I’ve wanted to go to a speakeasy bar (Number 144 on my list) for awhile. I like the hint of secrecy and mystery behind it. However, it seemed like a special occasion type of thing to do and the occasion didn’t present itself under February 2018. A friend of ours was celebrating his birthday and guess where he was going?
Being let into the basement bar through a hidden door was exciting. The bar itself was cozy, with lots of comfy seats, and it was very dark. The limited number of people allowed inside at one time made for a more intimate experience. One downside of our experience was the noisy group next to us, which made our conversation a little difficult, but I digress.
Overall, it was a fun experience and I would love to do it again.
Until last Christmas, I had never been to the ballet (at least as an adult) so this made my adventure list as Number 131. My friend and I had talked for years about going to The Nutcracker but we hadn’t ever made it happen. So last December, I surprised her with tickets.
It was amazing.
We both loved it, and I can’t wait to go to another ballet.
Have you been to the ballet? Which was your favorite one?
Number 136 on my list was to complete the Project 333 clothing challenge. If you haven’t read my post about simplifying my life with the Konmari method, check that out here first. It was through that process that I first learned about Project 333, which is a minimalist fashion challenge in which you wear just 33 items for 3 months. Certain things, such as sleepwear, underwear, and workout clothes don’t count as part of the 33 items. I also didn’t count jewelry or my coat. For the full rules of the challenge, visit the Project 333 site.
I started Project 333 on January 14, 2018 and finished on April 14. During this time, I did not buy any new or used clothing, and I wore only 33 items. I did swap out a few things during the first few weeks when I realized I needed another shoe and sweater option. This challenge taught me that I really don’t need a lot of clothes. I was able to create different outfits by mixing the pieces I had. It definitely forced me to be more creative. And on the other hand, it made it easier to get dressed in the morning. Fewer options definitely simplify things.
So what were my 33 items?
-4 tank tops (white, blue, polka dot, and black/white)
-4 short sleeve shirts (2 black and 2 white)
-2 long sleeve shirts (1 black/white striped and 1 flannel)
-3 sweaters (gray, white, and black/white)
-4 cardigans (white, 2 black, and gray)
-4 dress pants (2 gray, 1 black, and 1 blue)
-2 jeans (light blue and dark blue)
-1 skirt (black)
-2 dresses (purple and black/white)
-2 scarves (white/pink floral and light blue)
-5 shoes (brown boots, black ankle boots, white keds, cheetah print flats, and black heels)
This challenge solidified what I learned about simplifying with Konmari. It also taught me that having fewer but quality items is better for me than having a bunch of average items. Once the challenge was over, I slowly reintroduced items to my wardrobe, but I permanently got rid of several others. Sometimes, less really is more.
Number 135 on my adventure list was to see the Shepherd of the Hills play in Branson, Missouri. My parents took my brother and I to see this when we were little, but I don’t really remember it. I have been wanting to see the play as an adult ever since I read the book a few years ago.
I have a beautiful old copy of The Shepherd of the Hills that my Grandpa JB let me have. It belonged to his mom – her name is written in the front of the book. Sadly, it sat on my shelf for several years before my dad convinced me to read it. I am so glad I did because I ended up loving it.
Shortly after I read it, I was talking to my Grandpa on the phone about the play in Branson. He mentioned that it had shut down recently. I was so disappointed! I felt like I had missed my chance to go. But then the play reopened. Unfortunately, K and I got busy and didn’t end up making it to the play during the summer of 2016, so I decided to make it a priority for the next season. And then it shut down, again! I felt like I had really blown my chances to see it. But luckily, it reopened, again. We booked our tickets for a Saturday night show and planned a weekend getaway to Branson.
We stayed in a beautiful airbnb that had a stunning view of the Ozarks. I could have spent a week here instead of just a couple days.
During the day on Saturday, we went to another place I have been wanting to go to – Dogwood Canyon Nature Park. This place was amazing! There are so many little waterfalls throughout the park. The path is paved and flat, so it is an easy walk (6.5 miles). The waterfall that is furthest from the park entrance is the most beautiful, so it is definitely worth it to walk to the end. You can also rent bikes or take the tram tour if you prefer. I would definitely go back here.
The amazing waterfall at the end of the trail.
You cross the state line from Missouri to Arkansas to get to these falls!
That night, we headed to the outdoor theater to see The Shepherd of the Hills. We had good seats, the weather was perfect, and the actors all did a great job. Of course, the book was better. The play added more drama and comedy, which makes sense for theater. What I was expecting to see, though, was an exact portrayal of what I read without all the entertainment add-ins. All in all, it was still an enjoyable experience and I’m glad that I got to see it. I only wish I could have told my Grandpa that I finally got to go. He passed away about 10 months before we went.
After heading back to our airbnb, I sat out on the deck to enjoy the quiet and beauty of the Ozarks with a cup of hot chocolate. I don’t think that this area gets enough credit – the Ozarks are truly one of the most beautiful places in the world. But maybe I am a little biased, because for me, it feels a little bit like home.
Have you been to Branson before? What are your favorite things to do here?
Part 3 of our Eurotrip was Rome. Be sure to read about Part 1 (Germany) and Part 2 (Venice) if you missed them.
On Wednesday, March 22nd, we took a train from Venice to Rome. The train ride was very scenic and it went by fast (about a 3.5 hour ride). Once we arrived in Rome, we picked up our Romapass, which is a pretty good deal if you are planning to see several major sights in Rome. Then we took the metro to our airbnb. (Get $40 in travel credit when signing up here for Airbnb!)
Our host was there to greet us and give us a map of the neighborhood, which included her recommendations. Our flat was actually amidst some ruins and only a short walk to the Colosseum. As Giotto di Bondone said, “Rome is the city of echoes.”
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There was an amazing cafe near our airbnb that served delicious coffee and donuts, so we were able to start the next day off right.
Then we walked to the Colosseum for a tour. It was crowded (of course), but such an amazing sight.
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Next, we headed to the Roman Forum. I was not expecting the Roman Forum to encompass such a huge area. We actually spent several hours here. Pretty incredible place!
The Roman Forum
We also got to see a cool view of the Colosseum.
Next, we walked up to Palatine Hill. It was beautiful.
View from Palatine Hill
That night, we went by the Trevi Fountain and then met up with my parents (who were doing a Rick Steve’s Italy Tour) for dinner. It was really nice to see them and discuss our travels thus far.
Beautiful
But so many people!
On Friday, we went to the Vatican. I got to cross #88 off my adventure list – see Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel in the Vatican City. However, this was not my favorite part of the trip. It was very crowded, especially in the Sistine Chapel. We were also tired from all the walking we did the previous day at the Roman Forum.
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We had planned to go inside St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican City, but the line to get in was incredibly long so we didn’t even try. We enjoyed the view from the outside, and then headed back to Rome.
Next, we headed to the Pantheon. It was crowded, but still very cool to see.
We spent the rest of the day exploring Rome on our own.
We went inside some beautiful churches that we stumbled upon during our wandering.
We had dinner with my parents again that night. Delicious food, amazing wine, and wonderful company.
K and I took a daytrip to Pompeii on Saturday. We took an early morning bus which dropped us off right at Pompeii. We decided not to buy a return ticket yet since we didn’t know how long we wanted to spend at Pompeii. We figured that once we got there, we could find a bus station and buy a return ticket. Unfortunately, we walked and walked and could not find a bus station anywhere.
Luckily, I had printed off alternate directions to the train station, so we decided we would just sort that out when the time came. So we walked back and headed into Pompeii.
It was incredible. I had not expected that Pompeii would be so spread out. You can walk through the entire city – it was pretty amazing. Since the area is so big, even if there are a lot of people there, it doesn’t feel crowded. There were parts of Pompeii that we explored that made us feel like we were the only people there.
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We followed this little walkway and we weren’t sure where we were going to end up…
After spending most of the day here, we were exhausted. We followed my directions to the train station and took a train to Naples. From there, we were able to get a train back to Rome. We were pretty relieved once we were on the last train – my directions panned out!
Sunday was our last day in Rome. We met up with my dad for coffee, and then wandered around the city, ending back up at the Trevi Fountain. My mom joined us for lunch before we parted ways for a few hours.
K and I went to Circus Maximus that afternoon, which was the ancient Roman chariot racing stadium. It was the perfect place to relax with a cold drink on a sunny afternoon. We also went by the Colosseum one last time.
We met up with my parents for our final dinner in Italy, where we reminisced our adventures, savored our pasta, and sipped some amazing Italian wine, but not for the last time. We will be back.
On Monday, K and I planned to grab coffee and breakfast from our favorite cafe near our flat. Alas, it was not open yet. So we headed to the airport for our first flight, which was to Amsterdam. We had a short layover and I bought some delicious waffle candy. So good!
Then we boarded our flight back to the United States. Goodbye, Europe. We will meet again someday! Until then, I will be dreaming of la dolce vita we lived while here.
Part two of our Eurotrip was Italia. If you missed Part One (Germany), read about that here.
After departing Germany on the morning of March 20th, 2017, we had a short flight to Venice. From the airport, we took a water taxi to Venice.
View from the water taxi
Luckily, the aunt of our airbnb host met us at the water taxi drop-off in Venice. I don’t think we could have found our way without her guiding us! She led us through several narrow, unmarked, winding passageways before we reached our temporary home away from home.
Our Venice flat was amazing. It was beautiful inside, along with a stunning view of the city from the balcony. There was a delicious gelato shop right by our place, which was very convenient. There was also a bakery nearby that served yummy croissants. The flat was a close walk to most of the major sights, but was on a quiet street so it was very peaceful. The location really couldn’t have been better. I wish we could have spent a month here. If you haven’t used airbnb before, I highly recommend you check it out! You can get $40 in travel credit if you sign up here!
The balcony at our airbnb
After we got all settled into our place, we headed out to see the town and find some lunch.
We carried our pocket phrasebook with us and attempted to speak (albeit very poorly) Italian everywhere that we went. Almost everyone we encountered did speak English, but we felt that it was important to try to speak their native language in their country.
We spent the day exploring, including going to St. Mark’s Square and the Rialto Bridge. Both were a bit crowded, but definitely must sees.
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Literally everywhere in Venice is beautiful.
For dinner that first night, we had some delicious pasta at a quaint little spot. Our server brought us free digestifs after dinner. It was limoncello – I loved it!
After diner, we walked around Venice and ended up back at the Rialto Bridge and then at St. Mark’s Square. It was cool to see both places illuminated in the dark, and there were way less people.
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The next day, we headed to St. Mark’s Square to see the inside of the basilica. We arrived right as it opened, so we only had to wait a minute or two in line. It was pretty incredible to see all the detail that went into the design. (No photos were allowed inside the church.)
We also did a tour of Doge’s Palace. We rented audioguides and then explored on our own. It’s a beautiful place – each room is more elaborate than the next.
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This day also happened to be our 2-year wedding anniversary. What better place to celebrate than in Venice? Our celebration included a gondola ride. It may be touristy and expensive, but it was worth every penny. Gliding through the canals, with beautiful old buildings and unique bridges everywhere, an Italian tenor singing softly in the distance – it’s pretty perfect.
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For dinner we went to an amazing Italian place that K found. I think our server appreciated us trying to speak Italian because he brought us free aperitifs. The aperitif was quite bitter, but I drank it anyway. When in Venice!
After dinner and drinks, we headed out and decided to try to get lost in the winding streets. We bought some wine from a little store and then meandered through the narrow walkways, sipping as we walked, enjoying the magic that is Venice.
The next morning, we packed our backpacks, stopped for one last croissant and coffee, and then headed to the train station to catch a high speed ride. Until next time, Venice…
Before I start blogging about this year, I want to share my adventures from last year.
It was a pretty big travel year for me. I have been dreaming about going to Europe for years, specifically to Neuschwanstein Castle in Germany. Last March, we made those dreams come true and I was able to cross #1 off my bucket list – tour castles in Europe.
And as always, along the way, we had many other adventures that weren’t on my list. I’ll start with Germany. I did organize a fairly detailed itinerary for our trip to make things easier for us since we were traveling alone and don’t speak the language. We also booked our airbnbs for all three cities (Munich, Venice, and Rome) before we left the States. However, other than specific dates for each city, the rest of the itinerary was fairly flexible.
We started off our Eurotrip by flying into Munich on March 18, 2017 and arriving in the morning. From the airport, we took a train to central station in Munich. We had some difficulty figuring out how to buy a train ticket and then how to validate it, but luckily a local helped us out.
We couldn’t check into our airbnb until later that afternoon, so we stored our hiking packs at the central train station. They have lockable boxes you can rent for pretty cheap.
Then we took a train and bus to Dachau Concentration Camp. On the train, we met a very nice man from Australia who was also heading to Dachau. I was relieved that the directions I found online of which train and bus to take from Munich to Dachau were accurate.
Dachau Concentration Camp was surreal. K referred to it as a “sobering experience”. The museum was very informative and interesting from a historical perspective, but it was of course very sad. Apart from the museum, you are free to wander around the camp. We spent several hours here – there is a lot to see. The weather was cold and rainy – luckily we brought some warm hats!
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After we got back to Munich, we grabbed our bags and then headed off to find some lunch. Unfortunately, we walked for ages and couldn’t find a single place to eat. By this time, I also really needed to find a toilet, which proved to be more elusive than a restaurant. This was a low point of our trip. We were cold, wet, jet-lagged, hungry, in desperate need of a bathroom, and in a country where we don’t speak the language. By some stroke of luck, we finally stumbled upon an Italian place as we headed back in the direction of the train station. Although we would be in Italy in a few days, we decided to stop here anyway because it was warm, it was food, and there was a bathroom. After a few minutes, our stress faded away. I think the drinks helped with that.
We checked into our airbnb flat after lunch, which happened to be right next to the Italian restaurant. Our home for the next couple days was very nice and close to the train station.
That night, we went to a beer hall that K read about online, called Augustiner. This place was my favorite thing about Munich. When we arrived, it was all community seating at big long tables. We found what looked like the only empty spots, two seats next to each other across from a couple older gentleman. It turns out that they were from Sweden, but they spoke German too and some English. It was definitely a humbling experience for me to see that most people we encountered in Europe spoke more than one language. I don’t think that we do a very good job of that in America.
We actually never found out the names of the gentlemen we sat with at Augustiner, but they were very nice. It was pretty loud in the beer hall. Their English was limited and our German was reliant on a pocket translation guide, with our Swedish being non-existent. But despite language barriers, we had a fun night with those guys, who we affectionately referred to as Pieter and Marten from that night on. The food was amazing and the beer at Augustiner was actually the first beer that I have ever liked.
As we were leaving, we met a really funny (and very intoxicated) English man who had us rolling with laughter. All in all, it was a great night.
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Unfortunately, K woke up sick the next day with a bit of a travel bug. This was the day we planned to take a train to Neuschwanstein Castle, and it was the only day we would be able to go as we were leaving Munich the following day. I offered to go on my own while K rested at our flat, but despite being sick, he did not want to spend our last full day in Munich in bed.
We grabbed croissants and coffee for breakfast at the train station. The train took about 2 hours and then there was a short bus ride to Hohenschwangau, the small town where the castle is. The view on the train was very scenic. Also, I just love trains.
We booked our tickets for both castles (Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau) in advance before our trip, but were able to upgrade to an earlier tour time once we arrived. We toured Hohenschwangau Castle first, and then stopped for a quick lunch. I had a delicious schnitzel sandwich and poor K, still sick, nibbled on a pretzel.
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We had a little bit of time in between the castle tours, so we went for a walk around the area. There was a beautiful lake nearby.
Can you imagine waking up to this view every day?!
The lake water was so beautiful!
Finally, we made the trek up to Neuschwanstein. I was pretty much bursting with excitement. My ultimate travel goal was actually happening! The sound is pretty soft on this video, but you can see the excitement on my face!
No photos were allowed inside the castle, but if you are ever in Munich, I would highly recommend that you take the day trip to Hohenschwangau. The castles are amazing and the scenery in the area is absolutely beautiful. This place was everything I hoped it would be and more.
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We were pretty tired by the time we got back to Munich and K was still feeling pretty bad, so we grabbed some food from the train station and took it back to our flat. If he would have been feeling better, it would have been fun to have one last night out in Munich, but we decided to stay in so he could rest up for the rest of our trip.
The next morning, we took a bus to the airport. We had some trouble finding the bus stop, and actually ended up running to make it on time. Nothing like jogging with a heavy pack on your back in the early hours of the morning!
Once we got to the airport, our troubles were not over. I had some difficulty getting through security because apparently I had too many liquids in my bag. It was a little nerve-wracking to have problems at a foreign airport. The security officer actually pulled my liquids out one by one to examine them, but most of them he referred to as “medicine”, such as my contact solution (“medicine for the eyes”), so these were excluded from the limit. I ended up having to throw out one small container of dry shampoo that was almost empty anyway.
We departed Munich at 8:20 am on March 20th, 2017. It was a quick trip, but we were able to see a lot in a couple days.
Next stop, Italia, but I’ll save that post for another day.
I was not my best self last year. I lost someone very dear to me, my grandpa, on December 25th, 2016. I struggled for the majority of 2017 to cope with this loss and all the secondary losses that came with it.
Thankfully, I feel like I am in a much better place in 2018, thanks in large part to the fact that I finally accepted help. As someone with an educational background in mental health, I find it ironic that I put off going to grief counseling for so long. Through therapy, I not only found the light at the end of the tunnel, but I have been given the tools to get out of the tunnel completely.
“Your trauma is valid. Even if other people have experienced “worse”. Even if someone else who went through the same experience doesn’t feel debilitated by it. Even if it “could have been avoided”. Even if it happened a long time ago. Even if no one knows. Your trauma is real and valid and you deserve a space to talk about it. It isn’t desperate or pathetic or attention-seeking. It’s self-care. It’s inconceivably brave. And regardless of the magnitude of your struggle, you’re allowed to take care of yourself by processing and unloading some of the pain you carry. Your pain matters. Your experience matters. And your healing matters. Nothing and no one can take that away.” – Daniell Koepke
If you are having a hard time or feeling stuck, there is help out there. Find a counselor here.
As much as I struggled last year, 2017 wasn’t all bad. In fact, it was a year with some incredible highs, including my first trip to Europe and a visit to Neuschwanstein Castle in Germany, which was my ultimate travel goal and the inspiration behind my blog. 2017 was also a year of waterfalls, camping trips, weekend getaways, and concerts.
And yet, it was a year with incredible lows, with days when I couldn’t stop the tears at work, nights when I couldn’t sleep, mornings when I woke up and remembered the loss all over again. It was a year when friends moved away, friendships were tested, a year that a friend was diagnosed with leukemia. It was a year of anger, anguish, bitterness, guilt, confusion, and loneliness.
It was definitely not a year for blogging. I wrote a handful of sporadic posts, but mostly, this blog collected dust.
That’s going to change this year. It’s my last year in my 20’s (what?!) and I feel more like myself again. I am trying to learn from the sudden loss of my grandpa to cherish every moment, to live life to the fullest. Time is not guaranteed. There are so many things that I want to do and I want to make every day count. I’ve got lots of adventures planned for 2018. Stay tuned.
“The sun is a daily reminder that we too can rise again from the darkness, that we too can shine our own light.” -Sara Ajna
In January, I stumbled upon an audiobook of Marie Kondo’s “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up” while searching for de-cluttering videos. Once I started listening, I couldn’t stop. I knew this experience needed to make it on my adventure list. So here it is – Number 139 – Simplify My Life using the Konmari Method. After I finished the book, I started my own tidying journey.
The Konmari Method divides tidying into several categories. Rather than organizing one room at a time, you organize by type of item. This does require a little more effort up front to sort everything, but it is an effective way to get the job done. How many times have you started an organizing project only to never finish it, or to have the space become cluttered again within a few weeks or months? If you complete Konmari from start to finish, this won’t happen. It’s been about 3 months since I finished the last category, and my home is still organized and tidy. It really works.
Category 1: Clothing
The first category is meant to be the easiest, to help give you a jump-start and more of an idea of what “sparks joy”, which is Kondo’s criteria for whether something stays or goes. The process of tidying up according to the Konmari Method is simple. You pick up each item and if it sparks joy, you keep it. If it doesn’t, you thank the item and discard it.
I was shocked by how much clothing I had. Yikes. When you put every item into one giant pile, it really puts things into perspective. I was able to check this category off in one day.
Look how much I got rid of! Three bags and one shoe organizer filled with shoes (cat not included).
And here’s my closet and dresser drawers now…
Category 2: Books
I had A LOT of books. I refer to the downstairs living area as the “library”. Since moving into this house, I felt that I needed to fill the shelves with books. To be honest, though, some of these books I knew I would never actually read. I wanted to want to read them, but during Konmari I realized that there were some I just wasn’t ever going to pick up.
I thought it would be hard to get rid my books – I have been collecting them for years! But it actually felt very freeing to let go. I was able to thank each item and pass it on to Goodwill where hopefully it will spark joy for someone else.
Bye bye books
After finishing this category, I was left with the books that truly spark joy – my favorites that can be enjoyed again and again. I also kept the books that I know I want to read, and then after I do I will either keep them if they still spark joy, or donate them. The Konmari Method does not mean that you get rid of everything you own or things that you truly love.
Went from three book shelves full of books to one
Category 3: Papers
I dreaded this category. Papers, how boring! But, it had to be done so I could move on to the next category. I doggedly collected every paper I could find…bills, receipts, bank statements, warranties, manuals, etc.
Almost all the papers.
I thought the collecting and sorting process would take longer than it actually did. The Konmari method for paper is pretty simple – you get to throw away/shred almost everything. You only keep what is truly essential.
Shred and trash pile.
Whenever I need a document now, I know exactly where to find it. There has not been anything that I have gotten rid of that I needed later on or wished I still had.
I love the 3 folder system Marie Kondo has for organizing papers going forward. One folder for “Needs Attention”, like bills or invitations. One folder for “Save for Now”, for things you need in the near future and that you can then discard. And one folder for “File”, for papers that you want to put away in your long-term file folders.
Category 4: Komono (Miscellaneous)
This one took the longest, because it is sub-divided into lots of smaller categories (DVDs, electronics, kitchen, office, cleaning, decor, personal care, etc). It was during this category that I was able to really start seeing some differences in our home. I tried to complete one category (or at least start it) each day when I got home from work. Here are a few of the bigger komono categories I tackled.
Personal Care
So much stuff.
Seriously, why do I have so much stuff?
A good portion of it went to the trash. Lots of expired items or just things I never use.
Kitchen
From this…
…to this.
Trash and recycling now fit neatly under the sink, out of sight, which frees up more space in our kitchen.
Category 5: Sentimental Items
The last category was the hardest, of course. If you know me at all, you know I am an extremely sentimental person. I hang onto things. Some may say I am a packrat. Notes from a friend in high school? You bet I still had some. A picture my first grade boyfriend drew for me? Yep, had that too. My planners from every year of college? Check. An 8×10 group picture of me with the mean girls who bullied me at camp when I was a kid? Still had that, too. I had SO MUCH STUFF, and some of it didn’t even hold a positive memory for me.
Sentimental stuff before tidying. The trunk on the right was also full of more sentimental stuff.
An important lesson from Konmari is that you don’t need the physical item to have the memory. There were so many things that I was able to finally let go of, and it felt good. Yes, I trashed the old planners because do I really need to know what I did or what projects I had due on October 20th, 2012? No, obviously not. And you bet I ripped up that group photo from camp…it was about time. There were other things, like some letters or cards, that I chose to take a picture of before I discarded them. Digital photos are a great way to reduce physical clutter while still hanging onto the item in some way.
I may have kept more sentimental items than Marie Kondo would have, but as they still “spark joy” for me, I am happy with my decision. I kept my dolls from when I was a kid, and now they are packed away with a few other beloved toys in a wooden chest downstairs. Someday I hope they will have a second life when my kids play with them.
I found that I was unable to part with nearly anything given to me by my Grandpa JB, even just old birthday cards in his handwriting, but I am okay with that right now. The loss is still too fresh and I’m not ready to let go of those things.
Childhood toys and some sentimental items of my grandpa’s
In addition to having some special items in this chest, I also have a shelf upstairs in my office for my photo/memory albums.
Post Konmari
Since finishing Konmari, I have added some things to my home that belonged to my grandpa. My family has been cleaning out his house over the past few months, and there were several items that sparked joy for me. But that is one great thing about Konmari. It is not a limiting or punishing form of de-cluttering. You don’t have to get rid of a certain number of things, or never get anything new. You keep what brings you joy, and pass on what doesn’t. It’s that simple.
It took about 2 months to completely finish the Konmari process, and it truly was life-changing, for several reasons.
I feel at peace in my home. The items that I have in my house have meaning and they “spark joy” for me, as Marie Kondo says. Special treasures now have places of honor where I can enjoy them every day, instead of being hidden away in boxes or closets.
Quilts from my Grandma C are now displayed in an old trunk from my Grandpa JB. The beautiful dresser also belonged to my Grandpa JB.
I know where to find everything. The Konmari Method states that all things in a category should be stored together. All your shoes are in one place, all your electronics in one place, all your clothes in one place, etc. Before Konmari, it sometimes took me forever to locate a missing item. It could literally be anywhere in my house. But now, I know exactly where to look, because everything has a place.
Need a bag? Check in the travel closet!
It is easier to clean. With less clutter, of course it makes it easier to clean. However, life does happen and the house still gets messy sometimes. What is great about completing the Konmari process, though, is that it doesn’t take long at all to tidy up. Once again, there is less stuff to move around, and since everything has a specific place to go, it is easy to just put that item where it belongs. I don’t have to move things from one pile to another, or think about where I am going to store something.
Looks neat and tidy….that’s because it is!
I appreciate what I have more. By only keeping the things that I love, I now have a deeper appreciation for what is in my house. Less stuff means that I can see what I have more clearly, which means that I use things I love more frequently. And that makes me happy.
China cabinet from my Grandpa JB, filled with treasures that spark joy.
Have you ever heard of Konmari or thought about trying it? What items do you need to get rid of? What items in your home truly spark joy for you?
Number 116 on my adventure list was to go swimming next to a waterfall. I have always loved waterfalls (but really, who doesn’t?) When I was a kid, one of my favorite movies was Behind the Waterfall. I won’t spoil it for you, but there is something magical hidden behind the falls in this film. When I think of waterfalls now, I still think of magic. That’s probably why this one ended up on my list.
Living in the midwest, I don’t get the chance to see very many waterfalls. But in January, I found myself at this enchanting little spot in New Zealand.
This swimming hole is on my brother-in-law and his fiance’s property. The privacy and seclusion of this spot just adds to the charm.
Although the water was a little cold, and I was a little afraid of potential eels lurking about, it was definitely worth it to jump in. This was one of the most beautiful spots I’ve ever seen.
Also works as a water slide
Top of the falls
We didn’t find anything mysterious behind the waterfall.
Next, we walked up to Palatine Hill. It was beautiful.
We didn’t find anything mysterious behind the waterfall.
Castles in Europe 