Trench coats are the perfect wardrobe staple to help transition your wardrobe from summer to fall. Light enough to keep you warm on a brisk day, and stylish enough to instantly make you look put together.
They are perfect for transitional style when you layer. Fall and spring weather can be unpredictable, the beauty of a trench is it’s light enough to allow you to layer your clothing. I’m a fan of layering, especially with a good vest.
A few years ago, I got lucky and came across a Ralph Lauren women’s trench coat at the Goodwill for about $6.99. Hands down it is still one of my favorite classic wardrobe pieces. Your local Goodwill and/or consignment shop is a great option for snagging this wardrobe staple, but if you would rather buy one, here are a few great options I found on Amazon for under $50. These are all Amazon affiliate links.
This one comes in a variety of colors to include: black, indigo, and red. Pricing ranges from $45.99 – $49.99 depending on color.
Although I work contract for a steady paycheck, hands down I consider myself an entrepreneur because I spend a lot of time throwing stuff at the wall hoping something sticks. I also spend a lot of time doubting myself, loving myself, and wondering what my sole purpose in life is multiple times a day. Multiple.
Getting my day off on a good note, keeps me from sinking into my negative thoughts, and keeps me pushing toward my entrepreneurials goals… especially on days when I am not even sure there is one.
A good foundation of any type can certainly hold you up when you face difficulties, and I believe how you start your day has a lot to do with how it goes.
I’m all about positivity these days, and I’ve become very intentional about controlling my thoughts and ideas. Since I’ve been doing this, I’ve found that I am a lot less stressed, and I practice finding gratitude in the small things more often. These simple steps have truly been enlightening.
While no two days around here are ever the same, these things are a consistent part of my morning routine, and I think I am better for them. Hopefully, they will help you make the most of your days as well!
WAKE UP SLOW
I know they say you shouldn’t hit the snooze button, but it works for me. I don’t like to “hit the ground running.” I like to ease into my mornings, so I set the alarm an hour before I’m supposed to be up. Unless I’m really tired I never drift back off into a deep sleep. I lay, pray, and think about what I have to do for the day before rushing into the hustle and bustle of it.
READ A DAILY DEVOTIONAL AND/OR AFFIRMATIONS
Devotionals and affirmations are my jam. I have the Bible app on my phone, and once I’m up and out of the bed I get a dose of devotion and prayer. Also, I am currently reading (affiliate) Big Idea Food: A Weekly Devotional for Entrepreneurs, Side Hustlers & Dreamers. There are so many good affirmations in there, that I have been reading one or two pages daily…then depending on how crazy the day is I may dip back and re-read a few. You know how it is sometimes when you need a reminder that all is well, or at least it will be!
The importance of this step in your day is to have something positive to think back on when things go haywire during the day. Whether you are a praying person or not, there is nothing like a good dose of positivity to get you back on course.
PLAN THE DAY
I always plan my day. It’s not always intricate, but there is always some idea of what will happen, what time I have to be somewhere, what time I have to leave to get to said place, what we are eating for dinner….
I’ve talked about how I plan here. I like to write things down, it helps me remember what I have to do. I highly encourage people who say they don’t have time to plan, to make time. The mental scribble scrabble of having to remember things, and hope you don’t forget them is stressful in itself. Even with planning, I still drop the ball on things… so I can’t imagine how much stuff I would be messing up if I didn’t plan.
These three simple things have a huge impact on my day, and I feel the difference in my day when I don’t take time to ground myself with my morning routine. Of course, this is just one part of the day, if you want to see how my morning looks in terms of action, here’s a video I did on YouTube highlighting my morning routine as a work at home mom to include getting the kids off to school, cleaning and working!
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It was really hard for me to get in the “fall” mood because the temps here in Georgia were still in the high 90s. On Saturday things finally started to cool down, and a quick glance at the extended forecast showed that cooler temps were on the way and I immediately got in a “fall-y” mood as I like to call it.
Hands down fall is my favorite time of year. No doubt, it is the kick-off to crazy season around here, but there is something about the falling temps and leaves that make me feel all cozy inside. Not to mention the best part of fall is my son’s birthday on October 14th. So cliche, but so true…”I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers.”
My fall front porch decor is a mashup of items that I picked up from HomeGoods, Target, Michael’s, Aldi and Home Depot. You can totally get in the spirit and create an inviting entrance to your home on a budget.
I recommend shopping during the off-season and properly storing items away so that you can easily access and reuse them from year to year.
My neighbor letters all kinds of things, and in the fall she offers pumpkins. I got one this year with our last name on it. A few of my other neighbors have her do faux pumpkins, and I meant to do that this year, but this one is real. Normally my pumpkins last well into the end of November. Matter of fact they lasted so well one year, I contemplated painting them red and repurposing them as large Christmas ornaments.
If you don’t have someone to hand letter a pumpkin for you, I would search on Etsy for someone that makes adhesive name labels, you can get the same look.
These indoor/outdoor lanterns were a steal from HomeGoods. They were $19.99 each, came with batteries, and include a built in 5 hour timer. To set it, I made sure to turn them on around 6p and from then on they come on around 6p and go off at 11p. When shopping for your porch, pick-up items that you can repurpose from season to season. These lanterns will get tons of use. ( here is a similar lantern with the same features.)
The yellow rug under the door mat is Opal House from Target, it was a clearance score, and the mat is from Bed, Bath and Beyond. The wreath was also a clearance find. I found it at Michael’s at the end of last year, it was originally marked $79.99 and I paid $14.99. (similar initial doormat) (similar wreath)
I had a hard time finding outdoor pillows for my rocking chairs this time of year. Normally I just use regular pillows that I find on sale for cheap, but I found these clearance goodies at HomeGoods for $15. They were intended to be seat cushions, but at that price I thought I’d try them as pillows instead. Not sure if I’m crazy about them, I may replace them later if I find something I like better. However, they work for now. (Outdoor pillow covers)
Mums came from Home Depot, and the orange pumpkins were Aldi finds for $2.39 each, and my neighbor donated the corn stalks to the cause (you can get them on Amazon). I’m sure I’ll add in some more pumpkins and mums as they start to go on clearance, but for now I’m pleased at how my fall porch decor on a budget turned out!
Up next on the fall decorating agenda is to finish off the inside, and tackle our screened in porch. Stay tuned for those updates!
Where are my 1979 babies?! The year of 40 is rapidly coming to an end, and I have a few more celebrations to attend before the majority of the squad are VIP members at the 40/40 club. There have been sleepovers, 80’s parties, and intimate dinners to usher in our new decade of life. A few weekends ago we took the party to one of the most amazing cabins in the Blue Ridge Mountains to celebrate one of the homie’s 40th trip around the sun. Speaking of sun… the sunset from this place was amazing.
We laughed, ate, drank, and spent some time exploring downtown Blue Ridge. We sipped wine at a local winery, enjoyed rum cake from an authentic Cuban cafe tucked in a little town in Tennessee, did a little shopping in downtown Blue Ridge, and ended our trip with some shopping at the outlets on our way home.
The cabin was absolutely amazing and had the most breathtaking sunset views. Sharing is caring, so if you are interested in renting this place… click here. We were fortunate enough to have clear skies both nights we were there. We even think a bear was lurking outside of the cabin on our last night there. Watch the video for details!
The weekend away was much needed. I value the time I have with my friends, we don’t get the chance to get together as much as we would like… cause kids and family but when we do it’s like we’ve never skipped a beat. I love my tribe so hard for not being “needy” or “complicate” we just get each other. We’ve already scheduled another getaway for after Christmas. We’re sure to need it by then!
The vlog from our weekend brings these words to life! There’s a cabin tour, and a look at some bear paws! If you aren’t already subscribed, please do. I post things to my YouTube channel that I don’t always share here. I’d love to have you join the family!
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