Balcony garden FTW

it’s funny; when I had a third-acre yard, I never gardened. Always hoped to, but the execution never happened out of intimidation. 

But now that we’ve downsized and now have a condo balcony instead of a yard, potted plants, I can do.

Do you know that growing even some of your own food (organically) helps improve air quality, reduces your carbon footprint, reduces you and your children’s risk of cancer (by limiting pesticide exposure), prevents soil erosion from mass-farming, takes good transport trucks off the road, and the list goes on.  

I have five repurposed pots in a variety of deepness, as well as some railing boxes from IKEA. some organic soil and a handful of seed starters later, and I now have a balcony full of pesticide-free sprouts! I’m growing:

🌿 basil

🌿 cilantro

🌿 jalapeños

🌿 sweet pepper

🌿 cherry tomatoes

🌿 flowers

I’ll keep you updated on my goals to compost, as well as whether they start baring fruit! Please send “grow” vibes, as I’m a very “green” apartment Gardner.  

Green up your space!

After watching, “Children of Men” featuring Clive Owen, I leaned over to my husband and showed him my new Pinterest board. 

“Our house is now going to look like Jasper’s,” I announced, scrolling through Pin after Pin of floating shelves draped in ivy. 

Jasper, the character in the movie, has the right idea: pack your house with plants to improve air purification, aesthetic appeal, and even food production! I’m growing herbs and aloe Vera right on my kitchen counter. Veggies on the balcony. There’s always flowers on my kitchen table (thanks, Trader Joe’s)! And it seems the more plants are in the home, the happier I am! And there’s actually research to prove that. 

A ton more research is out there about how plants improve physical and emotional health, but you get the idea. So in the name of creating an environment that soothes you, instead of stresses you, turn to the “pot!”

From house to condo: A Downsized home tour

Though we’d been talking about it for awhile, we had no idea what we were in for: Moving a family of four (yes, we count our dog) into a 2-bed, 1-bath condo. When our (AMAZING) realtor Jenny Pace took us to the downtown condo for the initial walk-through, we had our rose-colored glasses on. But when moving day put us back into the now-empty, 878-square-foot condo, my husband and I started missing our 1400-square-foot house, and all the beautiful upgrades we had put into it. Even though we kept our house and are currently renting it out, this felt like starting over…on a lower level.  But that feeling left as soon as our stuff went in, and fit PERFECLTY! In our old house, TWO BEDROOMS sat unused; one held a desk, and the other, a guest bed. Now, our desk takes up the right amount of space – a spot in the main area – and guests may sleep on our fold-down couch. No wasted space, and no extra space to clean! Plus, the two bedrooms we do have are far bigger than the ones we occupied while in the house. 

There’s also a lot to be said about layout; our old house was pretty open but was not laid out in as good of a flow as this condo! I think because condos have to be efficient to make the building work, most times builders put effort into smart design. 

I also must say that with our own style inside, and our own art on the walls, this place feels SO cozy and luxurious! (The view of the Capitol doesn’t hurt…feels like we are in Europe or Washington DC!). We definitely plan to renovate a few things (kitchen, floors, paint) but are in no rush because we’ll be here awhile. 

The initial sadness of stepping into a new life has completely dissolved now that our new life is so EASY and adventurous and exciting and fun!! Read all the upsides we’ve experienced  by downsizing HERE. 
Enjoy the tour! Let me know about your own downsizing experience or desires in the comments! 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
 

We did it! Downsizing from house to condo!

  
We finally practiced what we preach and moved from our 1400-square-foot suburban ranch to a 890-square-foot condo in the city! 

Not only are we saving money on our mortgage that we’ve already been able to put toward a vacation, but we’re playing WAYYYYY fewer utilities and haven’t used our second car in a week!! And even with a crazed, energetic toddler, AND a dog, we haven’t missed our yard. I think when you make a move like this, you ACCEPT that you need to take the dog/baby out on outings, and it becomes your lifestyle, and it’s actually FUN. 

Bonus: we’re getting an amazing workout, walking to our nearby coffee shops and restaurants, and feeling IN THE MOMENT as we marvel at the simplicity and efficiency of our new life! We’ve had surprisingly tons more family time by cutting out excessive errands/space from our old life. It’s amazing how downsizing affects everything, and improves your relationships. Perhaps because there’s less to stress about, and more to appreciate? 

Moving was easy because we downsized slowly over a few months, so we only took with us stuff we really treasured/needed!

Now, everything in our new house has a place, it all fits perfectly, and we have STORAGE TO SPARE! 

Now, ill be sharing tips for downsizing/organizing your home and how to make the most of a small space. You’ll even here about my balcony garden. 

Cheers to new, better beginnings!