life, lately...

For some reason, February felt like such a cold, dark, and emotionally draining month for me. For being the shortest month of the year, it definitely felt the longest, and even more so with it being leap year. I swear the 29th felt like two days. But hooray! March is here and I can already feel it slipping away, especially with a jam-packed agenda. 

It's been almost a year of my tiny, 400-square-foot apartment life, and things have finally settled in. For the first 6-8 months, I spent my weekends purging most of my possessions. It was a slow and steady process, but one that I'm glad to be done with. I think it will always be my nature to organize and purge, but I'm at a point where I get to enjoy my apartment. I can wake up groggy and not have to maneuver through a bunch of boxes as I make my way to the bathroom. And cook regular meals because I now have proper kitchenware. Or linger in bed on weekends because on sunny days (and cloudy ones, too), the natural light is glorious. And finally feel at home every time I walk through the door. 

I'm also getting into gardening and have a teeny, tiny budding garden of herbs and plants. Some are more fickle than others, and keeping them alive hasn't been easy, but I'm enjoying the process and it's definitely satisfying when I can pluck a few stems from my garden to add to my cooking. 

A lot of my friends have acquired their own houses during the last few months, and if you could peek into our chatroom, you'll see non-stop messages about home improvements, cleaning, and organizing. Sounds like topics that will put a baby out in a snap, but surprisingly we are so very much giddy about them. It also makes me happy that I'm slowly acquiring certain domestic skills that I never cared for during my adolescent years, and you know what, they're actually fun and enjoyable! I'm totally an old soul.

Here's to March and spring!

feeling at home: a new series for 2016

Hello and happy 2016. I have to admit, I haven't had much inspiration, let alone time, to keep this space of mine updated on a regular basis like I did in years past. My schedule is a little more relaxed these days and I've been itching to get back into my creative groove and start sharing again, so here I am.

There's been so many changes that took place in my life in 2015, but I think the recurring topic that comes up a lot in my conversations with friends as well as quiet thoughts to myself is the idea of living with less and feeling at home. These ideas are not revelations by any means, but what I've discovered this past year, after two moves within 2 months (from a 2,000+ sq ft, 2-story house to a temporary yet dingy and damp apartment to my current 400 sq ft apartment) and feeling in limbo for even longer, is that there are little moments and things that one can do to create a sense of happiness, home and belonging. 

So let's get on with it:

Tip #1: Have fresh flowers, or plants, or both—always

I don't know anyone that hates flowers or plants. I have friends (and myself) who have a hard time keeping plants alive, sure, but hate? Nope. I think keeping a little bit of nature inside your living space makes the place feel a little more alive, fresh and homey. If you're like me and have a tough time remembering to water plants that are super needy (looking at you herbs!) then try something more independent such as an air plant or cactus. Air plants are easy and you can dress them in cute glass bulbs. They're so low maintenance you almost want to water them more often than need to. As for flowers? Well, they're just easy on the eyes and some on the nose. Have you ever felt uninspired or dull in your home office? Next time try adding a handful of fresh flowers, hauled from the market, store, or a neighbor's garden, and boom! Instant cheer. And if these reasons don't convince you, may I bring science into the conversation and say that plants help with air quality and circulation? Cuz NASA says so.