When I moved into my San Francisco apartment, I was obsessed with my hardwood floors. Three different apartments on my own later, the move to hardwood made me feel like I was aging into a real adult. After years of living here, I thought that appeal might wear off and someday I would upgrade to getting a rug. However, in reality, a rug felt like an unnecessary purchase as I’ll have to take extra care of it; even with the help of professional cleaning services similar to this Carpet Steam Cleaning Melbourne, it felt like extra work. Did I really want to be covering my hardwood floors with something else? I want them exposed and for everyone to see them! Could I use this money towards something else I needed that wasn’t purely “decorative?”
As many of us experienced, the pandemic and staying at home influenced us all to think differently. This is the longest period of time that any of us have ever spent at home. Details that didn’t bother me before became an eye sore to look at every day. The biggest realization I had was that life before pandemic was me living in a place that didn’t feel like home. I had a pantry that was filled with cleaning supplies and a fridge and freezer that were 20% full.
As hopeful as I am for 2021, I know life at home isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. With Kevin’s help, we found this rug above. I wanted something in a neutral tone to match the rest of my living room furniture. And most importantly, it needed to feel soft and cozy to bring out the warmth in this space. What a difference living with this for a week has made! My living room actually feels warmer – temperature wise. While I typically sit on my couch, I have no problem getting comfortable on the rug if I so choose. Even in a week, I’m left wondering why it took me so long to make the leap. I’m now the biggest rug enthusiast you’ve ever met.
What are some little things that you do for yourself that bring you peace and calm? I think one of the reasons we’ve kept “A Collection” going for so long is because of how it makes me feel. I could look at pictures like these on an endless loop and never get tired of it. I’ve often wondered too, when creating these posts, what makes me decide that I’m done? Is it because I think 50-ish photos is enough for people to be enticed by it, but leave them wanting more? Maybe it’s because any more and I will feel sorry for it eating up the loading time for a visitor. There’s no rhyme or reason and each time we post it’s different. It is one of the series regulars that has no consistency or format. That could either really bother someone a lot or not, I don’t know.
Whatever the case, I hope it brings you some light into your life this weekend the way it did mine. Everyone please wear a mask, stay safe, be kind to each other, and check in with someone you haven’t spoken with in some time.
Before this year, I didn’t know that May was Asian and Pacific Islander American Heritage month. While it has been a slow journey for me to become more acquainted with my culture and history, I know now I can appreciate this much more at my age. I think some of this has to do with the environment I grew up in and not having that kind of community until after graduating college and starting my career. Without even knowing how special this month was, we got into Korean drama all on our own and started to read and watch pieces that were all tied to the celebration of this month. By no means do I think that means I’ve done all the work that there is, but I’m excited to continue educating myself. I’ve really been enjoying this and have shared a majority of them here with you all!
Studio Ghibli Producer is Giving Free Drawing Lessons Online [High Snobiety]
Trump’s Refusal to cover up actually reveals his greatest fears [The Cut]
As you can imagine, I’ve spent some quality time with my home in the last two months. Maybe we were acquaintances before, but things have really escalated. I’m more aware than ever of the corners that have always existed, but that I never noticed. Finding new things to toss out brings me a joy like no other. Since I’ve had a lot of time in this space, it has made me think about the pieces I have that make a huge impact. I also spend some time looking back on purchases or decisions I’ve made that I would re-do.
4 Things I Love in my Home
My Sectional – Once you have your first, you’ll never go back to a normal couch. And why would you? Right before I moved to California, I got my first sectional and that sealed the deal for me. I couldn’t live in a home where I can’t prop my feet up 24/7. While it tends to take up more room, I find that for entertaining purposes, it provides more seating for guests. This is the one item that gets not only the most use, but is where I spend the most time.
Kitchen Cart – Initially, I bought the kitchen cart not for storage, but to have my microwave sit atop so that it would reach a different outlet. Despite how tiny it looks, it was already taking up precious space in my already small kitchen. After I bought this, I didn’t set it up for months, but it’s a true game changer. The top provides extra space when prepping meals and the shelves are used for storage of anything I want to grab more conveniently. I know I could have hung some of these often-used items under the kitchen shelves using some glue to make them a little more handy, but now because I have this cart, I make the most use of it. Moreover, it’s also a great surface for my laptop when I want to listen to music along with cooking.
Record Player – This items gets the least amount of use in the home, but I love having one. It’s a unique style in that it doubles not only as a record player, but also a radio. While my collection of records currently stands at three, looking at it is a reminder of what I need to build on. I used to imagine that when I was “very adult” that I’d have my, but I’ve been lucky to have this for eight years now.
Clothing Rack – To be honest, I likely have more than enough room for all of my clothes. In fact, I could actually remove 30% of what I already own to create more space. Buying the rack was storage, but served a second purpose. With many items, it’s easy to get lost amongst pieces. Your new ones get mixed in with what you already have and eventually, things never get worn. The rack was a way for me to put on display recently purchased pieces. I’ve never heard anyone say a bad thing about owning one of these.
4 Things I Would Re-do
No more obvious IKEA furniture – I am so grateful to IKEA for helping to furnish four places that I’ve lived in. However, as we graduate to bigger and better things in life, some of the pieces I once found functional and affordable don’t fit in the same way. You know what I’m talking about. It’s the coffee table found in every college home and frat house. The square bookshelf with four spaces in the middle. Those pieces are still with me today, but I’m ready for an upgrade.
Gallery Wall – In 2013, gallery walls were the thing to have. It signified that you had enough items to frame to have one and that you were thoughtful and precise on putting the wall together. This is now the second home I’ve lived in where I have had one and I realize, I should’ve stopped at the first. After living in my previous apartment, I thought I had loved it so much that I wanted the same set up I had before. I was afraid to branch out and start fresh when the opportunity was given to me.
Old Artwork – In 2012, I didn’t know any better. I came across a site called [Society6] and picked out several pieces I wanted framed. When you pick out artwork, you don’t necessarily think it’s going to be forever, but when is it an acceptable time to change it out? I still have those pieces today, but they don’t necessarily reflect my aesthetic currently. They are your more cutesy, inspirational quote type pieces.
Gotten organized from the beginning – Is there anyone in the world that enjoys moving? The day before and the day of are the most stressful periods of time and the ultimate goal is just getting things from point A to point B. If I could do things over for my currently place, I would’ve assessed the storage situation much sooner. In comparison, my last home was much larger than my current. While unpacking, the focus was just to get everything into places, but doing that without rhyme or reason doesn’t set you up for success. Mail organizers, desk organizers, storage containers, and knowing where everything should go in the kitchen would have prepared me long term.
Somehow we’ve really nailed the timing of these posts and every time we’re due for one it’s right around New Year’s! But if I’m being honest, the New Year is when I’m feeling my most creative and inspired. These photographs represent that and my current state of feelings. I can’t believe this is the 56th post for “A Collection!” It’s not a significant number by any means; I’m just amazed we’ve had this many.
I love going back and visiting A Collection 1-10 or 10-20 because even those represent a much different time than how I feel presently. In a way, these happen to be my own personal journals, but written in the form of other people’s photos.
May your new year and new decade be full of life, simplicity, and joy.
I’ll never forget the first time I was introduced to Heath Ceramics. I was at my former manager’s home for a meal when the dishware caught my eye. How did everything feel so smooth? It was also my first time seeing dishware that was in color. Growing up, everything was white. When I moved into my own homes and purchased dishware for the first time, it still remained white.
From that moment on, Heath became a household name. Literally. As my friends started to marry off, the best piece of advice I could give them? Make sure you register at Heath Ceramics. I wanted to continue to pass this on as I knew no one would regret it knowing about them. My parents even received their first two Heath Ceramics pieces for Christmas for the last two years.
Now, the founders of the company have taken their own Tahoe cabina nd transformed it into one that you can rent on [Airbnb]. Naturally, the photographs and the overall aesthetic are a design lover’s dream. Staying here will cost you about $400 a night, but we think it may be worth it!
It seems like these posts always get worked on when I have chunks of time to carve out for myself. They are the ones that I want to be the most thoughtful about. So if I’m stressed because of a deadline or under pressure, it’s not a good time. However, it’s moments like these where I do feel a bit of stress, but it’s these images that put me at ease. I read somewhere recently that when you have anxiety at work, there are a few things to remedy it. You can count or you can start listing things in a category. Anything that takes your mind off of what it is that causes you stress for a bit does the job. For me, it’s these types of images. They are the ones that spark whimsey, creativity, or a different perspective. What is it for you all that helps get you out of a rut like mine?
Tonight I did something for the first time that I’ve never done with these posts. Since I started working on this post over the holidays while I was at home there were a few Christmas themed photos in this batch. As I scrolled through the preview, I didn’t feel that same spark or attachment to them as I once had. So while on my way to finish this post, I replaced those photos. Since we’ve been through 53 rounds of this and I’ve never once replaced any photos before posting, in some way, I felt like I was being inauthentic. Could my readers tell that I had swapped them out? Of course not. But I would know and that kind of ate me up for about 15 minutes.
We haven’t written our resolutions post yet, but this made me think of two previous resolutions I’ve had. A few years back, I had “say yes to everything.” The intent was good, sure. But saying “yes to everything” can sometimes do more harm than good. Sometimes you say yes to things when you don’t want to. Maybe saying yes to things causes you to spend money when you don’t want to. Have experiences that you don’t think you’ll appreciate. The next year I refined that resolution: do the things you want to do. And that has stuck around longer than saying “yes.” So if that’s what I truly believe, why not act upon that when it comes to this blog and my posts?
Up until just a couple of months ago, I was the sole person responsible for keeping my apartment clean. This wasn’t the first place that I’ve had to take care of on my own. I’ve always had what I considered to be a manageable space for 1-2 people. However, I noticed a change in my home recently that sent me in a tail spin! I needed some professionals and sought recommendations from friends for cleaners in the city. The idea of hiring cleaners was foreign for me since growing up, we never had them. In my household, Kevin and I were responsible for our weekly chores and as a family, we took care of the cleaning on our own. In a city like San Francisco though, almost every household had cleaners visiting monthly.
After the first cleaning, my home was now cleaner than when I first moved in a year and a half ago! How was that possible?! After the first cleaning, my home was now cleaner than when I first moved in a year and a half ago! How was that possible?! Having cleaners come once a month was great and all, but it might be equally important to hire skilled and trained hoarding cleaners who can help me in the removal of junk items from my home. Even after hiring cleaners every month, I might need to discover a way to maintain cleanliness on my own without daily help. One habit I’ve started to pick up is something I read online. Every time you leave a room, you take one item with you. That doesn’t necessarily mean you have to throw it away, but you might also be putting something back where it belongs. It takes some time to get used to, but I like to believe it’s helping!
On top of having New Year’s resolutions, it’s important for me to begin each year with a fresh start. As much as I’m enjoying my vacation, I’m looking forward to getting back and decluttering my whole apartment. One of my friends actually suggested that I consider using a company that offers Household rubbish removals to make my job a little bit easier. It’s one thing throwing the items away, then you have to work out where to dispose of them. By contacting a rubbish removal company, they can sort that out for you. Perhaps I’ll look into that, it’s quite a good idea. I do need a good clear out of things that I don’t use anymore. I’m starting my declutter now. First on the list?
Donating my clothes to Goodwill for my quarterly drop off. I can’t remember a time when I didn’t come back from Christmas without new clothes. In order to make space for them, I’ve got to do some kind of a purge. I haven’t adopted the KonMari way of “if it doesn’t bring you joy, throw it out,” but we’ll get there. Instead, if I haven’t worn a piece in the last year and believe I won’t for another, it goes into the bag. In the last two places that I have lived, my closet space has never been able to hold all of my pieces. Because of that, I’ve always had an extra clothing rack in my room serving as decor and functionality. To make sure that it stays organized, only my latest pieces will go on that. For further separation, the newest pieces are assigned to my wooden hangers. If I run out of the eight wooden hangers, it all goes into the closet. Of course, if you have lots of old clothes that are just not suitable for donation, you could always rent a junk disposal bin. A friend of mine who lives in Surrey hired a junk disposal bin from Trash King and was so impressed with how easy it was to get rid of all her old belongings. We are all guilty of holding on to our possessions for too long, but there is nothing quite like the feeling of a clean and clutter-free home!
Go paperless. It’s happening. All of my friends are getting married and having kids and everything comes in a mail announcement despite us living in a technology-centric world. I don’t mind these, but what I do hate is getting all of the coupons in the mail that I won’t see for weeks, but take up my space in recycling. I put in the request to stop receiving these back in the summer, but am still waiting for this to be approved. This takes two seconds, but log into your bill accounts and make sure you go paperless. It’s easier than ever for businesses and individuals to go paperless with document scanning software, like the software provided by FilecenterDMS. There is really no reason or excuse for having physical files anymore. It’s better for you and the environment.
Recycling Receipts. Nearly all retail places I shop at have my email address on file, but because I’m used to getting a paper receipt, I forget to ask for it electronically. Receipts are everywhere in my life. They can be found in my living room, in cabinets, my car, and my purse. Do we still even need them these days? I figured I won’t need them for grocery stores or drugstores so maybe I should ask them to hold it.
Dumping Old Beauty Products. When it comes to makeup, I am very conservative with what I buy and how much I use. For a while, I was proud that I could make my BB cream last 6+ months! This stuff ain’t cheap! What ended up happening is that I would convince myself that I was at the end of a tube, start a new one, and still keep the old one storing it in a purse or my work bag for emergencies. This is the opposite of what you should do. When you’re done, you’re done. I live in a state of denial, always.
I grew up finding sentiment in the most unlikely of items. I’m convinced that it’s why it has made it so hard for me to part with things today. But 2019 will be different. I’m setting a goal and I want to say goodbye to all of the things that I know are doing nothing for me including my 8 year old nail polishes that I haven’t touched. I wish you all the best.
For those of you who have been following Yow Yow! for years now, you know that these are some of my most intimate posts. Often times, I’m saying more with the images that I select than in the paragraphs I’m writing ahead of the post. For the first time ever, I’ve selected images that come from only one source. I recently discovered a new Tumblr that has become a fast favorite. Worried at first that I wouldn’t have enough material to use or even that the post would be an inaccurate representation of what I was hoping to convey ended up not being a real concern after all.
It has been a week of being completely stress free and living in my moments without having a plan. I think these photos depict an image of that. I think this is what carefree-ness and whimsy looks like and it’s entirely how I’m feeling. In these photos, you’ll notice that there are some up-close shots of a part of a body or detail zoomed in. I may not have known it at the time when I was picking out the photo, but it ended up being more intentional than planned. I wanted to focus and hone in on one thing specifically as opposed to doing the whole “big picture” thing.