Self-Care Sunday - The Essentials
The second week of my “self-Care” series addresses another ✨crucial✨ part of law school happiness - the essentials.
AKA, the little things that (a) are functional/handy, (b) spark joy in this law student’s cold dead heart, or (c) do both! Just like the real work world, some days are very very long and can feel as though there’s no end in sight. That’s when the little sparks of joy really come in handy.
COFFEE ☕️
Nespresso + biscotti = early morning happiness.
Nespresso Maker. This was a Christmas gift from my amazing in-laws and I can’t express how much I love it. Yes, it’s basically a fancier Keurig, but there’s something super satisfying about the foam on top. Chef’s kiss w/no effort.
Trader Joe’s Biscotti. Both the chocolate and vanilla versions, my goodness. A few of these with a nice cup of flavored espresso…it’s a great start to even the coldest/bleakest/longest of days.
CANDLES 🕯
I loooooove a good candle burning in our living room, bathrooms, even the bedroom.
My two favorite brands are Nest Fragrances (specifically Birchwood Pine, the most delicious pine smell ever) and Yankee Candle. Both are a bit pricey but I often find them on sale at Nordstrom Rack and T.J. Maxx!
A RELAXING HOME 🌿
There’s nothing I (subconsciously) dread more than coming home to a cluttered, messy, non-cohesive apartment.
Luckily, Ben shares the same dread re: clutter and mess, which makes the whole “living together” thing pretty easy. We also have the advantage of moving often so we (I) can change up the living decor/arrangement whenever it doesn’t work! Over 2 1/2 years in Boston, I’ve identified the following three bright spots on our lil apartment:
Greenery. My Monstera plant is seriously my pride and joy!!! It’s nice to have some greenery in the house (both alive and dried); looks fresh with the ole wood floors and neutral furniture.
Side note - as much as I love my Monstera, I have no idea what I’m doing with her…hit me up with any advice!
Throw Pillows. Anthropologie & T.J. Maxx are my go-tos. They’ve been a great way to shake things up in small spaces without replacing big furniture/spending tons of money.
Cohesive Spaces More Broadly. You know those pictures of gorgeous, totally cohesive homes on Pinterest and Instagram? Yea…I’ve never achieved that but it’s a full-on GOAL now. With each small change to our lil apartment, I feel like we get closer to home perfection and total zen!
HOUSE UGGS 🥾
Hear me out - Ugg boots are officially back in fashion (!!!!!) but they’ve never been out where I’m concerned.
When I was in high school and all the cool girls wore Uggs, my parents *refused* to let me participate. It was devastating. Not only was I very uncool to begin with, but I also lacked genuine Australian sheep’s wool to fill the void.
(Apparently this “built character.” Or trauma, since the first thing I ever bought with an adult paycheck was a pair of nice, plain, brown Ugg boots. I’ll leave that can of worms for my future therapist).
ANYWAY. Uggs have functioned as my “house slippers” for a long time now (I did have a pair of Allbirds for a while, which I loved, but they didn’t hold up to daily abuse quite as well). I can’t really explain my obsession: they’re just so comfy and so cute and very warm and never fail.
Clothes in general bring me great joy (when I do it right…stay tuned for Week 4!) but Ugg boots will always hold a special place in my heart. If you’re looking for a late Valentine’s gift, I give you…the ultra mini Ugg.
KEYCHAIN WALLET 🔑
The most functional thing I own, hands down!
This is a card holder with key ring attached; aka, a one-stop shop for IDs, credit cards, small amounts of cash/coins, AND home and car keys. I’ve owned one for about five years and have never - I repeat, NEVER - lost the whole kit-and-caboodle. I’m grateful for it every single day that I don’t have to dig around my house/bag/etc. for keys and my wallet!
A GOOD DESSERT 🍦
I have the biggest sweet tooth of all time so dessert is a must. I go through love/hate phases with all food though, so the treat in question changes week to week.
I’m on an Ice Cream Sundae Kick right now (seriously, the whole works: vanilla ice cream, hot fudge sauce, caramel sauce, nuts whipped cream AND a cherry on top. Target helpfully put all the non-refrigerated items on the same display!) and like…drowning in fudge is the perfect way to end a long day. It’s just science.
And with that, I’ll end Week 2 of the Self-Care Sunday series! Just writing about some of my essential items was pretty relaxing, tbh (the blog can be a stressful enterprise sometimes). But the more I think about it, the more I feel a dog would fit nicely onto this list…
