Kids’ clothing can get overwhelming fast. Here I’m sharing my tips on creating a capsule wardrobe for your children. I’m happy to say that this system for creating a simplified, mix-and-match clothing collection for my kids works for us. One of the reasons it works well is because it allows for tweaking, changing our mind, updating. It also has parameters to keep me in check … Continue reading Building a Capsule Wardrobe for Kids
If you follow me here or on Instagram, you might know that I’m attempting a “no buy year,” which has proven to be interesting and challenging. There haven’t been a lot of “new” things coming in — not that there were before, either — so I’ve been able to see what my kids actually play with. Even when they have gotten something new as a … Continue reading Toys My Kids Play with Everyday
We’re two months into my no buy year and … it’s harder than I thought. WAY harder. Like, crazy hard. I think partially because my expectations were out of whack. I really thought it was going to be challenging but ultimately, I’d breeze through it. I’m two months in and I still find myself eagerly opening sale emails and browsing for a moment (or several … Continue reading No Buy Year, First Update
Around this time in 2015 I shared that I was going to attempt a zero waste home. I was met with a lot of support and I’m so grateful for the online and real life community of friends and family helping me along. It might be glaringly obvious if you know me, but I like taking on challenges with strict parameters for specific time limits. … Continue reading Meredith’s “No Buy Year”
Whether you’re interested in decluttering to make your life easier, are curious about this “trend, you’re invited to a FREE workshop and discussion. Maybe you have already started decluttering or even are a seasoned veteran with a well-worn copy of Marie Kondo’s Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up, we could all use some IRL support! We can share our tips and tricks, and share what … Continue reading Road to minimalism: FREE Workshop (Vermont)
As minimalists, we tend to wear our clothing hard. Even if we’re rotating between a few items, everything gets regular use. When you live in a place like Vermont, winter gear can be a big space-hog and a passionate point of discussion for many in my area looking to declutter and downsize. Bottom line: we tend to hold on to a LOT of winter items, … Continue reading Minimalism and winter clothes PLUS How to clean up a “pilly” winter hat
Minimalism hasn’t always come naturally to us, and we still struggle with different zones of our home and life but once my husband and I started using capsule wardrobes, clothing hasn’t been an issue. In fact, it’s been a catalyst for so many other strong decisions made in other areas. Paring down our clothing and focusing on reuse and secondhand before purchasing new, and then being … Continue reading Maternity multi-season capsule wardrobe
Being a minimalist, having a curated home, living simply or living slowly …or whatever you want to call it is totally possible once you bring a tiny human into your life. It’s also not impossible to find plastic-free, eco-friendly baby items. This post is for the real life modern family, not a fantasy list for Instagram-perfect parents. This is for the family aspiring to minimalism and … Continue reading How to Build a Minimalist, Eco-Friendly Baby Registry
You know that thing where you go to someone’s house and want to peek in their drawers and cabinets and see what kind of stuff they have? In this case, I’m inviting you to look through my stuff so it’s not weird, I promise.
A little while ago I posted a picture of my make up bag on Instagram and you wanted to see what was inside. Ask and you shall receive, friends. I love talking about this topic, as you’ll see from this extensive and rambling post. Hope you enjoy it!
I have always loved playing with makeup and used to have a huge make up collection. While I did use many of the items regularly, I often fell into the trap of buying something new as a pick-me-up or believing that “this lipstick will change my life/mood.”
I got into the habit of buying things that I thought were cute but I knew deep down weren’t my style. I bought things for some future Meredith that didn’t exist yet. I imagined future Meredith wearing a particular lipstick shade to some fabulous event or occasion that never came. Even when I was going to a fabulous event or occasion (or out on a date night), I wore the colors and products that I felt comfortable and pretty in, not the colors that were more adventurous and theatrical. Most of my collection didn’t fit into how I actually used make up.
Once I got really serious about minimalism, downsizing and using a capsule wardrobe for my clothes, the mentality of streamlining to the things that you really love and use spilled over to my cosmetics too.
My go-to minimal face now is concealer, brows, curled lashes (and mascara if I want more definition or extra awake-ness.) Or I go makeup-free. If I’m going anywhere, or I just feel like it…#becauseselfexpression, I do get myself a bit more dolled up.
Continue reading “What’s in my minimalist, eco-friendly makeup bag”
*This post is in partnership with Love Justly. All opinions are my own and all content is original to MeredithTested.com.
When I’m curating my more minimal wardrobe, it is actually much easier to be more conscious about the new items I add. Like many areas in my home, minimizing and decluttering my closet freed up headspace for more important things: like being more curious and conscious about where, how and by whom my clothing was made.
How many times did I wash something once only to find a hole or rip? No more. Now I buy a lot of my clothing and other items in my home second hand. When I’m buying something new, I look for ethically made clothing and accessories, meaning the people and environment were treated well in the production of the item. When I found the site Love Justly, I was impressed by the selection and prices. If you’re looking to add some pieces to your wardrobe, it’s definitely worth starting there.
psst: One of my readers will win a $50 gift card (!!!) to shop for discounted fair trade clothing and jewelry on LoveJustly.com! Read to the bottom to find out how…
Continue reading “Affordable, ethical fashion from Love Justly”
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