Picking a Style or Switching It Up

So, do you use thrifting to keep up your style or do you use it to help you try out new styles without paying a fortune for it?

I keep telling myself that I'm going to use thrifting as a way to try new colors and introduce a bit more bold, but so far, I've been fairly unsuccessful.  Not because those things weren't available at my local stores, they were.  I just seem to lean towards neutrals.  Over and over again.  The closest I got was a dark pink/purple t-shirt that had an ever so slight puff on the sleeve.  So slight that you couldn't really notice it.  And it was a t-shirt, which is my staple.

Honestly, the most bold and colorful thing I thrifted in 2012 was my makeup bag.  Which I love, but I can't wear.

I know going in to the store I should have a good idea of what I'm looking for.  About half the time I'm on target with that.  Or maybe I'm half on target all of the time.  I can go in and know I'm looking for tops.  Or prints.  Or core pieces.  But I can't seem to go in and say, I absolutely must leave with a red top and something with print.  I think it's because I feel it's force.  On the flipside, if I don't force myself to try out this new stuff, I'll never really commit to being more stylish!  Ahhhh!  What do do what to do.

I'll keep my eyes open to see what's popular this year and I'll try and go in with a more focused approach.  I am always looking for cardigans (I never find any in a size or style that flatters) and I'd like to find scarves.  Everyone is wearing scarves now and I'd like to try it out, but not at $20-25 a pop.  So far, no luck there.

I have gotten a couple of great core pieces (brand new jeans, khaki skirt, khaki shorts and a jean jacket).  This makes me wonder, maybe I've got this thrifting thing backwards?  Should I shop the thrift store for the core pieces and leave the accessories and fads for other stores sales?  I hadn't really considered that before, but it seems like it could be a possibility.

Goals Moving Forward

Every new year we put a lot of pressure on ourselves (most of us anyhow) to do better, be better, look better and I'm no different.  I find it so easy to see all the places I'm lacking and start making promises to fix them.

I'm not sure that I want to make resolutions this year.  It feels a bit daunting.  Somehow, calling the things I want to do "resolutions" makes me wonder if I'll reach the finish line.  Is there a finish line with resolutions?  I suppose they should be ongoing things.  I don't really know.

I think I'll just have goals.  Things that would be nice to see happen, but my world won't fall apart if they don't.  I might even have a lot of goals, but that's okay, because nothing is going to go wrong if I don't reach them.  Goals don't expire in a year, they can go on (unless, of course, there's a time limit, haha) and on.

Here we go, goals that I'll be starting now and continuing til I see fit.

365 days of fitness.  This sounds like a bigger deal than it is.  I'm going to make it a goal of mine to get some sort of activity that will help me and my family stay fit for just 10 minutes a day.  It can be planned (like a hike or a run), it can be unplanned (an impromptu game of tag at the park), it can be boring (jumping jacks and sit ups) or it can be a blast (color me rad {did this over the summer with my son, what a good time!}).  I don't expect huge changes at 10 minutes a day, but it will keep all of us thinking about our health and fitness and that can't be bad.  And if I miss a day?  So what.  I get to try again tomorrow.

Photo a day challenge.  This one is inspired by fat mum slims blog and photo challenge.  The hubs and kids got me a camera for Christmas 2011 and it hasn't gotten nearly the use it should.  I figure with this challenge I may just learn to use my camera more and how to use all its neat little functions.  It'll likely be a slow process (the learning) but that's okay.  I love that the photo challenge has prompts on what subject to take pictures of, this takes the burdon off of me, which is good, because I'd probably wind up taking pictures of the same things over and over.  Again, if I miss a day?  No big deal, the world doesn't come screeching to a halt because I haven't taken a photograph.  I will be posting my pics here.  Maybe daily, maybe weekly.  I suppose it depends on the kind of time and motivation I have.

Making thrifting a reasonable part of my life.  I don't want to get into the habit of shopping just to shop but when it comes to thrifting, that's exactly what I did last year.  Sure, it didn't break the bank, but I think, moving forward, I'd like to thrift with more purpose.  I need to organize less than I did when I began this blog, but my personal style hasn't really gotten much better, so thrifting is still a great way to work on that.  I am still looking for things for my apartment as well, so I'll keep updating as those things get found.  :)

Cooking at home 6 days a week.  This isn't that much of a challenge, really.  I normally do it and plan to continue to do so, I'm putting it here because from November through the years end, we ate out a lot.  It was mostly due to the move, the holidays and being frazzled, but it's all done now and I think it's important to get back to normal.  Or whatever normal is around here.

Read a book a month.  This is a very small (almost lame, it's so small) goal.  I have always been a reader, I love it, I preach it to my kids, but for some reason I haven't been doing nearly enough of it.  So, I'm going to try to make it a goal to read one book a month (at least) this year.  Get back to doing something I love.  It'll make me happy and that bodes well for the fam.  :)

That's it.  Nothing earth shattering, nothing scary, just a few goals to make my life more enjoyable.  So what about you?  Any personal goals, resolutions and promises to fill?

Only A Week To Go

This move has been hard on my sleep schedule! I'm glad it will be done in a week. Today we got over to the new place and turned in our signed lease. The movers will be here on Friday to pack, though we won't be moving in until Tuesday. This weekend will probably feel pretty long without all of our stuff to fool around with. I was reading over the terms of our lease and found it funny that they mention avoiding buying second hand furniture. They're trying to avoid bedbug outbreaks, of course, but I still found it amusing as I was reading. I purchase plenty of second hand items, no furniture as yet, but clothes for sure. I suppose they'd frown upon that too. Speaking of second hand...I think I'll be hitting the thrift stores after the holidays to find some new bits and pieces to make the new place feel like home. I'm mostly going to be looking for frames and glassware, stuff for shelves. I don't want to assume I'm going to be able to make purchases, of course, because I really don't know what our financial situation will be. If the hubs hasn't found work yet, even if I've managed to find something, our income will be meager. Ideally, if he does find work, I'd like to put together a nice set (of mismatched,hehe, is that really a set?) white dinnerware. Oh, and speaking of jobs, I'm going to HAVE (yay!) to hit the goodwill for some interview clothes. As it stands now, I've got nothing but jeans, t's and workout gear.

2 Weeks Plus a Few Days

That's how long until we move to the new apartment. Every time we move I forget. I forget that no matter how ready you think you are to move, you just aren't. Financially, emotionally, physically. At least I'm not. Ever. It's funny, because I always believe that I've got everything under control. And then along comes that moment when I realize I was just kidding myself. I had that moment a couple of days ago. Even though everything is moving forward, I'm just not ready. This move is the same as all of the others in many ways and it's so different in others. This move signifies the end Dave's military career. 20 years and now it's done. It signifies a choice that we made, not the Navy, to decide where we live. There's unlikely to be an opportunity in a few years for us to pick up and start again. This. Is. It. I'm terrified. Fortunately, he's not. Which is good, because one of us needs to be able to remain rational. It can't be my job, I can't handle it. He's going back to school and will be looking for work. I, too, will have to look for work. I've been a stay at home mom for 11 years. I didn't work during my pregnancy either. 12 years since I've worked. I worry. My oldest is autistic and being available to him, the school, his teachers has always been my goal. This will be difficult now. Not impossible, of course, but more difficult just the same. Both kids will (next year) have the same schedule, but for the remainder of this year it's different and neither gets bused. Right now we live close enough to walk one and drive the other. At the new apartment we will drive both to different schools, next year to the same school with the same hours. This will hopefully make it easier to find work. Not having to work around the hours of 2 different school schedules. I hope. On the plus side, I think I'll be having another yard sale. I need to get rid of a few more things that just won't fit at the new place and I really don't want to get a storage locker. So, I think maybe the weekend after this one coming I'll give another one a try. It's also giving me a really great opportunity to really purge the house. Closets, garage, everything! This is good because I can certainly tend to be a bit of a pack rat. I want the new place to be as free from clutter as possible. That would be ideal, so going in with less is the best way to start. Frugality is going to be a necessary part of every day life now, which is good. Having everyone on board with that is really exciting to me. In the past, I've felt like I've been only half on board with being as frugal and thrifty as I want to be, so that will be a nice change of pace. That will also make it easier for me to blog about being thrifty (and organized!) since it will be necessary, not just kind of a hobby. The one thing that breaks my heart the most though, is that the move is costing way more, up front, than we realized. It's pretty much going to eat through everything we have and that means the holidays are going to be very, very rough. :( I'm hoping the kids can enjoy the spirit of the holiday (which they always have) even when they know presents will be lean. It's tough, but they're good boys and I have faith that they'll understand.

A Couple of Thrifted Finds

While my mom was visiting we took a day to spend together, just the two of us girls. It started at The Good Will Store, headed to a consignment store and then an Antique Mall. We had lunch and hit up Marshall's and Old Navy. Apart from just having a fantastic time shopping and goofing off with my mom, I found a couple of good deals. Sadly, my skill at picture taking hasn't really improved much. Heh. I have been wanting (for a couple of years now) this shirt from Target, it's a One Star, long sleeve, button down top. Simple, but cute. Initially I wanted it in blue. I am pretty confident that it was 29.99 when I first decided I loved it. Now, it's 22.99. I can't explain why, but the price just rubbed me the wrong way. And that was before I began thrifting. Well, my hesitation paid off, I found one at the Good Will in my size, but in a different color than I'd have initally chosen. I didn't even care! It's a very light pink, I can wear it on its own or unbuttoned with a tank under it. I love it!

I was also able to find a 3/4 sleeve striped top from Banana Republic. It's a soft tee shirt with tiny button details on the sleeve. Very casual and easy to wear in the fall. It's got a wide neck, cutting almost to the shoulders, boat neck? Is that what it's called? I don't know. It's cute, it fit and I like it. :D

 I know, it's all wrinkly in the picture because I was too anxious to get the pic after I'd washed it.  I'm lazy like that.  Might explain the disappointing photography skills, eh?

My last great find of the day was a little LeSportSac make up bag.  This little bag is 20 bucks new and I got it for less than 3.  It's practically brand new.  In fact, I'd guess it had been used once.  Love it.  It's funny, because when I saw it, I hemmed and hawed.  I need a new make up bag, mine isn't really coming clean anymore and I've been turning my nose up at the $10 + pricetags of the new ones.  But for some reason, I couldn't commit to this initially.  Finally though, I did.  And I'm glad!

At this point we moved on to a local consignment shop.  I wasn't impressed with much of what they had.  It felt as though very little of it had been cleaned prior to being brought in.  Very disappointing.  Left with nothing.

The antique mall was fantastic and I would have left with about anything in the store, loved it all.  But since I'm moving soon, I would like to wait before picking up any of those fantastic items.  Gorgeous chairs, handmade doilies, cake plates, crystal items.  Looove!  Favorite thing there?  !940-50's style short white gloves with teeny button details.  If I could have them, I promise I'd wear a dress and do my hair every day!  ;)

Unplanned Hiatus...Oops

Honest.  I hadn't planned to stop my journey.  Thrifting and decluttering are things I'm still thinking about daily.  It's funny that I think about it all the time, but I manage to forget to do the actual blogging.  Go figure.

I've decided to broaden my focus here.  I'm going to thrift, declutter and find my personal style (both on my person and in my home), but I'm also going to share my opinions on things I try.  Be it visits to local places or products I've tried.  Seems like that will give me a bit more opportunity to blog.  Sometimes I don't have a chance to go searching around the thrift stores or I'm not up for decluttering.

We're moving soon.  In the next 2-5 months.  Needless to say, that means some major decluttering going on.  I'm trying to plan a yard sale.  It's hard though.  I've never had one before, been to plenty, but never held my own.  I don't know what my old stuff will be worth to anyone, if anyone wants it at all.  I don't want to overvalue it and not sell anything nor do I want to undervalue it and cheat myself out of a few bucks.  I read that 70% off of the initial value is a good starting point.  I assume that's for stuff in great condition.  I have items here that are still perfectly usable, but not as pretty as they once were.  I'd still like to see if I can get a couple of bucks for those things.  Not surprisingly, I'm also worried about selling something and finding out later that I needed it.  Wouldn't that be a pain in the rear.  I'm fortunate to live in pretty much the perfect spot for a yard sale, so if I can make it past the planning stages, I know I can at least get people to stop by.

Hmm.  For now, I guess that's all I've got.  Promising myself I'll be diligent about blogging moving forward.  Yay me!

Saturday Thrifting

Today was my haircut day, which on its own its always a good thing.  The thing that makes it better is that the thrift store is right around the corner.  Yay!  My appointment finished up right as the thrift store was opening, so I had a few minutes to poke around on my own.  Right away I found a cute little Converse One Star denim jacket.  So I grabbed it.  $6.29

 The picture really doesn't do it any justice, but it is so cute!

 Close up of the top.

Pocket detail.

Next I ran into a very cute top.  not something I would normally pick, not because I didn't love it, but because it's a bit more girly then I tend towards.  i.n.c. international concepts.  100% silk, sleeveless.  $3.59

 Here it is!

And the print, which you can barely see in the other picture.

My last find was a NWT pair of jeans from The Loft.  Bootcut, love em. $8.99

There were a couple of misses, unfortunately.  A green top that was cute on the hanger, but a bit to juvenile when I put it on.  A NWT pair of grey Old Navy cords.  They fit very strangely in the seat.  :\  I hemmed and hawed over another pair of jeans as well, but I decided that I'm not going to buy anything I don't love.

Goodbye New Kitchen Table and Chairs....or not?

The hubs and I started saving for new furniture.  It's time.  After our last move, things started ... disintegrating.  Patches peeling from the arms of the couch (hidden under pillows) a crack in the leg of our kitchen table, the movers lost a couple of pieces of the hardware from our bedframe (but we didn't see it till 2 years later when we took the bed apart to have the carpet cleaned) and their "fix" has compromised the integrity of the frame.  *sigh*

We were fortunate in that we found ourselves in a place to be able to start saving for it.  Until about 2 weeks ago.  My oldest son needs some extensive dental work.  NOW.  Nearly 2 grand worth.  (That's the part that's not covered by our insurance!)  Very unexpected.

Goodbye furniture fund.

Feeling a bit deflated by the loss of my new kitchen table dream ( I want REAL furniture, grown up stuff!) I engaged in a pity party.  It was small, I promise...my kiddos dental health is far more important to me!  I started looking around online and for some reason, I decided to look on Craigs List.  I don't know why it didn't occur to me <before> I didn't have money to spend, but it didn't.  In the past week, I've found at least 6 different things I'm in love with.  3 dining room table sets (one that I've seen at the store costing well over 1500 bucks) for $150.00.  In beautiful condition.   I've seen others in the same price range that aren't my style,  but with a bit of sanding and some stain could easily be pieces I love.  I've been drooling over 2 dining room hutches for roughly the same price and one that was stunning, as is, for 50 bucks.

Obviously, I can't afford anything right now, but I know where I'll be looking as soon as I can.

Intro to my (lack of) style

Eventually it had to come.  The day I'd try to blog about my style.  The truth is this...I live in jeans and tee shirts.  That's it.  Short sleeved tees.  Long sleeved tees.  Boot cut jeans, skinny jeans, jean capris.  I pretty much only wore my Chuck Taylors or Running shoes up until recently.  I bought a couple of pair of ballet flats and a single pair of boots.

I've promised myself that over the course of this year, I'll transform myself into someone who has a casual style that doesn't revolve solely around tee shirts.  (I'm not throwing away my Animal or Smokey the Bear tees--forget about it!)

When I hit the thrift store last week I found two shirts and I love them both.  I didn't take pictures in the grey one, but I will.  Each of the shirts are a jersey/tee fabric, but neither is quite as basic.  (Thank goodness)  Today I wore the black one.  Originally I had it on alone, but it was showing quite a bit more than I had intended so I wound up tossing a burgandy cami on under it (layering by accident?).  The black top has kind of puffy sleeves and a bit of stitched detailing under the chest.  Put it on with my capris and boots.  There you have it.

Oh.  Right and a necklace.  Because I'm trying to fancy it up.  I think this is one of two necklaces that I own.  And I don't like the other one.  So, yeah.  Hehe.

Forgive my modeling skills.  I've spent many years hiding from cameras so this will take some getting used to!

T-shirt--Design History- thrifted
Tank--Mossimo-Target
Jeans--Elle-Kohls
Boots--Union Bay--NEX

Thrifty Thursday!

Today was a busy day for me.  I dropped the hubs off at work (we share a car and I wanted it today) and got the kids off to school.  I feel like my whole morning was spent waiting to get to the thrift store.  My dentist visit was painfully long!  As my x-rays were being done and the cleaning was happening I kept thinking of what goodies I might find when I finally got down to shopping.  Hehe.  My teeth look great though.  Totally worth the wait.

I'm mostly looking for cardigans and sadly there were none to be found today.  It's okay though!  I scoured the whole store and kept an open mind.  I did find a khaki twill peacoat that I loved, but it felt a little funny buttoned.  I think the button placement gave my chest an odd look, so I passed on it.  I also found a cute short sleeved tapered jacket with a darling kick pleat in the back.  But it was too big.  *sniffle*  I tried it on with the hopes that it might be workable, but no luck there.

Enough about what I didn't get!  As I was checking out the skirts I came across a cute black running skirt.  I've been wanting one, but I really don't want to pay full price.  I was pretty excited to find it, but I felt a minor bit of hesitation regarding used workout wear.  Don't ask me why, I'm not sure.  I decided it was worth it and started to check out the seams and do you know what I found?  Tags!  Yay!  Brand new running skirt for less than 6 bucks (TekGear-$5.29).  Can't beat that.

I tried to be a bit more adventurous with tops, but I'm afraid it didn't really happen.  I wound up getting a black top(Design History $3.59) and a grey one(Old Navy $3.59).  *ahem*  I had a couple of light multi-colored button downs in hand and I chickened out!  I should have grabbed one of them, but there's always next time.

I'm supposed to be working on my personal style, I'm hoping that perhaps I'll be inspired by some accessories or layering pieces somewhere so that I can do something less basic with them.  I'm open to ideas (hint, hint).  :D

Allow Me to Introduce Myself!

Okay, I'm new to blogging, thrifting, organizing and style!  Kind of a recipe for disaster, since this blog is about about organizing and style (by way of thrifting), don't ya think?  ;)

So, the basics, right?  Well, my name is Nicci and I'm a SAHM to two sons(9 and 10).  My husband of nearly 12 years is in the service and is a year away from retirement.  We're deciding where to live when it's all said and done.  Very exciting!  I'm a bit of a pack rat and clutter is my nemesis.  I recently lost 70 pounds and now I'm trying to figure out my personal style.  Before the weight loss, my style goal was pretty much to hide and blend into the background as much as possible.  My nature is shy, but I'm trying to find my way into being a bit more present in my life.

Chances are you won't see fantastic before and afters of my sprawling well decorated home because, well, it's neither sprawling nor well decorated.  My goal this year is to declutter on a daily basis.  I'd like to get rid of one thing (toss, donate, sell?) each day.  I don't know if it's a realistic goal or not, but we'll find out!

Additionally, I'm going to start thrifting.  I had made this decision sometime in December and thought it would be a good goal for the new year.  As much clutter as I have, I still don't have everything I need.  Be it clothes, kitchen ware, things for my boys or maybe even some creative organizational ideas, I'm hoping to find it via thrifting.  Or bargain hunting, I'm okay with that too!  ;)

Thanks for taking the time to read along and I'm looking forward to starting (and documenting) this journey!