Our trip today was for a few items that were on my list for a long time. We were there pretty early because we wanted to be in and out. It was not too crowded and we could find what we needed! There are a few highlighted items from this trip though.

Light it up
Our house is too dark once the sun sets. We’ve been looking for a simple and practical light that would fit our space. The HEKTAR light ticked all our boxes. It doesn’t seem out of place at all in our home and it’s bright! We want to upgrade a few other lights in the house but that will come eventually. I know I have my eyes on a NYMÖ / SEKOND but Sander loves the IKEA PS 2014. We’re going to have to sit down and talk it out!

Shine bright
I’ve been loving the idea of having more candles around the house. While it’s not practical to keep them lit, I love how they look. It makes the place look cosier and a little more lived in. As soon as I saw the FÖRETE I knew I wanted it on my entertainment system. We got a single FENOMEN to keep inside. I doubt I will light this but I love the way it looks.

New greens
It’s so hard for me to say no to plants. I’ve been doing a good job at keeping my current ones alive. So I decided to pick up a box of CACTACEAE. I haven’t had a lot of luck in the past with cactus plants but I think I’ve turned over a new leaf (haha). I decided to stay with the white pots. They’re beautiful and simple and I hope I can keep them alive!

The essentials
We needed an upgrade in the bathroom and in the kitchen so we opted for new soap dispensers. Our bathroom is white and has light wood accents so we got a DRAGAN soap dispenser and toothbrush holder. For our kitchen we got a BALUNGEN. We also picked up new light bulbs, a few toys for the dogs, and a few Christmas gifts.

All in all the hour and a half we spent there was well spent! We hardly ever venture into Ikea because it’s crawling with so many people. The last time we were there was to upgrade our closet. Our house is coming together. We still have a lot to do but it’s looking a little more polished each day.

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Gift with intention
I don’t mind asking what someone would prefer to get. I know I made Christmas lists growing up so that my parents could have a choice. It’s a shame my extended family ignored these lists. I often got presents that I was uninterested in and got rid of them as soon as I could. It doesn’t hurt to ask for a gift suggestion. After all you’ll be given a straight answer instead of assuming what they would want. If you don’t want to ask what they want there’s another approach. Talk to them about something they’ve wanted for a while but couldn’t justify the money for. A new set of knives or a collector’s edition of their favorite music. This way you’ll get them something they’ve wanted but had to say no to.

Go eco-friendly
There are tons of stores that are going eco-friendly. You can pick up something that’s better quality (instead of fast fashion) in favor for something earth friendly. This way you can be giving back to the environment as well as your friends or family. You could even so as far as gifting plants or flowers. Do make sure you know who you’re buying for though! Don’t get someone a plant if you know they’re notorious for forgetting to water them!

DIY
I’m a huge fan of do it yourself gifts and there are a thousand ways to make a gift that looks expensive. I’ve been binge watching the The Sorry Girls because they do such wonderful DIY videos. For the holidays they tackle everything. I recommend giving their channel a look over. They have great ideas if you want to make something but need inspiration or direction. Often times a practical and homemade gift can speak louder than a store bought gift.

Secondhand choices
Here in The Netherlands secondhand stores are common. Sometimes they don’t have a lot of useful things but there can be treasures. Sander and I used to frequent the one in the city over before it moved locations. It had a great selection of video games and we ended up buying a handful of them. A few second hand stores even have deals with local bakers. Our favorite one used to keep a healthy stock of fresh baked goods and home grown plants.

Regifting
There are a lot of special cases for this topic but do make sure you regift something that’s clean and never used. I’ve regifted unopened books and accessories before. Many times my old book club would do this instead of a white elephant gift. It’s a practical way to get rid of something you know someone else would love. Keep in mind who gave the item to you though! You wouldn’t want to return it to them the next year.

If all else fails you can always grab a gift card for something they enjoy. I love getting gift cards for books. This way I can pick up a title that I’ve been waiting for instead of having my gifter guess what I would like. It keeps the relationship simple too! There will be less frustration if your recipient can choose what they want instead of dealing with something they don’t.

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Spooky sweater with eyeballs
I love how simple this knit sweater is. Just rub your hands up and down on the eyes to hide or expose them! It’s super cute and I’ll be wearing this even after Halloween is over.

Black jeans
I’ve been searching high and low for a pair of jeans that matches my body type. Everyone is tall and thin here and I’m pretty damn short and curvy. I finally wandered into ZARA and found the perfect pair! I got a black one to look sleek and classy even when I don’t feel that way.

Halloween Joggers
If you don’t know who Pusheen is, you’re missing out on something incredibly adorable. While I’m not a fan of cats, I love how Pusheen can make anything cuddly and cozy. These joggers are perfect for laying around the house after dinner (something I do often).

Dr Martens in the style Aunt Sally Coraline
My old boots lasted nearly three years before they fell apart and had to be tossed. I’ve been on the hunt for a pair of boots that will last me longer than that. I found this pair (on sale right now) that will be perfect for when it rains and snows here (my last boots had no traction at all). I’m hoping this pair will be just what the Doctor ordered!

Vanilla Pumpkin Body Butter
The scents of this body butter is so divine that I had to get the hand cream as well. It’s very light on the pumpkin though so if that’s what you’re looking for, you might have to keep searching. Either way, I feel like it’s perfect for the season and I love to slather it on right after a hot shower. The nights are getting colder here and this time of the year that I really miss those warm California nights!

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