The Sense of Home

I think we can all agree that 2020 has been quite the year. Alongside the craziness, there have been so many important silver linings. I look back to the beginning of quarantine, and I remember thinking over and over again how I didn't want to miss the positive parts and what we were supposed to learn, shift, and observe. I wanted to keep my eyes and heart wide open.As y'all might know after following along with us here on the blog, we purchased our new home in November of 2018. We closed three days after the Woolsey fire, which caused significant smoke damage to our home, burned down the home next door along with two other houses on our street. It was a wild undertaking. We moved out of our previous home in LA in February of 2019 and started renovating our new home. As we were told, renovation takes way longer than expected + adding fire remediation and doing all with a nontoxic approach devised an entirely new level of time, research, and logistics. I think my half glass full mentality from my excitement to start this project didn't want to believe that, but man was it true. It actually took four times longer than we were told. Because of this, we doubled our stay at a hotel, then moved into an apartment with one of our best couple friends – we both needed a 6-month place to stay, so it was a perfect way to save some money in the process. We moved into our home in October 2019 with a lot of moving parts still + we didn't know if any of our previous furniture would work, and it turned out most sizing was not suitable (insert tear emoji here). We began the furnishing process about a month later in December with COVID-related delays on shipping, and I can now say we are almost complete (mid-November is the last delivery-hooray)! What a process, but truly we feel so grateful we had this opportunity, learned so much, and are extra appreciative to be settled.I am extreme homebody, so this year I really had to develop a new sense of home – and while my circumstances were different, I realized that so many are also experiencing this at the current time. I learned that any place can be a cozy home. This past year, we lived in a hotel room, an apartment, a room above a garage, and our home (which was quite an organization nightmare and an endless list of to-dos), and every place felt just as doable and cozy and perfect for the time. I was forced to go against my comfort, and I am so thankful because it always transforms my perspective and increases my appreciation.In my opinion, one of the most amazing parts about the pandemic restrictions has been the time at home. What a learning journey for traveling, working men/women to be at home with the fam more, for marriages to exist side by side 24/7, for kids to be out of school and sports, for jobs to be lost or relocated to the house. Not to mention, it left space to think and process and reflect on what is important, which can be super uncomfortable but ultra-redeeming.It has been so interesting to watch how everyone copes so differently. Jase was FaceTiming his buddies non-stop, using the stay-at-home orders to develop funny social media content while grieving the loss of not getting to use his gift and passion of hosting. I, on the other hand, am an innate introvert, so with the tragedy set aside, being homebound was my version of heaven. I was trying new healthy recipes, discovered a biodynamic organic farm that is 15 minutes from our house, saved emotional energy from having to decide on a social plan, and had more quality time to connect with my family and friends virtually. Oh! And puzzles! And my work has always been at home, so my adjustment was a little less severe.Also, I was grateful for the unifying feeling that every single person was in this together. We were both more alert to reach out to others, to take flowers to the neighbors, to thank the mailman. This whole journey has taught me two things that no other circumstance could have taught me: be grateful for ALL services, provisions, people, and love – and, ANY place can be home. Perspective is everything.To see more of our home renovation follow along with our Making A Home series, right here on the blog.

Parachute Home: Impeccable Bedding

You guys probably have gathered throughout this Making A Home series here on the blog that I have a slight addiction to clean bedding that is sustainable and socially responsible. I mean, what is not to love? It is such a reminder that there is not a lack of incredibly comfy and soft materials that are health-benefiting and earth-conscious.Parachute is a key brand that has made our home extra cozy + it delivers the perfect neutral accents. If you have tried this brand, you probably are a lifer. We fell into that category pretty quickly and fell in love with the quality of their premium sheets, towels, robes, slippers and all things soft and wonderful.Did you know that Madewell and Parachute made the most beautiful striped bedding and jammies? I had to make a quick mention of that because it was like a brand-partnering dream.Through the recommendation of Ashley Kane, we also got the down mattress topper, and our bed truly feels like a cloud. Our other staples we have in our home are the body pillow with the vintage linen cover, the quilts (a dream), and their bedding. Their slippers and robes are heavenly, too, and are the best addition to spa feels.See below for all of the things we have in our house. Happy shopping! And for other exclusive looks of the areas of our some, take a peek at the rest of the Making A Home series we have right here on the blog. xo

Linens and Towels: Magic Linen

Last week, we got so extra close to finishing our home - we are 80% complete and waiting for a few final things. It was the most rewarding feeling and extra fun to see the vision come to life. As y'all know, creating cozy guest bedrooms is a passion of mine, and Magic Linen has been such a game changer in this process.We decided to give even extra love to the upstairs bedroom because our parents will stay there when they come into town, so the comfort must be at an all-time high. Enter Magic Linen bedding - the coziest in all the land + I love how it sits on the bed and it naturally is not wrinkly, which can always be one of the downsides of linen.Their towels are also a dream and make the bath experience extra lovely! And I am also majorly heart-eyeing this apron and their tea towels, which are stonewashed for extra softness! This brand is a win on every level, and I couldn't recommend it more!To see more of our home and some of our favorite brands we've included along the way throughout our renovation check right here on the blog in our Making A Home series.

The Clean Sweep for Clean Sleep

Over the last few weeks on the blog, I've been covering the process of Jase and I renovating our house in a series we launched here on LSK called Making A Home. Even though it's taken longer than expected, it's been such a special process to put care and intention into every area that fills our house. The first two weeks of Making A Home, I was able to share about a few of my favorite rooms, and there's more to come with before and after pictures that I can't wait to show you!But another reason this process has been so special is that we've unexpectedly discovered so many small businesses and brands that we've really come to really love. With this in mind, I wanted to share with you a few of my favorites that I'm always getting questions about either here or on my Instagram.Sleep is one of the key pieces of a strong immune system. It helps our body regenerate and renew itself + rest is the key to positive days and productive mindsets! I believe your bed should be one of the safest places. You are on your mattress for one of the most important times of the day and for so many hours of the day. I get so many questions about clean and healthy mattresses, and when Jase and I were looking for new pieces to fill our home – this was a priority at the top of the list.Toxic mattresses are not always talked about, but our sleep and where we sleep is so important. I share more details about the process and a step by step towards switching over to clean living in my program The Clean Sweep, but I wanted to share with you my favorite picks so you have a foundation to choose from!1. Boll and BranchWe absolutely love this mattress and it's the one we have chosen for our own bedroom! It's foam-free and made by hand with ethically-sourced, natural materials which is always win, win!2. ParachuteI have always loved parachute for their bedding pieces. Then I discovered this mattress that is eco-friendly, made from pure wool and 100% organic cotton – and I was also in love! So comfortable and made with extra back support in mind which is always helpful when finding the best fit for your body and your sleep.3. Under the CanopyAnother brand I love that is made with organic, sustainable materials like recycled steel coil and organic cotton and Joma wool. It's so comfortable and provides great support, while also being eco and clean friendly which I love!4. Avocado Green Mattress A bit more affordable – this mattress is also made with organic, natural materials like organic, certified wool and cotton and is free from polyester, polyurethane foams, and toxic fire retardants (things you wouldn't even know you were sleeping on!) They also have a Vegan Mattress option that is made without wool.Lastly, while talking about the Clean Sweep for Clean Sleep – I cannot go without sharing about one of my all-time favorite sleeping aids that has changed the game for my sleep! I cannot stress how important sleep is and this has been an absolute life-saver in helping my body relax and shutting my mind down before I fall asleep. There are many brands for CBD out there, but I have to say that Equilibria CBD has quickly become my favorite! I take one to two drops before bed (though they customize your dosage depending on your own body) and this has become a new staple in my nightly routine. I love recommending this to friends and family who have expressed that they're tired or have trouble sleeping – it's such a help.I hope you've enjoyed following along on our Making A Home process – And I hope this helps those of you who are on the journey to clean living. For more updates on our home, stay tuned right here on the blog, and for updates each week on clean products I'm loving, follow along on Instagram at The Clean Stuff. xo