop cloth over my bed again (and you will see this in every blog post!). I find that helps to make sure no dirt or dust ends up on my bed, as that is the best surface in my bedroom on which to work.

 

BAGS

I began decluttering my bags first. This included all of my handbags, backpacks and duffle bags, travel pouches, and tote bags. I used to own a lot of handbags, but I only have a couple right now, so that was easy to narrow down right away. I ended up donating a ton of reusable tote bags, mainly the ones that weren’t very strong or were for brands I didn’t love. I also donated a lot of makeup bags and other pouches. I didn’t love most of the pouches I owned, so it wasn’t difficult to let go of them. While I use pouches a lot, I still only need a few. As for storing my bags, I put the ones dedicated to travel inside my luggage set, and then I stored the rest in a giant canvas tote that lives in my closet.

SCARVES, HATS, + GLOVES

Next up I tackled all of my scarves, hats, and gloves. I used to own a ton of scarves, but was fine with that in the past because I wore them regularly. You can even see what my giant scarf collection looked like a few years ago in THIS blog post! I now wear one scarf regularly, and it is rare I use another one. When using the KonMari method, I found that I was able to declutter many scarves I crocheted myself in the past. While I appreciate the memories associated with each item, they no longer spark joy because they were made with colors I don’t like any longer, or because they have been worn so much they were quite ratty. I donated the ones in good condition. I also donated some hats I no longer like and a spare pair of earmuffs.

What’s really exciting is that my entire collection of scarves, hats, and gloves now fits in a small plastic tote I keep on a shelf in my closet. As shown in the photos above, I used the KonMari folding method for my scarves, and layered other items on top. This allowed me to donate the scarf hanger I’ve used for years and freed up a bunch of space in my closet!

JEWELRY + HAIR ACCESSORIES

I recently did a big clear-out of my jewelry and hair accessories, so I didn’t think I’d have much to get rid of in these categories. I was wrong! I love that the KonMari method forces you to gather items from every area of the home at once. I knew I had some jewelry pieces in my nightstand, but I found a bunch more I totally forgot about in there, too! Same with hair accessories – I forgot I had a stash of headbands in a drawer. I rarely wear jewelry or hair accessories, so it was quite easy to declutter the items that no longer spark joy. In the photo above you can see all of the jewelry I’m donating. The pile I kept is much smaller, and mainly includes family heirlooms and other higher end pieces I’ve been given over the years. As for my hair accessories, I’ve only kept what I really need and a few pieces from my childhood that still spark joy, such as a Mickey Mouse bow.

SHOES

The last category in clothing komono is shoes. Despite thinking I had already narrowed down my shoe collection, I found six pairs that no longer sparked joy for me, including three that were so worn they needed to be thrown away. They might not look too bad in this photo, but in real life they were quite gross!

The shoes I’m keeping include my winter boots, a few pairs of heels, and some casual shoes that I wear regularly. The Converse and Sperry shoes you see in the front row are shoes that I want to declutter because they no longer spark joy, but that I need to keep for practicality’s sake. I no longer want to wear real leather, so once the Sperry shoes are worn out, I will get something new. However, I cannot afford to replace them at the moment. Similarly, I no longer enjoy wearing bright pink Converse, but they are the most comfortable shoes I own, so I am keeping them until I can afford to purchase another pair of comfortable sneakers. I’ve made a note of this in my planner to I can prepare for these purchases.

THOUGHTS ON CLOTHING KOMONO

This category can seem a bit overwhelming to tackle at first because there are so many sub-categories that fall within it. Thankfully, the entire process of tidying my clothing komono only took me one hour and 55 minutes. I know this is due, in part, to me already decluttering many of the items in these categories over the past two years. However, I also think this went quickly because I’m starting to really understand what sparks joy and what doesn’t. Storing these items was also quite easy, as I already had storage in mind. If your clothing komono categories contain many more items than mine, feel free to break up this process over multiple days. Perhaps you need an entire day for just handbags – that’s totally fine! Make the KonMari method work for your own personal needs. I know I look forward to continuing my tidying campaign using this method!

Do you find it easy or difficult to declutter clothing accessories? Let me know in the comments!

My KonMari Journey | Clothing Declutter + Reorganization

Posted on by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Wednesday! Today I am excited to begin a new series here on my blog all about my journey implementing the KonMari method in my life. You may have heard of the famous book The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo. I recently read its companion book, Spark Joy, in which Marie breaks down her KonMari method and explains step-by-step how to tidy your home. I absolutely fell in love with this book, and I knew I had to begin implementing her method right away. In today’s first post about my KonMari journey, I will quickly share about my decluttering history, and then my process trying the KonMari method for the first time with my clothing.

If you’ve been following my blog for some time, you’ll know that I’ve been simplifying my life for the past two-three years. I’ve spent a lot of time decluttering my belongings, and I’ve shared the process with you when it came to makeup and nail polish. I cannot tell you how many bags of clothing, household goods, books, and more I’ve donated over the past couple years, but I somehow still have more stuff than I need or want. I think this is mainly due to merging all of my college and law school things with everything that I left at my parents house when I moved to school. I will admit that I’ve been a pack rat all my life, finding a lot of meaning in what I deem to be sentimental items. After getting rid of so many belongings on my own, I was ready to read Spark Joy by Marie Kondo and adopt her tidying process. I knew it would give me that final push I needed for all of those items to which I have emotional attachment.

You can learn more about the KonMari method by reading one of her books, but, in essence, it focuses on only keeping items that bring you joy. I absolutely love this tidying method, as there is no room to rationalize about whether or not I need to keep an item. If it doesn’t bring me joy in some way, it needs to go. I’ve decided to follow the KonMari method as closely as I can to see if it can work for me. I know there are many opinions about this method ranging from extremely positive to extremely negative. I see a lot of value in the KonMari method, and am sharing this personal journey with you in hopes that it will inspire you to rethink how you declutter and organize your home as well.

Marie Kondo lays out a specific guide to decluttering, and it begins with clothing. The KonMari method requires you to gather each and every item in a category from everywhere in your home and place it in a giant pile. You then hold every item individually and decide whether or not it sparks joy. I know this might sound a bit ridiculous, but I soon got the hang of it! My first eye-opening experience was looking at my giant clothing pile. I put my clothes on my full size bed, using a spare sheet as a drop cloth. Woah! My pile was HUGE! I did not expect it to be so large, as I think I operate on quite a limited wardrobe. Of course, this pile includes all of my clothing, from socks and underwear, to jeans and tops, to jackets, and so on. Still, I did not anticipate having such a huge pile through which to sift!

Overall, I found the sorting process quite easy. Because I’ve been regularly donating clothes, what was left in my wardrobe were mainly items that sparked joy. I didn’t get rid of too much, but I was able to fill a kitchen sized garbage bag with clothing to donate, create a small pile of clothes I want to sell, and a decent size pile of things to put in the garbage. I like to sell name brand clothing that is in excellent condition on the website ThredUp. While I would ultimately like to donate all the rest, some of my clothing was quite old and damaged. For instance, the t-shirt sitting on the top of the pile is so worn with age there are several holes in the back, and the design is washed out almost completely. Needless to say, those items no longer brought me joy!

Here is a look at everything I kept. While I was, at first, a bit disappointed that I did not get rid of more, I had to remind myself that the quantity of the items does not matter so long as they all bring me joy. I did keep a pair of jeans from Target that I eventually want to replace, so I made a note of that in my planner. I highly recommend keeping a notebook handy so you can record when there is an item you want to repurchase or upgrade in the near future when you have the money.

My next step was to fold and store my clothing using the KonMari folding method. Marie recommends folding as many clothes as you can, and provides detailed instructions on how to achieve the desired result. I admit that it took me quite a while to fold all my clothes, and I often had to refold items before getting the hang of this new-to-me method. That being said, I am beyond thrilled with the result! Not only can I fit a lot more clothes into my drawers, but they are easy to see and access. The above photograph shows my top drawer filled with camisoles, everyday t-shirts, and sweaters. I’m so in love with the look of the drawers, and now that I’ve used this storage method for a little while, I’m happy to say they are also functional and easy to use.

Everything that cannot be easily folded, such as coats, dresses, professional clothing, and fluttery tops, hangs in the closet. Following Marie’s recommendation, I grouped items by category, faced them to the right, and went from long to short. This is completely different from how I used to organize my closet, but I’m really enjoying the result. I got used to this change in just a few days.

The entire process of tidying and storing my clothes took me four hours and ten minutes. I did this on a Sunday and did take breaks! While I was quite tired at the end of the day, I felt very accomplished. Not only did my drawers and closet look amazing, but I already felt more joyful. I definitely think the state of our surroundings impacts our mood, and after completing the first step in my KonMari tidying campaign, I felt awesome.

I hope you enjoyed this first blog post in my new series documenting my KonMari journey with all of you! I will be posting about my tidying campaign every Wednesday on this blog, so make sure to follow so you will see all of my updates! Next week will cover clothing accessories, such as bags, jewelry, scarves, etc. Please let me know in the comments how you liked this blog post, and if there is anything you want me to mention about the KonMari method in my next post.

Buy Spark Joy by Mari Kondo on Amazon HERE to learn more about the KonMari method.

This post includes affiliate and referral links. All opinions are my own. See my Disclosure Policy for more information.

 

Vegan Recipes I’ve Tried and Loved | Summer 2017

Posted on by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Food Friday! This past year I’ve spent a lot of time finding easy and delicious vegan recipes online. It can take a lot of searching to get that perfect recipe, so I thought I would save you some time and share some of my favorite recipes with you! If you are looking for some simple vegan recipes that anyone will love, this is the post for you. Let me share with you the delicious recipes I’ve tried and loved this summer.

Super Easy Vegetarian Chili Recipe [LINK]

I was never a big chili fan growing up because I’ve always disliked ground beef. Now that I love beans, though, chili seemed like the perfect dish for me! This recipe from The Spruce is really easy and beyond delicious. I do not put in any of the ingredients listed as optional, but otherwise I stay true to the recipe. Plus, this chili freezes really well! I made a double batch and froze half of it so that I could have meals ready to go on busy days.

 

No-Fuss Vegan Cornbread [LINK]

Of course, I had to make cornbread to go with my chili! This recipe from Food52 stays true to its name – it really is no-fuss. I follow the recipe exactly and it comes out really well each time. This cornbread also freezes well, so if you are cooking for 1-2 people just save some of this for later! I’ve always loved cornbread, and this one is absolutely delicious.

Healthy 5-Ingredient Granola Bars [LINK]

Next I tried a breakfast food, and that is granola bars from Minimalist Baker. I’ve never made granola bars before, and this recipe made it really simple. I followed the recipe exactly, but also added in about 1/3 cup of peanuts that I had on hand. My bars came out great, but I used a 9×9 pan instead of an 8×8, so they did fall apart easily in some spots. Nonetheless, they are beyond yummy, and I love pairing a bar with fresh fruit for breakfast.

One Pot Vegan Fettuccine Alfredo [LINK]

Last but not least is my favorite of the bunch, an absolutely amazing Vegan Fettuccine Alfredo from Neurotic Mommy. I found this recipe on Pinterest, and knew right away I needed to try it. I cannot stress to you how delicious this pasta dish is! I’ve already made it twice, and I know it will be a part of my regular dinner rotation. The one change I make to the recipe is that I keep the stove on medium-high as opposed to medium-low when cooking the pasta. Otherwise, the pasta does not absorb the sauce. That being said, if you are craving some creamy pasta, you need to try this now!

That wraps up the new-to-me vegan recipes I’m loving at the moment. I hope you found this post helpful, and that you will give some of these recipes a try. I plan on sharing my favorite recipes with you every season so you can know what I’m loving at the moment. You can also follow me on Instagram HERE to see more of the food I eat on a regular basis!

Have you tried an amazing recipe lately? Please share it in the comments!

Amy’s Black Bean Vegetable Enchilada Review

Posted on by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Food Friday! After being a huge fan of Amy’s Rice Mac & Cheeze (see full review HERE), I decided to try out the Black Bean Vegetable Enchilada. I was really in the mood for some enchiladas, so when I saw this option at the grocery store I picked it up! Unfortunately, this meal was not a hit for me. Let me tell you why I won’t buy it again.

As with the Rice Mac & Cheeze, the Black Bean Vegetable Enchilada is vegan and gluten free. It contains two enchiladas, with a combined 10 grams of protein. The enchiladas are made with corn tortillas, black beans, tofu, and vegetables. As with all Amy’s products, I appreciate the clear labeling on the box so I know it is certified vegan. It’s always nice when I don’t have to read any ingredients!

Unfortunately, the enchiladas were a bit of a disappointment for me. The main reason is because they did not heat up well in the microwave. Even though I followed the heating instructions, the tortillas were hard as a rock after cooking – I couldn’t even cut through them easily with a steak knife! I also found that the filling was not evenly distributed in the enchiladas. More importantly, the enchiladas didn’t taste all that great to me. They were okay, but they were not as flavorful or filling as I would like. When I pair the lackluster taste with the poor cooking result, I would not buy these enchiladas again, especially considering the price tag of $3.69.

All in all, I’m glad I tried out the Amy’s Black Bean Vegetable Enchilada so I could share my thoughts on this product with you! I am still a big fan of the Amy’s brand, and will continue to purchase and enjoy other products. These enchiladas just did not work for me. After this fail, I decided to make my own enchiladas, and found THIS amazing recipe from the blog Full of Beans. It was 100% worth my time and effort, and now I have a new recipe to add to my repertoire.

Have you tried the Amy’s Black Bean Vegetable Enchilada? Let me know in the comments!

5 Ways to Save BIG at Michaels!

Posted on by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Wednesday! Today I am excited to share more of my money-saving shopping tips with all of you. I love going to Michaels for planner supplies, craft tools, and home goods. There are so many fun items to look at, but I always make sure to stick to my budget and only buy the items I really want and plan to use. Luckily, Michaels runs amazing sales and offers coupons on a regular basis, so there is always a way to save money. Today I’ll share how I maximize my savings at Michaels so you can live a fabulous and affordable life, too.

I am not affiliated with or sponsored by Michaels. I simply want to share my money-saving tips with all of you!

1. Always Use a Coupon

Michaels always has at least one coupon available for use each week. You can find the coupons available in your local area by visiting the coupon page on the Michaels website HERE. Michaels also has a free rewards program that sends out exclusive coupons to its members via email and snail mail. I recently received a flyer in the mail that had three exclusive coupons for the month of July. I was able to get 25% off my total purchase including sale items! You can learn more about the Michaels Rewards program on the store’s website HERE.

2. Shop the Entire Store

When I go to Michaels, I make sure to look at every section in the store even if the items I plan on purchasing wouldn’t normally be there. This is because products often get put on seasonal and holiday displays, on the end of aisles, and in hidden clearance sections. For example, I often get asked where you can find the $1.00 sticker books sold at Michaels. Unfortunately, I can’t give you one answer! I’ve found them in the kids section, on holiday displays in the center aisle, on seasonal displaces in aisles, and more. The trick is to look carefully in each section, because you never know where an item will be. Plus, while Michaels will often have a dedicated section for clearance, it can pop up behind the aisles and in the regular sections as well. Keep an eye out for the red and yellow clearance sings, and blue clearance price tags!

3. Become Familiar with Sale Promotions

My next tip is to familiarize yourself with the sales that Michaels runs each week. Even if you don’t plan to shop, take a look at the weekly ad. Michaels tends to recycle and repeat its sale promotions. For instance, washi tapes often go on sale for 50% off, and a few times a year they are 60% off. If you know that you want to pick up new washi tapes, wait for the sale to take place. Once you know what the regular Michaels sale promotions are, you can time your purchases so they line up with the sale. Of course, if you need to buy something at the last minute, this tip won’t be as helpful. Thankfully you can still use a coupon!

4. See if You Qualify for a Special Discount

Michaels also offers special discounts for teachers, members of the military, and senior citizens. You can learn more about these special discounts on the Michaels website. Click HERE for information on the teacher discount, HERE for information about the military discount, and HERE for information about the senior discount. What’s even more exciting is that sometimes you can stack this discount with a coupon! Make sure to read the fine print on your coupon for any exclusions.

5. Use Ebates to Earn Cash Back When Shopping Online

If you can’t get to a Michaels store in person, you can shop online now! Michaels does offer cash back through Ebates. You can sign up to Ebates for free using my referral link HERE. If you have any questions about Ebates and how it works, check out my blog post HERE.

That wraps up my shopping tips for Michaels! I hope this post helps you to save some extra money at your next Michaels shopping trip. As always, if you have any more tips, please share them in the comments!

Want a savings guide for another store? Let me know in the comments!

Erin Condren Sherpa Throw Review | Floral Ink Design

Posted on by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Wednesday! Today I am excited to share my thoughts on the Erin Condren Sherpa Throw blanket with all of you. Erin Condren is my favorite place to purchase planners, and the company has expanded to offer more products for the home including art prints, accent pillows, and throw blankets. I decided to purchase the Sherpa Throw in the design Floral Ink, because I absolutely love blankets and needed a new one for this past winter season. Now that I’ve used the blanket for a few months, I’m ready to share my full review!

The Sherpa Throw currently comes in 15 different designs. I purchased the Floral Ink pattern because I love the color scheme and gorgeous florals. The throw is also available in two sizes: 50″ x 60″ at $55.00 and 60″ x 80″ at $75.00 I went with the smaller size blanket, and it appears to be the average throw blanket size. In the photo above, the blanket is folded in half and draped over a couch. The product is 100% polyester, and is machine washable and dryable.

The difference in blanket color is due to the lighting in each photograph. The blanket did not change color after being washed.

The Sherpa Throw shipped to me from a third-party, and separate from the other Erin Condren products I ordered at the same time. I was disappointed that I did not receive a tracking number for the blanket, but it arrived quickly and in perfect condition. The blanket was beyond luxurious when it first arrived. I loved how soft and fluffy the underside of the blanket was, and the top felt so velvety and smooth to the touch. The Sherpa Throw is also really warm and cozy – just what I wanted for the cold winter months! Unfortunately, I did notice a big change in the blanket after washing it. Despite following the washing instructions exactly, the once-fluffy underside became matted after its first wash, and a bit more matted after its second. The top also lost its velvety smooth feeling. While the blanket is still in great condition and extremely warm and comfortable, I am disappointed that it lost all of its fluffy texture. Nonetheless, I still think the Sherpa Throw is beautiful, and I will happily continue using it.

All in all, I think the Erin Condren Sherpa Throw is a great product, but I do think the price tag is too high when I think about the comparable products that can be purchased at stores like Marshalls and Target for more affordable prices. Of course, I also think it is disappointing that the texture of the blanket changes so much after each washing. In the end, I do recommend this product if you are able to afford the price, or if you get it during a sale. I still really love my Floral Ink throw, and I would consider purchasing more in the future if I wanted a specific design for a room in my home.

Save $10 off your first Erin Condren purchase by using my referral link HERE.