• Minimal Living • Declutter in 30

It's said we spend 55 minutes a day looking for things. A DAY, PEOPLE. That's 2 weeks a year - just looking for things we cannot find! (For me, it's probably closer to a month☺) It's already November, and that means Christmas is just around the corner... and if you still haven't gotten your act together from last year and still have that hall closet jammed full of crap **slowly raises hand** then there's no better time than the present to start purging!

November is filled with many things. Cooler weather. Falling leaves. Holidays that makes your pants not fit. and 30 days. The perfect amount of time to declutter around your home - tackling one space at a time. Now is the time so you're not shoving the box of baby toys under the couch when your guests arrive.

I have spent the last couple months getting rid of quite a bit around the house and have been trying to minimize the amount of stuff we have. It's been so refreshing, and it makes tidying up the house a breeze! Who doesn't love that?

The plain is simple. Tackle one area on the sheet each day, declutter and get rid of everything you don't use, haven't used in the last 6 months, or forgot was even there. Do you need it? No - throw is out. Do you have something similar? Yes - throw it out. Is it taking up precious real estate in your home unnecessarily? Yes - Get rid of it. You can get rid of it by any means - Sell it. Donate it. Trash it. But get it out of the house the very same day, and cross out that day's box. Hooray! One are closer!

Now you don't have to use my sheet. You can make your own, pretty it up with whatever you like or that motivates you. Don't have an endless amount of baby toys laying around? Replace it with something else. Don't have a backyard that collects things like we do? Tackle the garage instead. Possibilities are endless - the point is just to get moving, before your Great Aunt Suzie arrives and starts fiddling through your drawers looking for the Ziploc bags just to find the stash of candy wrappers in the junk drawer. Happy decluttering!

WELCOME!

Hi, I'm Kaitlynn.

Many of you that have been with me for a while may be thinking "haven't we already done this whole introduction thing?" and truthfully, yes... we have. This blog and I became friends two years ago this month. I wrote, I photographed, I told, and I shared. Or at least, so you thought.

I created this blog as a way to hide from things that were happening in my life. Hard things. Tough things I didn't want to share or open up about. I lived in a place where the word enough didn't exist. Shoot... from my own fear of the outside world I hid my entire pregnancy until about a month after Alex was born. And from all of that hiding and invisibility, I didn't know what direction to take my writing in. So it stayed stagnant and stale, waiting for genuine feeling to come into play. 

I am proud to say - we are there.

Wholeheartedly. Truth. Honesty. It's all here friends. I have found my strength. I have found my family. And I can 100% say I have found myself. 

This blog will no longer be a single output. It's a lifestyle. A genuine lifestyle. My lifestyle.

So here we are... renamed. Rebranded. and recreated. 

Welcome to Life with Kait. Now let's get this intro done right.

I am a twenty-something year old woman with the ambitions of an entire Olympic athletic team. I wasn't lying before when I said I don't want to just be one thing. I want to try everything. To do everything. To be everything. My worst fear in life is sharks. Want to swim with them? I'm there. I have lived in the past with so many regrets that when I finally had the strength to let them go, I discovered the most exciting and invigorating person within myself, and I refuse to ever go back.

The best gift I have ever been given in this world is the gift of being a mother, and raising the most perfect and beautiful daughter with the most patient and kind man on this Earth. He gets me. He is the calm from the storm constantly moving through my mind. She is the breath of fresh air during those days that are tough to get through. I see their smiling faces and know I am home. They gave me meaning and hope, and God blessed me just when I needed it most.

Now, to peek inside my brain...

I'm a die-hard fangirl at heart. I will watch Harry Potter on repeat everyday, 52 weeks a year, and I will choose any Sci-Fi/Fantasy film over a Rom-Com any day of the week, and twice on Sundays. There is never enough coffee in the world and I can about a half gallon bag of sour candies in one sitting. I love photography and have been trying to teach myself to become more comfortable with, using, and in front of the camera.

If I wasn't a financial analyst by profession, or had any will whatsoever, I would spend my entire paycheck split equally between Home Goods, Target, Ulta, and the Container Store. Seriously. I love playing in makeup and organizing the house. Maybe even playing in makeup while organizing. Because, why not?!

I do find strength in being a mom, and I do feel that it's okay to sometimes want to feel sexy and bold. I think it's important to love your body, and not feel that just because you created this tiny human being, that now you're only allowed out of the house in sweatpants and turtlenecks. We are women. We are strong. We are confident. Remember that, always.

That being said, let's continue on with the honesty. Okay okay, I do mostly live in sweatpants. They're comfy alright! I do always take the time to put on a fresh face in the morning, but I rarely do my hair. Life is all about balance, right? 

I read to my daughter at least 3 stories every night before bed, make sure her and daddy are having a balanced diet, and wash the dishes that are always piling up in the sink. But I'm also that lady that's okay with having a drink when we're out at dinner, or spending my birthday with my honey tipsy wandering around every aisle at Target... just to end up testing out the throw pillows on the shelves.

And you know what the best part is? I'm okay with that.

I'm okay being the mom with tattoos, and the mom that will be angry when you break curfew, but also the mom that will check your homework each night and pack your lunch every morning.

I'm okay with being the woman that has made mistakes, but also the one who lived, learned, and gets back up again stronger than ever.  I'm okay with all of it. Because I found strength and picked what I wanted in this life. And with a little help from Fate along the way... I have paradise.

I'm me... and honestly, why would I want to be anyone else? I get to live this epic, wonderful journey of my own. And to you... if you made it this far...

Thank you for being here to share in it with me. It's nice to meet you.

The Perfect Cup of Coffee

Good morning!
It's early, and coffee is in hand. A normal occurrence in my day to day life. I live off coffee. I thrive off coffee. And quite honestly, I'm not sure if I could function without coffee.

While most mornings I throw a reusable k-cup into my Keurig and am on my way, I do like to indulge in the local shop coffees more than I'd like to admit. There's something just so succulent about that thick, foamy white layer of goodness nestled perfectly over your cup of joe. Mmmmm... hold that thought - I'm off to grab me a cup.

I have a sudden facination with coffee in all it's forms. In fact, I found myself watching Latte Art Youtube videos for about an hour the other night. #addicted. Along the road to coffee discovery, I've been toying with different ways to make my morning pick-me-up. Alas, I have finally nailed down my perfect, go-to, savory caffeinated deliciousness. If you, too, are a coffee connoisseur, you're in the right place... keep on reading.

I wanted to start by giving my coffee a little bit of a flavor boost, but without the added chemicals of your normal grocery-bought creamers. I decided to try my hand in making my own cinnamon simple syrup! First step was to gather my supplies.

For my syrup, I used 1 c. water, 1 c. brown sugar, 2 tbsp cinnamon, and 2 tsp vanilla. I added all my dry ingredients to a small pot first, followed by the water and extract, and whisked until full combined. (Note: This is a very cinnamon-y flavor. Half the amount if you don't like as much cinnamon, or emit all together for a different flavor. Add a different extract, use an essential oil, trade up the brown sugar for organic white... the possibilities are endless! Go nuts!)

I turned the stove on to medium heat, and brought my concoction to a simmer. I let the syrup simmer for 20 minutes, after which it turned into a thick, yummy mixture ready to be transferred to a container.

When the syrup got close to being done, I added milk to 1/3 of my mug and heated it in the microwave for 60-90 seconds. This warmed my milk, but also warmed the mug I would be using to enjoy my coffee, keeping my tasty treat hot longer. I transfered the milk into my french press and was ready to create my wonderful foam. To froth the milk I begin plunging the milk in the press rapidly for approximately 15 seconds, or until the milk have doubled in size. This can also be achieved with an electric milk frother, but I honestly prefer this method as it gives it a creamy, smoothe foam.

My syrup was now done simmering. I transfered it into a glass jar with an attached spoon and admired my creation.

Now it was time to put it all together! I added a spoonful of syrup to the bottom of the glass and brewed my favorite morning cofee right over the top. I gave it a quick stir to make sure the cinnamon was combined, and then poured in my milk and foam. I started by pouring the milk from high/far away which allowed it to mix more with the coffee, and then poured closer to the cup to add the foam. Lastly, I added a layer of caramel drizzle over the top, to give it that little something extra!

Perfection!

The last step of this process is I nestle on the couch in my comfy slippers and sip on my morning treat while I catch up on episodes of Shark Tank. 4:15am may come way to early every day, but at least now I get to enjoy it with a cup of my best friend, Joe.

Crazy About Clutches

I'm going to let you all in on a little secret today...
I love clutches! Totes, pouches, clutches, mesh bag or satchel. Whatever you want to call them, I love them all the same.

When I packed my hospital delivery bag in February of 2015, I invested in a set of travel cubes and pouches and was in hog-heaven designating a bag for each of my needs. One for clothes, one for the baby, one for toiletries, and so on. My love for clutches is like a Chinese nesting doll; I love one inside of another. inside of another. inside of another.

So as overdue as this post may be, I'll walk you through my favorite ways to use my zipper pouches in my everyday life, whether on the go or at home.

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The Desk Bag

I love to keep a little clutch on my desk at work for my go-to workday needs. I keep a few staple items in my bag that I find myself reaching for at my desk often: my work-suitable essential oils, hand sanitizer, chapstick, a toothbrush floss and paste for that after lunch dragon breath, and my favorite perfume roller. It's all of my favorite little pick-me-up items bundled together.

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Daycare Bag

Every week I send Alex with a little pouch bag to daycare with a change of clothes and couple extra diapers. My kid is dirty. It's sad but true. Too many times have I picked her up covered in soot and whatever the heck she had for lunch ("is that carrots? Maybe peaches? Might also be melon"). Instead of constantly stealing a change of clothes from daycare, which I secretly have done **shhhh** I opt to just send her with a little premade "in case of the inevitable emergencies" bag.

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Auto - Cables and Cords

For a while I found myself swimming in a pool of car cables. A charger for my iPhone which always seems to be dead, an Android charger in case I have a friend riding along that hasn't hopped on the Apple train, an auxiliary cord for when I get tired of listening to the same 10 songs on the radio, and other random needed junk. Instead of fiddling around with which compartment has what cord and having them a tangle mess, I love to just wind them up, stick them in a pouch, and keep it nestled on the little shelf in my glove box. Perfection.

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Lady Care - Daily Essentials

I love my Lady Care clutch. It holds those perfect feminine products that we all find ourselves needing at the most unopportune moments. A pair of cuticle clippers to keep my biting at bay, bobby pins and hair ties in my repainted tic-tac bottle, Josie Maran whipped Argan Oil lotion, my mini Wet Brush, the unmentionables, sanitizing spray,  hand sanitizer, and extra pens (because I never seem to have any when I need them). Having all my essentials in a medium sized pouch like the one above makes throwing it in my purse/tote on the go so simple and so easy! Plus the design on the pouch is just to die for, is it not?! CVS for the win!

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Baby Not-a-Diaper-Bag

Since I stopped pumping for the munchkin about a month ago, I have been overly excited to not have to carry a pump bag around with me anymore. I also feel the same way about diaper bags; they're bulky, over the top, and most of the time quite unflattering. Instead, I prefer to use one of my mesh pouches and fill it with our on-the-go baby needs. It holds our cute refillable wipe dispenser, a handful of our favorite diapers, a change of clothes, and her spare jar of Baby Vicks - because I found myself without it once while she was congested and vowed never again. I can then throw the cube into whatever bag I'm using for the day to keep Alex's things organized, but still have the freedom of using the purse or tote as my own.

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The Work Tote

HOW cute is this tote?!  I can't get over these little bags. You may remember them from Friday's Favorites, so they definitely made the list today. I was strolling through CVS when I saw the end cap of this cute little sucker and basically ripped it off the shelf. It's perfect to tug back and forth from work with me. The coin purse is great for the emergency change needs, and I love that the tote is just big enough for me to throw any and every combination of clutches in it from above. I may not take all these little babies with me every day, but having a good size tote leaves me with the option to pick and choose whichever fits my daily outings. It's normal contants feature a clutch or two, my coin purse, my new journal to scribble down my thoughts on the go, and my work lanyard that holds my ID and debit card safe and sound.

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The Nightstand Essentials

Recently you may have seen a little photo sneak of our nightstand revamp that was much overdue. Previously my stand was filled with nothing but essential oils and glass spray bottles. While nice to have them close, this area was lacking in other needs I found myself often yearning for after being tucked into the bedcovers. I decided to add a little nightstand clutch with only the little things I need in the evenings: my headache roller to fight off those middle of the night pangs, Lavender to aid sleep, a spray bottle with a little bedtime mixture to spritz on the pillows, and chapstick - which can be found in almost every bag as you can tell since I am always finding myself reaching for it.

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There you have it! An obsession that actually comes in useful and handy in the organization world. I may have already been brainstorming about other little bags I can put together - Sunday family day bag, amusement park bag, trunk emergency bag, first aid bag... so many possibilities!

Do you have any little obsessions that may be starting to get out of hand?? I can't be the only one, right?! Righttttt?

Few Friday Favorites

Hallelujah, Friday!
We made it, friends. I don't know what it was about last week but it seemed to just drag onnnnn and onnnnn... maybe I'm slightly more excited for Easter this weekend that I thought. Either way, we made it through the week, and let the weekend begin! Let's start by continuing on with the segment I think might become one of my favorites.... Few Friday Favorites!

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Favorite #1

Clutches of All Shapes and Size

How adorable are these bags?! I walked passed them today in CVS while I was picking up a few items and I just knew I had to have them. I have a slight obsession with clutches, totes, and small bags that you'll get an inside look to soon. I couldn't locate these exact bags on the CVS website, but they did have a variety of sayings, designs, and quotes in store... and they were all 25% off! Hurry! Run and get yours now! I'll wait.....

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Favorite #2
Acqua di Gioia by Giorgio Armani

Ohhhh myyyyy goshhhhh people. Have you smelled this stuff before? If I could pick my perfect scent, this would be it. Hands down. It has the perfect mix of notes... [the notes described are : Mint, Brown Sugar, Lemon, Jasmine, Peony, Pink Pepper, Cedarwood, Labdanum. Yes, Please!] I have a VERY hard timing finding fragrances that I like because most are either too strong and give me headaches, or are too light and don't last longer than 10 minutes. This is perfect where it's not too heavy to be confused with old lady perfume, but also has some staying power. I tried this when I was with my mama at Thanksgiving last year, and instantly needed to run out and buy my own. Trust me when I say that NEVER happens with perfume. I'm in love.

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Favorite #3
Origins GinZing Eye Cream

Now that I'm getting into my late twenties, my skin has started to realize I'm on the path to becoming no spring chicken. Starting at the end of 2016 my skin really started to suffer from dryness in certain areas (along with my unfortunate daily oil slick) and no matter what lotions or oils I used, I couldn't seem to get it under control. My concealer and under-eye area looked crepe-y and unflattering. I went into Ulta one day on a hunt for 2 specific eye creams that had raving reviews, and of course, both were out of stock. After seeing the Origins stand I came across this little jar of happiness, and knew I had to try it out. I had tested a few Origins products before and loved what they did for my skin, and this was no different. I've been using it religiously for a month and a half, and my sad, poor tired mama-eyes are all but gone. Any other ladies out there suffering from "are you sick today?" eyes... give this a shot.

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That's it, friends! Todays favorites, all wrapped up into one lovely little bundle. Have any of you tried the perfume or eye cream? Anyone just as obsessed as I am? I'd love to know your thoughts! 

10 Weeks of Spring Cleaning

It's that time of year again. The birds are out singing with the sunshine and we are all prepping to get our homes back in tip-top shape. Whether you live in a snowy, blizzard-like area in Montana or are here with me in Sunny San Diego, we can all use a few tips and tricks to get the house back to sparkling and new. In this segment I will be doing a weekly post for 10 weeks, tackling a new area each week. Get out those spray bottles and put on those rubber gloves - it's time to get to work!

Here's what you can expect to see over the next 10 weeks (until June 20th - the first week of summer! Eeek!)

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• Week 1 - The Bathroom
• Week 2 - The Electronics
• Week 3 - The Kitchen
• Week 4 - The Nursery
• Week 5 - The Living Room
• Week 6 - The Bedroom
• Week 7 - The Backyard
• Week 8 - The Office
• Week 9 - The Closet
• Week 10 - The Finances

If you're excited to get down to the nitty-gritty with me, you can check out some of my favorite cleaning products that you'll be introduced to in the coming weeks here.

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Was there anything I missed that you need to tackle in your own home? What's your biggest problem area? If I could hire someone to do just one cleaning task in my home it'd definitely be folding the laundry..... ain't nobody got time for that.

Spring Cleaning: The Dining Room Sideboard

Welcome to Spring Cleaning, the sideboard edition!
Spring cleaning is something most of us embark on every year. It's our time to catch up on those tasks that probably should have been done months ago, if not longer. Today I am proud, and honestly somewhat embarrassed, to show you my now-tidy buffet piece that sits in our dining area.

Since our condo is rather small, the few pieces of statement furniture that we do have need to be fresh and kept up. That, unfortunately, was not the case for this poor little guy. Sadly... this is where we started...

It was dusty and gross. Things were just thrown in the drawers and cupboards all willy-nilly. Instead of a junk drawer, we had a junk buffet.

There was a pile of documents that were "to be shred" and just ended up shoved away. Our family games sat in one side, while our "other drinking things" sat in the other. There was no order - only chaos.

The first thing to do was to start clean. Take everything off, and give the sideboard a good furniture polishing. The printer needed to go, and the shelves needed to be cleaned. The only thing that wasn't taken down was our DIY Eagan Mirror, because it's rather heavy and Alex was "helping" me. The last thing I needed was for it to fall on her.

(Side note: If you've noticed the baby gate - that's where we keep the cat food so that both the dog and the baby stop eating it.)

Once everything was cleaned, it was time to start brainstorming how I was going to keep everything organized and in place. In came my handy Mainstay baskets that I have far too many of laying around the house.

I didn't quite like the stark-white baskets on the hutch - they just looked to harsh. So I took a chance and gave the outsides of the baskets a quick coat of my favorite gold spray paint, and was tremendously happier with how they looked after.

In the baskets I have my "bar extras".... one basket holds all of my extra mason jars (which it fits 12 perfectly), another basket holds all of my extra canning and reusable mason lids, and the last basket holds all of the extra random glassware and shot glasses.

The middle drawer was cleaned out and now houses my wine opener, our whiskey ice tray, and kitchen hand towels.

The two bottom areas now house our beer growlers (shameless plug - how awesome is this growler I had made for our first fathers day last year?!) and the other holds all of our amusement park reusable cups.... don't judge us. We like the zoo/safari park/seaworld/anywhere-else-we-can-spend-our-sunday-family-days.

Finally! Onto the top, where we changed up some of the decor! I still have my secret Harry Potter novels housed here of course. I couldn't quite get myself to move them elsewhere. They were moved out of the basket I found at Home Goods, and replaced with my set of owl mugs.

The center tray was moved from my living room where you may remember it once being housed next to the television. It now is the focal piece, holding beautiful blue mason jars that I love filling with votive candles and stacking on these lovely silver candle holders.

I feel so much better now that this piece is organized and actually functional. It's a huge step into our Spring Cleaning days, but it brings a sigh of relief rather than a cringe in terror everytime I walk by. What was your favorite piece? I'm loving having that little teal pot that once was delivered with an edible arrangement. I've been holding onto it for years, but I knew one day it'd come in handy ;)