News

Hi friend!  Can you believe we’re already in March?!  It feels like the first two months of the year went fast and here we are, about to head out for Spring Break in a couple of weeks! If you’ve been here for long, you know I love to be productive and get things done, but I also like to be intentional about how I spend my time.  I can get lost in the concept of “slow living” but I also know that, in my life, sometimes I have to hustle in the present so I can savor the down time...

Imagine waking up one day and not being able to live inside your home. Some serious water damage and, later, mold forced me to move out of my condo. Living out of a bag became my reality. Thankfully, as a gear tester, I had no shortage of duffels and bags to cram all my belongings into. Still, on that first day, I had absolutely no clue how I’d pack to be away from home for an undisclosed timeline. What on earth would I need to bring? At the very least, the bare essentials. But also things like books, paperwork, kitchenware,...

You know how as a parent, you sometimes just…hide? Like, “doing laundry” for way longer than you need to so you can sneak a candy bar. Or, “washing your face” for an extra 15 minutes while you scroll your phone. Well, I have a new place to hide. And it’s kind of glorious. I’ve been working on our closet renovation for a few weeks now, and I’m thrilled to say it’s finally fully complete. I shared all of the details on the new closet system last week, but I’ve been working on all of the finishing touches that make it...

By Claudia Boyd-Barrett Leigh Ferrin knew she had to find a way to help the single mother who called her legal aid office. The mom, who lived near Ferrin’s office in Orange County, had escaped domestic violence and was trying to move on with life — for her child and herself. She was scraping together rent money for the home they shared. She was starting over. But the past kept haunting her. The client – whose name is being withheld to protect her privacy – started getting calls from credit card companies after leaving her husband. It turned out her...

Soon, freezing cold days will be long gone, and our larger-than-life puffy coat will be out of order until next winter. Although we love a good winter wardrobe that stands up to cold temperatures, it can take up a ton of space in our closet (that we’re secretly plotting to fill with tons of cute summer clothes) when we’re not wearing it. That means it’s time to find the right storage solutions for retiring gloves, scarves, sweaters, and coats. Here’s the right way to store all of the winter essentials you may not need soon.1. Declutter Your WardrobeYour first step...