What Ana Does

Closets are are in and I'm IN LOVE!  I've been stalking the ELFA closet systems from The Container Store for years. And when we decided to convert the room attached to our bedroom to a closet, formerly used as an office, I knew I wanted to custom build an ELFA closet for us.  Here's what I was told: They're super-easy to build. And they are customizable even after installation; you're not stuck with a certain layout. So if I get a job at an office where I need to be dressed up, I can reconfigure my closet to include more hanging space. Or a pants hanger. Other closet systems were cheaper, but you were committed to that layout.  I got the room measurements during the inspection, went on the website and did all the work to create two walls of closets. And we did one for Alice's closet, since a) she didn't want her closet doors and b) her existing closet system was a disaster.  And, lucky us, we got 25% off all three closet systems ... during their annual sale...

I love shopping but I really love shopping for solutions, don't you? I like finding the best deals for things that fit a specific purpose in my life. That answer a need. And there are a few things I'm still searching for ...  A "Shopping" Winter Coat - I have winter coats but they're huge and super-warm, great for neighborhood walks but I sweat walking around Target. I don't need the layers when I'm just going from home to car to store. Here's the JCrew Factory coat I'm looking at.  A Smaller Handsfree Purse -  I own a bunch of purses, most by the same designers: Orla Keily, Kate Spade and FEED, which I switch-out through the year based on: what my daily life looks like, what I need to haul, and what season it is. Mostly, my purses are on the large size, because I used to commute and needed extra supplies and I used to have small kids that I always needed snacks, etc. for. No more! I don't need all that room if, again, all I do is go from hom...

Now that I'm back to work after three years of being off, I'm able to finally SHOP unfettered and unimpeded. Sorry, but there's nothing worse than asking my husband for money to buy a new sweater. (Though, I appreciate how much pressure a single-income put on him.) So my requests for personal purchases were as few as I could manage. Now that I have a paycheck again, my first FOR ME purchase was ... pajamas! JCrew was having a HUGE deal on their PJ sets and I jumped in. I love a classic matching PJ set. The state of my current PJs are a little sad. Most of my flannel printed pants are long past retirement. And the t-shirts are usually those I won't wear in public anymore. It doesn't make for a very flattering look. So my donation pile will be growing again. So there ... that's what I bought with my first paycheck back at work!

I bought this dress for my birthday in April and haven't had the right occasion to wear it until last weekend. I love it so much ... and it was comfortable and flattering. I got it from J.Crew on a very good sale ... here's the link . For me, they do denim so so so well. In fact, this is the third J.Crew denim dress in my closet. ;) Plus, you can see a little more of my master bathroom  of which I can report we still very much love since our winter remodel! Related links: Have you thought about doing a capsule wardrobe? I did.

Lately, I've been reading a lot about  capsule wardrobe . It just kept coming up in blogs, podcasts, Pinterest and books. (See below.) A Capsule Wardrobe concept, as I understand it, is your limited every-day-go-to wardrobe. And it's usually 20-38 items. Total. In theory, it cuts out the unworn clothing in your closet -- the just-in-cases, the I'll-fit-this-again-someday, etc. And, by doing so, wipe out the "what am I going to wear?" daily stress by just wearing your favorites/most-flattering in rotation. (Which you probably do already.) And you save money because you're not buying new clothes every month. Sources right to left:  Over the Deep End ,  Emily Lightly ,  Classy Yet Trendy  (I think) (Here's one link to How to Start a Capsule Wardrobe . I found a ton of other articles, too.) The frugal, zero-waste, sustainable side of me loves this concept. I love the idea of simplifying my morning because really most days I do wear the same thing (...