Bedroom Tour

Back in August I officially moved into my first apartment! It was such an exciting thing for me because not only do I consider that to be a milestone, but I had no furniture which meant I was starting from scratch. This meant I got to go on my first trip to Ikea {which was amazing...} and pick out bedroom furniture that i will love for years to come! Even though it's been about two months everything is just starting to get put into its proper place. Last year I had so much fun taking pictures of my bedroom to share with you all so I thought it would be fun to do it again this year. 

If you've ever been on my Pinterest and seen my home decor boards you would know that I love the clean look of a white or gray bedroom. That's why when I first started looking for bedroom furniture I knew that I wanted it all to be white. It adds a very relaxing feel to the room and makes everything look so sleek.  

My bed is hands down my favorite part of my room. Not only do the comforter and bed frame look adorable but the mattress is hands down the most comfortable thing i've ever slept on. Chances are if i'm home you can find me relaxing in my bed watching Netflix or working on blog posts and homework. The comforter is a focal point in the room since everything else is very neutral. It's a Tommy Hilfiger set that I got at Marshal's last year so i've linked a similar option if you like it!

Bed Frame // Comforter {Similar} // Elephant Pillow {Similar} // Fur Rug // Wall Mirrors  

Golden K {Similar} // Pumpkin {from the Target dollar section} // Lamp {Similar}

 If i'm not in my bed you'll find me sitting at my desk. I've wanted a hutch over my desk for a few years now so i'm so thrilled that I was able to get one that matches seamlessly with my desk. This is where I get some of my school work done {I do the majority of it at the library}. I never used to do any work at my desks because the chairs would always hurt my back after an hour or two but this chair is so comfy that I have no problems with sore backs while i'm studying.

Desk // Hutch // Desk Chair // Acrylic Drawers // Nail Polish Organizer 

It was kind of hard to get a good picture of my dresser because of the window right there, but I did the best I could. Next to my dresser I have my gallery wall and little makeup area where I get ready every morning. I was so excited to put up my mini gallery wall because i've been wanting one for a while but was never able to put nails into my walls before {good old dorm living}. 

Dresser {Similar}  // Jewelry Box {Similar} // Bracelet Holder // Earring Holder // Candle 

Makeup Organizer // Storage {Similar}

 Lastly I have my closet! I tend to keep the doors open because I love seeing all of my clothes neatly organized. I added some old string lights I had around the top to brighten things up a bit. I use pull out storage bins to hold my smaller accessories {like belts, headbands, and running gear} and all of my workout clothes. I love organizing my closet, it's always the first thing I go to when i'm cleaning my room. My favorite way to keep my clothes organized is to group them by sleeve length and then color coordinate them. It sounds like a tedious task but it makes getting ready in the morning a breeze!

I hope you enjoyed this look into my room at school! 

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My Top 10 College Essentials

Now that i'm entering my senior year of college (eek!) I feel like I finally have the whole packing thing down. Don't get me wrong I still overpack but I feel like I am finally bringing more things that I use regularly than not. Since it is now that wonderful time of the summer where so many of us are packing our lives into suitcases (and some doing so for the first time) I thought I would share with you my top 10 items that you should bring with you.

1. Steamer
This is a new discovery of mine and I have fallen head over heels in love. The past three years I brought an iron with me to school and I hated having to use it- I dreaded when things came out of the laundry wrinkled. Now that I have the steamer wrinkled clothing is no big deal. It takes about 20 seconds to heat up and the wrinkles practically fall out of the clothes when I use it.

2. Mattress Topper

Let me tell you a little secret... dorm beds are never comfortable. At school your bed will quickly become one of your favorite spots (especially if you're in a small dorm with no other seating options) which is why it is so important to invest in a good mattress topper. If you would like to get a good nights sleep this year I would 100% recommend picking one of these up. My personal favorite is the egg crate ones but there are lots of great options out there.

3. Cascading Hangers

If you are anything like me you have lots of clothes and you just love them all. I remember when I first saw the size of my freshman year closet I had no idea how I would get everything to fit. If it weren't for these cascading hangers I really don't know what I would have done! Each hanger has a tiny hook on it so that you can layer the hooks on top of each other. The hanger itself is also a felt material which helps prevent clothing from slipping off.

4. Warm Throw Blanket

I don't know what I was thinking when I left for schools my freshman year. All I brought for bedding was sheets and a comforter {it should be noted that I attend a school in the Northeast}. Within a few days my mom ordered me a soft and cozy throw blanket because I kept calling her and complaining that I was freezing at night. Even if you aren't in a colder climate I would still recommend a throw blanket. Like I mentioned earlier your bed will become one of your favorite spots and it's a pain to have to unmake your bed everytime you want to lay underneath something.

1 // 2 // 3 // 4 // 5 // 6 // 7 // 8 // 9 //10

5. Command Strips

These are easily the most magical thing if you plan on decorating your dorm room at all. They will stick on just about any service including the lovely cinder block walls we have all experienced at some point in time. They can be a little pricey but I would 100% recommend using these so you don't damage the walls. I've used them to hang up bulletin boards, mirrors, canvases, and frames without ever having a problem.

6. 5 Subject Notebook

This is one of my biggest secrets for staying organized at school. It may not seem like it would make a difference but having all of your notes in one place makes things so much easier. Freshman year I used individual notebooks for each class and I found myself grabbing the wrong set of notes more than I would like to admit. Just make sure you grab college ruled and not the wide ruled option. 

7. Swifter or a Compact Vacuum

Depending on what kind of flooring your room has you will want to pick up one of these two options. No matter how clean you are your floor will get dirty quickly. This is something that I didn't initially bring with me to school so I kept borrowing my friends stiffer and vacuum until I finally got my own. If you end up getting a vacuum I would highly suggest this one! It's very compact so it's easy to store in a dorm room but it still works very well.

8. Sturdy Backpack

Tote bags are always a cute thing to carry your books in but they are very bad for your back! Since you'll most likely be lugging around lots of heavy textbooks you should opt for a backpack instead. I got this NorthFace one in black 7 years ago and it is still in fantastic shape. I can fit everything I'll need for a busy day of classes inside without worrying that the straps will break. Take my advice and ditch the tote bag, your back will thank you!

9. Planner

This is hands down the most important thing you need to stay organized this school year. In high school I didn't use a planner as regularly as I should have, but ever since I started college i've been addicted to mine. Everyone looks for something different but the most important things to me are that there is lots of room in the weekly spread as well as a large monthly spread. The Plan Better Live Better Planner by Emily of Honeybee Joyous is a great downloadable option with some fun extras like a monthly financial track. If you have no idea what you are looking or Kayla has a great post where she compares 14 different planners perfect for college students.

10. Power Strip and Extension Cord
Power outlets never seem to be placed well in dorm rooms. Add into the equation the fact that you will most likely be sharing all of the outlets with one or two other people and I can guarantee that you will want these two things. An extension cord will help you avoid setting up your room based on where the outlets are and the power strip will let you plug in more things at once. I really like the flexible power strips because I can adjust it to fit more of those bulky charger at once. 

Hopefully these 10 recommendations are helpful to you as you get ready to head back to school! What are your top items for going back to school? 

*Disclaimer: I am an affiliate for the "Plan Better Live Better Planner" and will receive a small percentage of sales made through the link. All opinions expressed are 100% my own.**

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How I Made Money Selling Old Textbooks

This summer I noticed that almost an entire shelf on my bookshelf has been taken over by old textbooks. Now i'm not sure if it was the fact that I was super excited to be in college or that I loved my classes, but for some reason I felt like it was necessary to keep all of my fashion and accounting textbooks {minus one or two where I was able to rent them for cheaper}. I expected to be referencing them a lot and flipping back through my fashion books because some of them are just so nice to look at! While that didn't happen with most of my books, I still kept hoarding them on my bookshelf.

Fast forward two more years of school and I've reached the point where I can't wait to sell my books back at the end of the trimester to get a little bit of money back into my pocket. Yet for some reason all those freshman year books still remained sitting on the bookshelf. I'm not sure why I didn't do it sooner, but this summer I decided that it was time to get rid of them and hopefully make a little cash in the process. 

I put off the task for a few days because I figured the process would be quite annoying. I figured that I would have to put each ISBN I'm separately on various different websites in order to find who would give me the most money, basically I expected it to take more time than it should. That's why I am so happy that I found BookFinder. They made the process so easy- all I had to do was enter all of the ISBN numbers of the books I was looking to sell on a single screen, then the system compared the prices that were offered from different textbook resellers such as Amazon, Chegg, and AbeBooks. This way I could compare all prices on a single webpage. I also found it helpful that the website told you whether the company was offering you cash or a gift card for your books, although Amazon was the only one that gave gift cards.

In the end I was able to sell every book I wanted to, and I made over $100! While it's nowhere near the amount I spent on these books in the first place, I'm happy to get them out of my room and make some money at the same time. If you ever need to sell some old books I highly recommend using them!

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Dealing with Stress

Lately i've been so overwhelmed with everything going on around me, which is sadly the reason why I haven't been posting as frequently as I would like. This past week alone I had four exams {three of which were accounting}, a presentation, it was the beginning of the cross country preseason, I put a deposit down on an apartment, and my email has been blowing up more than usual. While individually those things aren't too bad, when they're all happening simultaneously it can be really stressful. That brings me to today's post, some tips for how I deal with stress.

1. Read A Book

Whenever things get overwhelming I like to take a step back. A great way to do this is by reading a chapter or two of a great book. It helps distract you and allows you to forget about the things that were stressing you out. After reading for a little I feel so relaxed and ready to conquer my tasks for the day!

2. Go For A Run/Walk

Getting outside can make such a difference in your entire attitude. If i'm overwhelmed to the point where I feel frustrated I either go for a quick run, head to the gym, or even just take a quick walk around campus. This simple activity helps get the blood flowing and allows me to take some deep breaths to refocus.

3. Watch An Episode On Netflix

This is probably the method I use most often! I love watching tv shows on Netflix, and if i'm spending hours working on a huge project or paper, i'll take a break every so often and watch an episode of a quick show on Netflix {my go to right now is New Girl, it's so funny!}.

4. Take A Coloring Break

For Christmas this year I got some coloring books for adults, and I have to say it is amazing how great I feel after I spend a half hour or so coloring! I had heard that this was an activity proven to relieve stress, and it really is! Check out some of the books I love here and here.

5. Paint Your Nails

Lately i've found myself taking breaks during my homework and study sessions to paint my nails. It's perfect because by the time they dry I am ready to get back to work! 

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How I Keep Myself Organized

School can be stressful enough as it is, but once you factor in clubs, sports, jobs, and everything else that comes along with life it can be very hard to keep things straight. That's why I think it is extremely important that everyone finds a way that helps keep them organized. I realize that not every method works for every person, but I think it's important to try new methods in order to find one that works for you. So today I thought it would be fun to share some of the methods that work best for me!

The most important thing that helps keep me organized is my agenda. Last year I had a Lily Pulitzer large agenda, but it just wasn't large enough for what I needed. Once this school year rolled around I didn't feel like spending $30+ on the jumbo sized agenda. Instead I decided to get just a generic one at Target, and I love it so much more. It's big enough for me to write down everything I need to include (homework, meetings, important events, etc.)

I used to assign a color to each subject, and I would write down any homework or important dates for the class in the coordinating color. However, I noticed that this led me to often wait until later to write assignments down because I couldn't find the correct color, and after leaving the classroom the chance of me writing down the assignment at all became quite slim. So I got rid of that idea! Now I just write everything down in blue pen, and use two different hilighters so separate tasks. If it is an important event, like a test or meeting, I hilight it in orange. For assignments once they are completed I hi light them in yellow.

I have tried so many different methods of organizing my papers and notes. I tried using a separate folder and notebook for each class, binders,accordion folders. In the end, the method that has worked best is to have one 5 subject notebook for all my classes, and a separate folder for each. What I do to take notes is write everything down on a sheet of loose leaf when i'm in class. Then afterwards, I copy everything over in my notebook. This way everything looks neat, but I also am studying everything I learned by re-reading it all.

For outside activities (internships, my blog, etc) I keep separate notebooks for each. This way I can take notes during meetings, write ideas down, and keep everything in one place.

Finally, I use the wall space above my desk to make sure that I always know what is going on. I have a giant wall calendar that I update with all the important due dates and meetings that are listed in my agenda. This way I can easily see what is going on without having to go in my backpack. Below that, I keep sticky notes on the wall with individual tasks that need to get done. They are right at eye level so that everytime I sit down I see them. I've noticed that since i've been doing this I get tasks done a lot faster!


I hope you were able to learn some tips and tricks to help keep you organized!

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My Room Tour

Welcome to my cozy little home away from home!

I thought for today's blog post it would be fun to give you a quick tour of my room. I love how it turned out and I really enjoy spending time in here.

 First up is the view of the area behind my door. Back here I keep my coat, scarf, and purse on over-the-door hooks next to my towel. I also have all of my keys and id holder on clear hooks above my backpack. The milk crate at the bottom is what I use to hold a bunch of my textbooks and other larger books. Nothing too exciting, but everything back here is essential and I try and keep it organized.

I spend a lot of time sitting at my desk between homework, my internships, and writing up blog posts. I try to keep this space as clean as possible so that I have lots of room to spread out my work. Some of the things I do keep on my desk are my alarm clock, a pencil organizer, a wooden elephant from Africa (thanks to my best friend Korinne!) and an organizers for folders and notebooks.

How cute is this doggy tape dispenser I got in my stocking?

My dresser is my favorite surface to look at because it holds a lot of my favorite things.

The angle of my TV makes it kind of hard to arrange everything, but I think I manage alright. I like to think of this area as my "jewelry headquarters". It's where I keep my bracelet holder, a spinning earring holder, and a mirrored jewelry box I received for Christmas. I also have a few other odds and ends, like some pictures, a stuffed snoopy, and a decorative tray and special figurines.

My bedside table is a recent addition to my room. I keep this ceramic elephant from TJX on here because 1. I have a deep love of elephants and 2. it's one of the cutest decorations ever. I also keep my iPad and a few books i'm reading so that I can easily get to them at night. Finally, I have a jewelry tray that holds my GPS watch, night cream, and a lip balm.

Hope you enjoyed this look into my room!

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