Looking for easy hairstyles for lazy days? You’ll notice a lot of these hairstyles are called “messy” something. That’s because some days I’m in a rush and all I want to do is use dry shampoo, throw my hair up and go. These cute easy hairstyle are perfect for lazy days, fancy dates, or when you’re running late and rushing out the door. Here are 10 easy hairstyles for lazy days:

1.  Half-up crown braid

Pretty as a princess, with no hassle? Check. Start with a center parting, a grab a section of hair close to your hairline. Start braiding this, angling slightly back and down, and secure. Repeat on the opposite side. Pull braids behind your head, close the base of your skull, and layer them on top of each other.Hide the ends of the braids by tucking them in, and pin to secure.

2.  Scarf cover-up

For those days when you’d rather hide your hair than try and do anything fancy with it, this is a style for you. Secure your hair in a high, mess bun. Take the ends of your scarf in either hand, and place the middle of the material at the nape of your neck. Wrap the scarf over your ears, and cross at the front of your head, creating a twist in the middle of your hair. Then secure the scarf with bobby pins.

3.  Easy chignon

Classic and timeless, this chignon makes you feel fancy in less than five minutes. Separate hair into three sections – left, right, and back. Twist the left and right pieces back behind your ears, and join with the back section, securing in a low ponytail. Make a gap in the hair right above the grip, and pull the ponytail up and through the gap, creating a twist. Tuck the remaining hair up and over the original twist, securing with bobby pins to create a low bun.

4.  Braided messy bun

Easy 3-step hairstyle! Simply section your hair, create a bun, loosely braid the front two sections, pulling pieces out here and there to make the braid messy and give it volume, then cross the braids over the bun and secure with bobby pins.

5.  Messy crossover pony

Possibly the easiest and quickest style on the list, and one that I love, because it looks effortless (and is!). Separate hair into two front sections and one back section. Tease the back section (or use dry shampoo for volume) and secure in a ponytail. Take the right front section and cross it over the ponytail so it rests over the grip. Repeat on the left side, so both pieces of hair are crossed over the grip. Pull the pieces of hair around and under the ponytail, and secure. Voila, a crossover ponytail.

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6.  Headband up-do

Do you ever have an issue with your headband sliding off your head? Not so with this style! Place an elastic headband over your hair, and separate your hair into three sections, bringing two lengths of hair over each shoulder and leaving one piece down your back, tying it off lower down to keep it in place. Pull this tied-off piece of hair through the back of the headband, hiding the elastic, and pin in place. Then twist both front pieces of hair and wrap over to opposite sides of the bun, further hiding the elastic, and pin in place. One of our most favorite easy hairstyles for lazy days!

7.  Khaleesi inspired twist

The actress might have her own stylist, but if you want hair inspired by the Mother of Dragons, you don’t need one! Start by tying the top layer of your hair back, half-up-half-down. Make a gap in your hair right above the grip, and pull your hair over and through, so your hair now has a simple twist. Grab two more sections of loose hair, and create second ponytail beneath the first. Repeat the first step, making a gap and looping your hair through, creating a second twist.

8.  Braided ponytail

This style perfectly transitions from casual day to fancy night! And you don’t even need to know how to french braid (although it looks like you do). Doing one side of your hair at a time, begin to twist the two sections, adding more pieces of hair to each piece of the twist as you go, until you reach the nape of your neck. Gather both twisted pieces into a low ponytail.

9.  Twisted braided bun

Begin by securing your hair in a high ponytail. Separate your hair into sections, two for thin hair and three if your hair is thicker. Twist or braid each section, and secure with a grip. Then take the sections and wrap them around the base of the ponytail, layering each braid to create a big, voluminous top knot!

10.  Boho fishtail braid

This hairstyle is great for keeping your hair out of your face and messy hair in check while still looking cute and put-together. We love that she combined a fishtail braid and a Dutch braid.

Related Post: 5 Things Stylish Women Secretly Do Everyday

Our go-to fishtail braid style for lazy days:

With your hair in a side-parting, begin to french braid the front section of your hair along your hairline, slowly incorporating more hair into the braid until you reach your ear. Pin this braid in place, and switch sides. Gently twist your hair on this side and pull it round to your opposite shoulder, where you can begin to fishtail braid both lengths of hair. Tie off the braid, and gently pull at the sections to loosen the braid for a messier look.

If you’re anything like me, receiving a wedding invite in the mail fills you with equal parts excitement and dread. Weddings are fun, especially once you’re past the present buying, travel planning stage.

Then you eventually have to tackle the impossible question: what do I wear? The two biggest wedding outfit faux-pas have always been “do not wear white” and “do not wear black”. But the latter rule seems to be going out of style these days, as more and more wedding guests arrive in little black dresses. Are rules made to be broken, or is this still a line that shouldn’t be crossed?

Honestly, it depends who you ask. Researching the opinion of countless fashion bloggers and stylists, many caution against wearing black to a wedding.

Black is traditionally bad luck, and it also seems like a passive aggressive way to protest the wedding, as you’re in stark contrast to the bride’s white wedding dress. But others say that wearing black to a wedding is no longer a total disaster, as long as you play it safe.

Thinking about wearing black to the next wedding you’re attending?

Follow these easy steps:

1.  Don’t upstage the bride

You should always keep the bride in mind when dressing for her wedding. If you’re going to wear black (or any color of dress for that matter), your focus should be on the the cut, fit, and material of the dress. So nothing skintight, skimpy, see-through, bare-backed, or plunging. Nothing that shows your underwear. Nothing floor-length. And please, no lace!

2.  Follow the dress code

If it’s a black tie affair, then by all means, you should feel free to wear black. In these situations it’s definitely more important to make sure you are dressed appropriately than focusing on what color you’re wearing. Country clubs and churches? Hemline should be knee-length or longer. Beach wedding? Something fun and floaty. And if you’re going to wear black, take this advice from fashionista Elisabeth von Thurn und Taxis, who wears black dresses only if she styles them with pops of color, stating: “Weddings are celebrations. Should a celebration not look bright and cheerful?”

3.  Check the venue

This advice goes hand-in-hand with the dress code. If you’re going to be at the beach at midday, black is going to get very warm, and you don’t want to be wearing full-sleeves either. The opposite would be true of a church, where you want to make sure your appropriately covered up (no exposed chests, backs, thighs, strapless dresses, or cut-off sleeves) and you might want to skip the black entirely.

4.  Consider the season

Seasonal weddings can give you a clue as to whether or not black would be appropriate. For Spring and Summer weddings, black will make you look somber, even if you do wear bright accessories. But it’s more acceptable to wear darker colors for Fall and Winter weddings, like grey, navy blue, and yes, even black. You should also take the time of the wedding into account. Black dresses should be skipped for day-time affairs, but evening receptions are perfectly acceptable places to wear black.

5.  Ask the bride

Each couple is different, and may follow different traditions at their wedding. If you’re afraid you might offend the newlyweds, it’s always better to ask the bride if a black dress is okay than show up and be that guest.

Good rules to follow for all weddings? No leather, leopard or animal print, neons, or anything transparent. And do try not to match the color scheme, if you can help it. You don’t want to blend in with the surroundings, but you also don’t want to look like you’ve invited yourself to join the wedding party. If all else fails, follow this fabulous advice from Oscar Wilde: “If one is to behave badly, it is better to be bad in a becoming dress.”

Many bloggers have documented their own trials and tribulations of creating capsule wardrobes, which is a small collection of clothes for the season that they can mix-and-match, with no additions made and the rest of their clothes tucked away in storage.

Whether they’re a lifestyle blog or fashionistas, the idea of simplify their wardrobe to help declutter, save money on buying new clothes, and create easy outfits daily can be a lure.

Because I was new to the world of simplified dressing and capsule wardrobes, I did my research and found some great inspiration from four bloggers with tried and true methods, so you can hit the ground running, and start creating your capsule wardrobe today.

1.  Pinch of Yum | Lindsay Ostrom

Pinch of Yum blogger Lindsay has a great beginners guide to creating a capsule wardrobe. Even though she isn’t a fashion blogger (she’s a foodie), she believes in simplifying life wherever possible and swears by her capsule wardrobe techniques Lindsay was hooked when she realized that, with a capsule wardrobe, “that dreaded standing-in-front-of-the-closet moment each morning turns from a 10 minute ordeal into a 10 second decision.” She starts by identifying three primary outfit categories that are most relevant to her lifestyle, then finds the clothes that fit those categories. Smart! She even has a handy template for you to use!

2.  Anusch Karees | The Curated Closet

Anusch Karees, also invaluable in my research for this piece, is credited with being one of the first people to pioneer the capsule wardrobe technique, and blog about it extensively. Her list of FAQs are great if you’re having second thoughts about slimming down your wardrobe, and her handy step-by-step guide is a must read. She even includes example capsule wardrobes so you can see a sample of what her closet looks like.

3.  Be More With Less | Courtney Carver

Be More With Less author Courtney Carver believes in making small changes that have a big impact on her life, allowing her to live with purpose. She’s also the mind behind the 333 Project, which sets the challenge of finding 33 pieces for your capsule wardrobe that you wear for 3 months (a season). She has a great guide to building your own capsule wardrobe too, centered around her 333 Project

4.  Unfancy | Caroline Joy Rector

Last but not least, Unfancy blogger Caroline Rector was inspired by Courtney Carver to start her own capsule experiment and start to simplify her life. She has all her capsules available for you to view (which is great inspiration) and also has a planner for you to follow if you’d like to start your own. She has a great interview with The Every Girl where she describes how she started, where she derived her inspiration, and the easy steps to follow to start your own capsule wardrobe.

Related Post: 10 Easy Hairstyles For Lazy Days

Unsure a capsule wardrobe is for you?

If you buy clothes on a whim, because they’re in the clearance section (the word “sale” almost always gets me) or because you’ve had a bad day, put your wallet down and instead take a long look at your wardrobe.

Which pieces actually fit your style?

What are you keeping just because you might wear it “one day”, or because you paid good money for it?

And what do you wear all the time that you could build an outfit around?

Once you start asking yourself these questions, the idea of a capsule wardrobe will begin to make a lot more sense.

If you want less hassle in the morning, less clutter in your wardrobe, and more money in your bank, get inspired by these capsule wardrobe bloggers and start living a simpler, but still stylish, life.

Related Post: Lingerie Styling Tips: 5 Classy Ways To Wear Lingerie As Outerwear

{Editor’s Note: This blog post is not sponsored by or affiliated with any of the brands or businesses mentioned in this post.}

Are you looking for easy, quick, or fun ways to make money from home?

Side hustles are a great way to earn cash in your spare time, and can even grow into full-time jobs if you hustle hard enough. Some require special software, or a certain level of skill. Others just require your time, and a working internet connection. Whether you want to earn some spare cash or start a new career, these 23 ideas can inspire you to start working from home today!

1.  Become a virtual assistant

Juggle schedules, input data, manage social, make meetings – the list of asks is endless, and so are the opportunities.

2.  Work as a transcriber

Transcription isn’t just for court documents anymore. Clients may want phone calls, videos, meetings, and other recordings transformed into text documents.

3.  Create your own shop on Etsy

Whether you’re crafty, have an eye for vintage deals and steals, or like to work with your hands, Etsy is the best online retail site that lets you work directly with the customer as you sell your wares.

4.  Start a blog

Everyone has a story to tell, you just have to figure out what yours is. A blog is a great way to not only start writing for a living, but also host ads that pay-per-click, meaning any visitors that click on the ads help you earn money!

5.  Become a consultant

Are you an expert in your field? People are willing to pay for your knowledge, and the best part is you don’t have to leave your house to share your insights with them.

 6.  Offer your skills on sites like Fiverr and Taskrabbit

Fiverr and Taskrabbit are money making tools that have become popular because they’re so easy to use. Everything from resume writing and logo creation to helping with moving and running errands are up for grabs!

7.  Create greeting cards

Greeting card companies are always looking for help with soppy sympathy lines and humorous gags for their products, and you can get paid if they choose your ideas.

8.  Start dog walking or pet sitting

Pet sitting might be one of the most fun ways to make money from home. Have the pets come and stay with you, for an afternoon or even a week long stay!

9.  Take surveys online

While this can be time consuming, as not all sites offer large payouts, this is an easy way to make money from home, just by answering survey questions.

 10.  Babysitting

If you have a large enough network of friends with kids, or can get a good list of recommendations, you could start a pretty lucrative babysitting gig. Better yet, make your home kid-friendly and have them dropped off at your place!

11.  Start translating

If you’ve got a knack for languages, there are a lot of gigs available to you, from captioning videos to translating entire websites.

12.  Manage a business’s social media channels

Small businesses in particular can struggle to find time to manage the day-to-day business tasks as well as their social media channels. If you enjoy playing on the different social channels, this could be a good gig for you.

13.  Start proofreading

Do you twitch whenever you see grammatical errors or misspelled words? Proofreading in your spare time is a great way to not only earn money, but also read all sorts of interesting papers, documents, and essays!

14.  Test websites

Did you know that you can get paid to test websites? Brands want to make sure their sites are user friendly, and that their links and images work.

15.  Join a focus group

Test the product, give your opinion or write a review, and receive your cash reward. Easy!

16.  Tutoring

Tutoring doesn’t have to be time-consuming (or cost you a penny). Not only can you have kids come to your house to be tutored, there are sites that let you tutor online, so all you need is a working computer (and often a microphone and webcam too).

17.  Become an independent recruiter

Platforms like Indeed Crowd want you to find candidates to fill open positions listed on their site. If you find a match, you get a gift card, if your match is hired, you get paid!

18.  Sell your t-shirt designs

By using sites like Merch or Hanes Ink, you can sell your designs without having to go through the hassle of actually printing the t-shirts.

19.  Teach an online course

Love teaching? Sites like Udemy allow you to create and post courses for students to access online. The more popular the course, the more you can charge!

20.  Rent your space

Airbnb is a perfect way to earn money on the side, and you don’t actually have to leave your house a – rent a room or two and you can still make money while living their.

21.  Get paid to shop

Sites like Ebates and Ibotta offer cash back on purchases. It might not seem like much at first, but those little amounts can really add up!

22.  Sell (or resell) your stuff

You can sell your clothes, furniture, books, and more on sites like Ebay, Craigslist, etc.

23.  Work from home in customer service

Using live chat or your phone, you can troubleshoot for customers from the comfort of your home.

{Editor’s Note: This blog post is not sponsored by or affiliated with any of the brands or businesses mentioned in this post.}

Always wanted to try a cooking class, but don’t know if they’re for you? I’m here to tell you that cooking classes are for everyone, whether the only meal you can make is toast, or you’re a seasoned pro in the kitchen. Classes are a great way to get out of your comfort zone, learn new skills, meet new people, and spice up date nights. And if you’re a homebody like me, they are a great excuse to get out of the house and go make food instead of just buying it. Need further persuading?

Here are seven reasons you should take cooking classes:

1.  Learn new recipes

Whether you’re cooking for one, two, or meal planning for the whole family, sometimes you can get stuck in a recipe rut, making the same meals over and over again because they’re easy or quick. Going to a cooking class can inspire you to try new meals and add some variety to your weekly schedule. Classes cam also give you more meal ideas that you can involve your kids in making.

2.  Meet new people

Alone or as a couple, the usual setup for cooking classes crams a whole lot of learners into a confined space. Which is perfect for making new friends, striking up conversations, and getting help if you’re fumbling the recipe. The people surrounding you may be new to the class or regulars, but since you’re mixing ingredients and not dangerous chemicals, those around you should have time to chat and socialize. Just make sure you don’t burn your own dish if you get caught up in a conversation!

3.  Try new foods

Just like with tried and true recipes, it’s easy to fall into the habit of using the same meats, vegetables, and spices over and over again in the cooking that you do. Maybe you have no idea how to prepare a squash, or cooking anything but chicken seems like a dangerous proposal. A cooking class is the perfect arena for trying new things, as the instructions (and instructor) are right there, guiding you through the process. And you may learn to love some new foods that you can add to your grocery shop!

4.  Great for date night

If you date nights have dwindled or started to get stale (there’s only so many new movies out every week), a cooking class is a great way to spice up your one-on-one time with your partner. You get to work together and collaborate to make a dish, try new things and learn new skills, and the outcome is something you can both enjoy and share. Maybe only one of you rules the kitchen at home, but in a cooking class, you’re a team, which is a great dynamic for any relationship.

5.  Teaches you about seasonal dishes

This may not apply to all cooking classes, as I imagine some will have you making delicious desserts and cheesy main courses, but other classes will have you using seasonal fruits and vegetables to create your dishes. Becoming more familiar with what’s available locally and in season means that you’ll be getting the freshest ingredients to use at home in your own cooking, which gives you options for the hot summer months and cool winter ones too.

6.  Gives you healthier options

Again, not every class will have you making healthy meals, which is great, because sometimes we want to indulge. But learning how to make healthy snacks, low calorie meals, or meals packed with good-for-you ingredients mean that on days when you’re feeling sluggish or had one too many donuts for breakfast, you’ll have a recipe up your sleeve that will make you feel good and guilt-free to eat.

7.  Teaches you new skills in the kitchen

I don’t know about you, but there are a lot of kitchen utensils that intimidate me. And there are a lot of recipes that ask you to stuff, peel, chop, grate, julienne, mash, core, etc., and you can only Google or YouTube these things so many times before becoming disheartened. That’s why cooking classes are so invaluable, because you learn how to use different utensils and prepare your food in different ways, so when you get back to your own kitchen, you feel like a pro, and can chop herbs with the best of them.

Succulents are all the rage right now, and not just with gardeners and green thumbs.

Novice planters love succulents too, because not only do the plants look lively, they are also hardy and easy to care for if you know how. You can also care for them indoors, and can get really crafty with the containers, even adding rocks, shells, or colored glass around the plants as decoration. Ready to learn how to take care of succulents?

Here are three important things you need to know about taking care of succulents:

1.  How to plant succulents

First, you need to pick your container. You need to make sure the soil can drain, so if your container does not have a hole to let excess water escape, put pebbles on the bottom of the pot, or mix find sand into the soil to help with drainage. Fill the container halfway with your soil mixture, to where the roots will sit. Place your plant over the pot with the roots inside, and fill the rest of the pot with soil, burying the roots and making sure your plant sits close to the top of the container (so it gets enough light). You want the soil to be loose for easy drainage, but not so loose that your plant will fall over.

2.  How to water succulents

Throughout my research on the subject of succulents, it seems like the experts where often asked the question: “how often should you water succulents?” Too much water and the roots of the plant will rot, but too little water will make the roots dry up. It’s best to water your succulent when the soil is completely dry, giving your plant enough to drink so that the soil is damp and excess water drains out of the bottom of the container.

Try to avoid getting water on the plant itself as this can rot the leaves or scorch them if they’re in direct sunlight. Instead aim the water directly as the soil, and avoid “misting” the plant.

3.  How to repot succulents

Although succulents always look small (they will never become trees, for instance), they do in fact grow, and thus can outgrow their container. How will you know when to repot succulents? Often the roots will start to grow out of the drainage hole in the bottom of the container, or the plant just looks too big for its pot. Repotting a succulent will also give it fresh, fertile soil, ensuring its continued health and growth.

Start by removing the succulent from the old pot. Gently dislodge the soil from the roots, being careful not to damage them. Fill the new, slightly larger container with soil and place succulent inside, filling in the rest of the pot around the plant. Let the succulent become accustomed to its new home for at least a week before watering.

Which succulents do you grow? What’s your favorite container for growing succulents? Let us know in the comments below!

Need sleep?  We all know that a good night’s sleep, along with a healthy diet and moderate exercise, allows us to be at our best.  But for many women, quality sleep is extremely hard to come by.  Per a recent survey by the National Sleep Foundation, two-thirds of women experience a sleep disruption a few times each week.  More than one-half of the women polled reported waking up feeling tired most mornings.

Poor sleep, or not enough sleep, can compromise our immune systems and lead to weight gain.  Chronic sleep problems can lead to a greater risk of health issues such as diabetes, heart disease, and depression.  But even a small sleep deficit can make it difficult to concentrate, leading to increases in accidents and a decrease in performance at school and/or work.

We know sleep is important.  So how can we improve our sleep habits and increase our chances of waking up feeling rested and ready for the day?

1.  Set Your Schedule for Success

Your internal clock operates most effectively if you follow a regular sleep schedule. It is best to go to sleep and wake up at the same time every day, even weekends.  Sleep experts also suggest avoiding naps entirely, or keeping them to less than twenty minutes so your nighttime sleep is not affected.  The blue light emitted by our ever-present cell phones and tablets can also make it difficult to fall asleep, so you may want to think about powering down your devices about an hour before bedtime. Upon waking, make sure you open your blinds and turn on your lights.  The bright light tells your body that it is time to get moving.

2.  Diet and Exercise

To improve the quality of your sleep, avoid big meals too close to bedtime.  Choose water or another decaffeinated beverage after two in the afternoon and finish high intensity workouts at least three hours before heading to bed.  Be conscious of your alcohol intake, as well.  Though alcohol may help you relax and get to sleep more easily, it actually alters your sleep pattern and can cause you to wake up more often throughout the night.

3.  Free Your Mind

Oftentimes all the thoughts running through our heads are women’s worst enemy when it comes to drifting off.  If this is the case, try either jotting down stressors before turning in, or making a To Do list for the following day to put your mind at ease.  Read a book or magazine, take a relaxing bath, or meditate to calm your mind before trying to sleep.  The noise from a fan, air conditioner, or white noise machine can be soothing and also help quiet your mind.  If you still have trouble sleeping, doctors suggest making relaxation your goal rather than stressing about sleep.  While simply resting in bed does not replace sleep, it still helps rejuvenate you for the next morning.

4.  Get Professional Help

If you’ve changed your habits and diet and are STILL losing sleep at night, schedule an appointment with your healthcare practitioner. He or she may give you a referral to see a sleep specialist. Some sleep loss is a result of disorders like sleep apnea that need special treatment to avoid. If nothing else, a sleep expert can monitor your habits and let you know what is preventing your most restful sleep.

When it comes down to it, the best way to improve your sleep is to try to relax.  Accept that some days will be better than others and aim for healthy sleep habits most days.  Don’t add sleep to the list of worries keeping you up at night!

Whatever your parenting style, raising kids is a life altering, chaotic experience. Many parents wonder if they’re doing it right, and whether they are teaching by example. These TED talks describe the experiences of different parents and impart little pieces of wisdom, from teaching empowerment and bravery to making lasting memories. Start watching and get inspired!

1.  How Movies Teach Manhood by Colin Stokes

This TED talk will have you taking a closer look at kids’ viewing habits, and maybe push you to find new role models for your kids, knowing that any gender can be inspired by a strong woman or a smart man. Examples of good movies, in my opinion? Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs and Charlotte’s Web are both films where violence does not win the day but science and kindness triumph.

2.  Love, No Matter What by Andrew Solomon

An eye-opening talk about the unconditional love parents have for their children, how parents cope with their different, special children, and about letting your child find their community outside of the home so they can accept their own identity.

A great way to learn about how to view those born with differences, and how love and acceptance do not always go hand in hand, but grow with time.

3.  In Our Baby’s Illness, A Life Lesson by Roberto D’Angelo and Francesca Fedeli

This couple thought their baby was born healthy, until ten days later they found out he had experienced a prenatal stroke. In a moving talk, they show how they changed their lives to help Mario make progress, but also how they realize that living by example to show him how to be happy is far more important than trying to “fix” him.

As Roberto says: “We stopped looking at him as a problem, and we started looking at him as an opportunity to improve.”

Another talk about acceptance, living a life that inspires your child, and loving them unconditionally.

4.  Let’s Talk Parenting Taboos by Rufus Griscom and Alisa Volkman

From the creators of Babble, a website where real parents share real insights into their lives, comes this humorous look at parenting from a tag-team that works, lives, and plays together. Raising three boys, they talk about the realities of parenting and the social taboos that surround having kids and raising them. This TED talk is real, frank, and lets you know that you aren’t alone as a parent – there are others out there having the same experiences. And no one is perfect.

5.  A Father-Daughter Bond, One Photo At A Time by Steve Addis

This is a relatively short TED talk, Steve Addis starts a tradition with his daughter where they take a photo together in the same spot, in the same city, once a year. Not only can you see the differences a year makes to the pair, but it also encourages you to consciously make memories, and not just mindlessly stand behind (or in front) of the camera and take snapshots. Live in the moment with your kids, and make memories with them that are tangible.

6.  How To Raise Successful Kids by Julie Lythcott-Haims

This is a TED talk aimed not to subtly at helicopter parents, whom Julie believes have the best intentions, but aren’t having a positive effect on their children.

The more we focus on grades, accolades, scores, and wins, says Julie, the more kids believe that their self-worth is wrapped around these things.

She wants us to widen the definition of success for our kids, so we provide a foundation for them that is built on love (and hard work), and not just gold medals or first place trophies.

7.  The Council Of Dads by Bruce Feiler

When Bruce Feiler was diagnosed with cancer, he was worried that he wouldn’t be there to give advice and insight to his daughters as they grew up. So he found a group of close friends and asked them to be stand-ins for him.

This talk makes you think about what you want your kids to learn about life, and the important things you should focus on as a family.

8.  Agile Programming – For Your Family by Bruce Feiler

Inspired by agile software programming, one of the biggest takeaways from this TED talk is the suggestion that you should empower your kids to so they succeed on their own terms, and fail on their own terms too. This means letting them create their own rewards and punishments, and letting them be a part of larger family discussions.

9.  Teach Girls Bravery, Not Perfection by Reshma Saujani

As women, we are taught to strive for perfection, so we are overly cautious, happier to show no progress or give no feedback, lest we be wrong. Saujani wants us to teach our girls that it’s okay to fail, and take big risks, and learn from mistakes. Because even if we are making mistakes, we’re still working, and we’re learning as we go.

10.  Bring On The Female Superheroes by Christopher Bell

Bell wants us to teach our kids that it’s okay to be inspired by female superheroes, regardless of their gender, because every child can learn from the fierce, independent women on the scream. He wants to remove the gender of toys and just focus on letting our kids be kids – sound advice if you ask me.

If you’re a tried and true fashionista, the phrase “capsule wardrobe” may not be new to you, but it certainly was to me. I’m all about streamlining my life, whether I’m trying to be more productive at work and stop procrastinating, or meal planning ahead of time so I can eat healthy meals at night when I’m too lazy to cook. So the idea that I can simplify my wardrobe to help me declutter, save money on buying clothes I won’t even wear, and create easy outfits daily without the stress of “I have nothing to wear” definitely intrigued me. So I took a look at the world of capsule wardrobes, and this is what I learned.

What is a capsule wardrobe?

The phrase was coined by a 70’s London boutique owner, Susie Faux, to describe the minimalist style of dressing with less. Basically, you pick a small collection of clothes for the season that you can mix-and-match, and store the rest of your clothes out of sight. Your wardrobe is slimmed down, your style is simplified, and your time searching for an outfit to wear is cut down by half.

According to style blogger Anusch Karees: “The idea of curating a capsule wardrobe is to ensure you have a solid foundation of key pieces that represent your style and provide you with a good number of outfits to wear for all of your activities.”

So it isn’t about depriving yourself of fashion staples, but focusing on what you actually wear most often, and building a solid wardrobe around those pieces.

How do I build a capsule wardrobe?

A big misconception about a capsule wardrobe is that the pieces have to be simple (no patterns, boring neutrals etc.) so you can’t experiment at all. This is far from the truth!

You just need to find versatile pieces that you can pair with multiple items in your new, streamlined wardrobe.

Pick pieces that you love to wear, and build around them. Choose stuff you feel comfortable in, that make you feel good, that layer or can be styled up or down depending on the occasion. And try and find well-made pieces that will last, since you’ll be wearing them for the season!

For blogger Courtney Carver, your capsule wardrobe should “encourage you to wear your favorite things every day (not the trendiest things, the most stylish things, or the perfect things … your favorite things).”

The first step is actually to de-clutter your wardrobe. If you have room to store clothes and don’t want to part with them, then pick the pieces you know you won’t wear and store them out of sight. If you’re being brutal with your new capsule wardrobe, then donate them, then start to build around your remaining clothes. The idea is to reduce what you have in your wardrobe so you aren’t overwhelmed with options when you get dressed each morning.

How many items are in a capsule wardrobe?

Depending on which source you cite, this number varies. But there are two categories of clothes you’ll be sorting your wardrobe into: your base, and your capsule. Your base consists of pajamas, accessories, fitness apparel and special-occasion outfits, and your capsule wardrobe is everyday clothes, shoes, and outerwear. Only the capsule portion of your wardrobe needs to be restricted, but that doesn’t mean you can’t declutter all of it.

Once you’ve sorted out your base, it’s time to move onto your capsule wardrobe.

As I said, the numbers vary, but sticking within the 30-40 item range is recommended (although blogger Anusch Karees only has 25 pieces in one of her seasonal wardrobes).

Your capsule wardrobe needs to last you through the season, so about three months of wear. Pinch of Yum blogger Lindsay suggests identifying three primary outfit categories (hers were “fun”, “lounge”, and “daily”) and then “select 9 tops, 5 pants, and 5 shoes.” That’s it, it’s that simple!

Of course, to make these pieces last all three months, they have to be good quality, fit well, easily match with other pieces, and be practical. And just because you choose your staples, doesn’t mean you can’t switch them out if you decide you don’t like them or they don’t fit. One author suggests “one in, two out”, but I think it all depends on your style and comfort.

The idea of the capsule wardrobe has inspired me to take a deep dive into my own closet and really decide how many outfits I really even wear, and where I can make a little room and simplify.

I hope you’ve been inspired too!

What are succulents?

Succulents are small, hardy plants that usually, (unless they’re cacti), have big fleshy leaves. They grow in all sorts of different containers, and their vibrant colors and interesting shapes make them perfect decorative indoor plants. They grow slowly, and don’t need to be watered often, so they are perfect for low-maintenance gardeners or those of us that aren’t natural green thumbs. But there are a lot of questions around the care of succulents, from soil type to light quality.

Here are the three main factors you need to consider for succulent care: soil, water, and light.

Do succulents need soil?

The short answer is yes, but the type of soil you use can vary by plant and by region. Whatever soil you decide to use, it needs to be gritty and drain well, because succulents don’t like wet feet, and poorly drained soil will rot their roots. You can buy pre-mixed soil made specially for succulents, or even use Miracle Grow. Some gardeners recommend adding fine sand to the pot to help with drainage, while others suggest adding pumice to help with water retention in the soil.

Do succulents need light?

Although they can adapt to lower light conditions, it is best to give your succulent(s) plenty of light. They like dry humidity and warm conditions like direct sunlight, but you also want to make sure they have shade/cover too, so you don’t scorch the plants. A spot on the windowsill where they can receive a few hours of direct sunlight daily is perfect for your succulents.

Do succulents need water?

Most succulents thrive in dry conditions, but they do need to be given something to drink every now and then. The trick is to let the soil dry out completely before watering your succulent again. But you want to make sure you’re also pouring enough water into the container to saturate the soil. Too much water, and the roots will rot. Too little water, and the roots will dry up, killing your plant. It may take some trial and error to figure out how often you should water your succulent, but don’t worry, these plants are hardy!

Ready to choose a type of succulent for planting?

You can buy them from nurseries, home improvement stores, and even Ikea. When it comes to potting your succulent, most gardeners suggest avoiding glass jars or containers that don’t drain, because you don’t want to overheat the plant or drown the roots. But if you do want to use a mason jar or a tea cup, for example, as containers for your succulents, you can add pebbles to the bottom of the jar, or mix sand in with the soil to help with drainage, and be extra careful with how much water you add to the pot. Once you’ve picked your container, you can accessorize by adding rocks and shells, pieces of colored glass, small mirrors or sculptural features.

What containers do you like to use for your succulents? Share with us in the comments below!