This is a sponsored post but all opinions are my own.

The holidays always bring me such joy and excitement; the food, cookies, family, decorations and the lights! THE LIGHTS! With my joy, comes nervousness and anxiety! Probably more so now that I’m a mom and homeowner. As it is, I walk around all day and lay in bed at night thinking, did I blow that candle out? Did I unplug the tree? Is anything in front of that outlet? Even just with this renovation in general, I wonder, is the electric done properly? It’s an old house…

As a child, my best friend’s house was undergoing an addition and one night it went up in flames. As it turns out, it was electrical from the addition! Everyone got out safely, thank god and other than losing everything they owned, they were all ok! Just a few weeks ago, my husband attended a charity event for a family in town, whose house burned to the ground. It’s just scary to think in a split second, everything can change!

I think about every room in this house when we’re in it and what I would do if something like that ever happened and we were in said room. Either because I’m a crazy person or just an uber prepared mom of 3 little boys and a dog, these are my practical tips for fire safety in your home!

1. Mind your P’s and C’s [See what I did there?] Always make sure your outlets are plugged up with child safety plugs and if in use, aren’t within reach of the children and are not obstructed by anything! Keep curtains from falling in front of them, keep bedding away from them, etc. [That was the P]. If using candles, keep them in safe proximity from the children or anything drapey! This seems commonsensical but I can’t tell you how many times we have gone to someone’s house [who is either not as child safe as we are or who doesn’t have children, and the candles are just out for all to see…and touch!] Don’t think just because your kid knows better, that so does everyone else’s. Mine tend to be quite curious and the 4 year old’s favorite pastime is blowing them out. After all, we teach them from the age of 1 that candles mean fun and celebration, don’t we?

2. Unplug! When leaving the house, make sure you blow out all candles, unplug the Christmas Tree or anything else you may have illuminated like it. NEVER leave the dryer on! This is one of my major no-no’s for us because we have a dog. I would never forgive myself if my urge to get the laundry done resulted in a fire while I was gone and Jake was trapped inside with no way out! While I’m on the topic of the dryer, remember to always clean that lint filter out…thoroughly and frequently!

3. Have a safety plan! Teach your kids Stop, Drop and Roll, to stay low because smoke rises, test door knobs before opening doors, all the good stuff. Without a doubt, definitely have an escape plan. They have those ladders that roll up and stay by the window sill until needed and then unroll and can be climbed down easily to the ground. What doors will you use? What neighbors house will you run to? Who will get the animals?

4. Hide matches, lighters and anything flammable and keep in a safe space. As an art teacher, we always had our stains and spray paints in the “flammables” cabinets, just in case they spontaneously combusted. As I’m writing this paragraph, I just remembered a friend who was building a new beach house and one of the workers put a can of stain and a rag in a 5 gallon bucket with the lid on…it got hot and it exploded, burning the house and pilings and the whole thing needed to be rebuilt because the structural integrity was compromised!

5. Have Proper And Working Equipment: My last tip would be to make sure you have all of the proper equipment to alert you of a potential hazard; smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors etc. If you aren’t sure if your detectors are properly installed, you might consider calling in the professionals. Alpha Fire and Security Systems is your one stop shop to purchase and have installed not only smoke detectors but also alarms as well. They offer 24/7 monitoring on your home for fire and home intrusion as well as repair should something go wrong. They serve several counties in the New Jersey area including fire alarm installation in South Orange county so be sure to give them a call if you need assistance.

P.S. For all of those who have real Christmas Trees, don’t forget to water them!

Happy Holidays!

xoxo

Kelli

Updated: Apr 7, 2021

Having lived in Hoboken for 10 years, and [me] being completely insatiable, my husband and I moved quite a bit. We lived all over town; in walk ups, elevator buildings, on the main drag, in the back of town, literally everywhere. For every move, we did it ourselves, with the help of my brother in laws. The final move out was a different monster though. We had to pack up a 2 bed/2 bath apartment, a baby and a dog and move down to the burbs! We said we were hiring movers this time, obviously, and then, we didn’t. I will remember this day forever, because we happened to have moved the same day as our best friends. They were in Jersey City, the next town over, and also moved to the town in which we live now. Their experience went a little differently than ours; mainly because well, I married my husband. Here are my top tips for a successful and mostly stress free move!

1. Sell everything you can! We kept the obvious major pieces, our beds…and I think that was it. I took pictures of almost everything and listed it all on Facebook Marketplace. Somehow we still filled a 15’ moving truck and had to make two trips…don’t ask me how. Basically, anything that I didn’t need to survive, furniture wise, we sold, including our couch. We were moving into a home and knew that we wouldn’t want “apartment” furniture, since we cheaped out on everything. After selling the good stuff, we moved to donating. What was still perfectly usable but not sell worthy, or just didn’t sell before we were ready? We put it all down in our lobby, which was the unofficial free trade system in our building. If you have a salvation army drop off near you, that’s an awesome place too, because you know the things will get sold to people who need it and obviously the money goes to a great cause. Anything that’s left after that, throw out! You’ll never miss it! The hodge podge cooking utensils, the old bath mat, garbage!

2. After we cleaned house, no pun intended, I pulled everything from the whole apartment into one room and placed it into categories. All of my glass vases [don’t ask why I had so many], lamps, signs and wall decor, you get the picture. This made it super simple for me to see what size boxes I needed and how many. It also helped me see if I needed bubble wrap and other supplies I may not have thought of if I was packing as I went.

3.Get the proper supplies. I have done moves before where I wrapped things in my socks and so forth. I highly suggest doing it right. I got the styrofoam sleeves for all of my glasses, bubble wrap sheets for the plates and the correct boxes for what you’re packing in them. Home depot has a great variety. They have heavy duty, which we used for our kitchenware and heavier glass vases etc; the more fragile stuff. We also got wardrobe boxes for our closets. They have the bar across them, so you just move everything over. We also filled the bottoms with shoes, some throw pillows and some other stuff that would do fine in there. The boxes are really sturdy and run about $15 each.

4. Obviously everyone’s budget varies but if you can manage it, I would highly recommend hiring movers. Once you have yourself organized, make a list of what you’re taking with you and call for estimates! When my brother in laws showed up to help us, I was in the en-suite crying because I was so frustrated with the lack of organization happening…and you see how organized I was! Meanwhile, on the other side of town, my friends basically sat down with a cocktail and watched as their movers packed all of their stuff, moved it into the truck and drove it down to their new pad! I was still crying and drawing up divorce papers. I should have just called up last minute NJ movers! A great option is All In One Moving & Storage, Inc. They offer an array of services to help make the moving experience stress free!

5. My final tip works for anyone, but especially those traveling with children. I would absolutely figure out what you use or need for a few days and pack it in a separate box or bag that stays with you! Think of it like the carry on to your checked luggage. When you finally get to your new home, you are probably going to be exhausted and not want to deal with unpacking. Make sure you have what you need for yourself and some cleaning products to quickly clean the shower, take a shower and go to sleep comfortably that night! Keep a pack n play handy for the kids, a set of sheets, bottles, favorite toys, sound machines, some clothes, personal hygiene products, maybe even a set of glasses or disposable items etc. It will feel so good to know that everything you NEED is in one place and you can worry about the rest in the morning!

XOXO

Kelli

While this is a sponsored post, all opinions are my own!

Updated: Jul 16, 2021

As many of you know, I was born and raised in Pt. Pleasant, NJ and while I don’t live there now, I am not far and still feel pride for the town that helped shape me! I love to support the amazing people and businesses who helped to make growing up there, memorable. So many local businesses have suffered over the past year and I hope I can draw some attention to a few below…

Sunshine Daydream

I posted about them not too long ago. I was wearing that amazingly soft, ribbed, long sleeve bodysuit and cloud like peach cardigan. Sunshine Daydream is a small boutique, right on Bay Ave, in the heart of town and have the best stuff! Everyone gets their gifts for their bridesmaids there, [like the layered necklace I have] shops for the cutest clothes and they have the most adorable accessories! [such as these delicious candles!] Their prices are on point for a boutique with high quality product. I’ve included links above, to some things that I own, for you to check out!

Nature’s Reward Produce Market and Garden Center

Nature’s Reward is a wonderful place to grab amazing quality plants, shrubs and flowers! They fill the sides of Bridge Ave and Route 88 with bright, beautiful greenery and pops of color from Spring to Fall, and they are so wonderful to work with! I’ve gotten so many plants from there, including all of my salvias! They’re a small family owned business and are always pleasant to talk to when popping in! The Bridge Ave location offers a small farmers market as well, where you can pick up delicious produce!

The Beanery

This spot is a great place, also in the heart of downtown Pt. Beach, to get lunch or even just an AMAZING coffee drink! The frozen vanilla chai tea is my favorite, along with their avocado toast! Just thinking about it makes me want to drive down and go! You can order online for pickup, dine in or even get your event catered by them! It’s a nice, quaint little spot to go sit and relax, and they’re kid friendly! You can check out their menu here.

Jenkinson’s

I’m sure many of you have heard of this magical place and while people think it is owned by Jenkinson, himself…it most certainly is not. It is, however, owned by a small family that has turned it into the main draw to our town in the summer. It has the beach and boardwalk, complete with rides and arcade games. It has a wonderful aquarium that specializes in bringing in injured wildlife and taking good care of them. I love bringing my sons here! It’s small and intimate and the staff are so knowledgable and love to talk about their area of specialty! They also have a plethora of bath houses, bars and restaurants and provide various entertainment schedules throughout the summer, from fire works to animal shows and more! You can definitely make an entire day and evening out of it!

Baja East Surf Shop

The place for all things surf, skate and snowboard. Baja East has the cutest clothes, bathing suits and fun things for around the home! You’re getting all of the name brands, ie Hurley, Ripcurl and then some you’ve never heard of…but they’re up there with the best! The one thing you will remember forever, is the smell of coconut wax, as soon as you walk in. It’s sensational! It’s owned and run by two brothers who have become well known in the Pt. Pleasant community, in which they live and raise their children!

Vesuvio Pizza

This is, I think, the best pizza in town! I use to go here for lunch in HS all the time and was always so excited the day that we chose to! They’re super friendly and it’s just a regular down to earth pizzeria. Easy to dine in or pick up and go! There menu is here.

Cowan Investigation

Bob Cowan, the owner of Cowan Investigations, is the best of the best. He is the former Chief of the Jersey City Police Department and has 35+ years of experience. Plus, he has built his business on trust, knowledge, and expertise. “Bob Cowan has invested in acquiring the latest high-tech surveillance equipment. While some other New Jersey investigators may have some of this same technology, what they often lack is the experience and expertise to use it properly. When working with Cowan Investigations, your trust and confidence in our work will be built on our many years of investigative and surveillance experience and detailed knowledge of our craft.” Your peace of mind is their business – they serve the New Jersey area 24/7 and Bob Cowan is prepared to put his wealth of knowledge and experience to work for you. If you need a private investigator in Point Pleasant Beach NJ (or anywhere in NJ), call them today for a free 30 minute consultation!

While I was compensated for this post, all opinions are always my own and authentic!

As you know, I can be quite handy when it comes to DIY projects, woodworking and tiling, but I can’t keep a plant alive! This stands true for inside but outside, believe it or not, is a different story!! Two years ago, when we bought this house, we inherited a property that was pristine! The landscaping was perfect; plush grass, bright flowers everywhere, big bushy….bushes! I knew that I had big shoes to fill to make sure I kept it this way and coming from an apartment in Hoboken to nearly an acre of property…we had a lot to learn…the first thing being, how expensive plants can be! With winter [hopefully] nearing end and Spring right around the corner, I’m going to provide you with some tips for cost effective yet beautiful landscaping ideas!!

Depending on what you’re in the market for, compare prices at your local nurseries, but a big tip is go directly to the source. We have an actual farm about 45 minutes away that supplies all of the nurseries in the area with their goods. While this can be a tad inconvenient, it’s worth it for the big ticket items like trees, boxwoods or grasses to line the house or property. We did a mixture of dwarf boxwoods [I wouldn’t recommend] and graziella aka maiden grass to line our porch. We chose these because boxwoods are what you call forever greens, meaning, they stay as they are all year round. The maiden grass is big, hearty, tall sea grass in the later spring to summer and then turns brown and blooms these gorgeous plumes [I’ve pictured them on my instagram] in the fall into winter. If we didn’t get all of this heavy snow, they’d still be that way! The boxwoods and grasses cost us about $12/pc, which is great considering they’re a forever plant! The reason I wouldn’t recommend the dwarfs, are because while they cap out at our desired height and width of 2-3’, we didn’t realize until after the fact, that means that they only grow about an inch a year and will take almost 12 years to mature! We would have rather gotten the next size up, about 3-5’ and trimmed them to what we needed.

The next tip is regarding privacy and aesthetics. Grasses, all the grasses! Now, I am from the beach, so I definitely have a bias towards dune grass, but these bad boys are so beautiful and inexpensive! The best part is, once they’re rooted, you can split them and turn one into 1000! You can cut these down in the fall or the spring, but because I like the plumes, we keep them until spring. As soon as the weather turns, we will cut them down to a little hay bail size and then literally take a spade and split them up! I am moving some hydrangeas and replacing them with the grass along our back fence line. They also grow so quickly, that by summer, they will be large bushes already, perfect for keeping privacy between us and our neighbor!

If you’re looking to bring in some color, Petunias, Impatiens and Begonias have become three of my favorite annuals, specifically New Guinea Impatiens. For perennials, I love Lavender and Astilbe! I spent $600 our first spring here [and yes, I remember the price because my husband reminds me of it often] but since then, I have learned what works and what does not in our hardiness zone. If you don’t know what zone you’re in, google it! It’s so helpful to avoid certain plants not taking and doing well! Now, at most, I spend $1-200 a year on our light landscaping and they grow nice and hearty and stay well into the fall!

Another project that we are in the beginning stages of is planning our hardscaping! We are redoing our patio, pool area, driveway and walkway. It seems most people prefer to have natural stone, such as Travertine or Bluestone; we have friends who have this and it is no doubt, beautiful! Unfortunately, these price points don’t fit into everyone’s budget and for larger projects, like what we’re looking at, we found some more affordable options that provide the same look but offer an added benefit. Since natural stone isn’t as durable in the changing seasons, here in the Northeast, as the engineered materials, options like high-density concrete are nice to have. We will definitely be bringing in a professional for this job!

Some projects can be fun and are well worth the invested time but some can become quite the headache! We choose to have a landscaper mow our yard weekly because it is well worth it for the time saving aspect. Our biggest takeaway, when we think of landscaping, is 1. Can we do it ourselves? and 2. How long will it take us relative to the cost of hiring someone. I enjoy planting but when it comes to edging or prepping our larger garden beds, we bring in the pros for that too. Get a free estimate for your Spring landscaping ideas from Onorato Landscaping LLC to complete your dream outdoor living space. This lawn service company is located in Bergen County, NJ and offers all of the services listed below:

• Lawn Care & Maintenance
• Yard Drainage
• Retaining & Rock Walls
• Walkways & Masonry
• Stairways & Stoops
• Commercial Landscaping & Snowplowing
• and MORE!

Thank you to Onorato Landscaping LLC, for sponsoring this post! As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

XO Kelli

Updated: Apr 7, 2021

While this is a sponsored post, all opinions are my own.

We renovated our home less than a year ago and we lived through it, with 2 toddlers, a dog and a very pregnant me! It WAS NOT fun living with plastic hanging and that cold weather kicking in! While I don’t recommend doing a major renovation in the dead of winter, what I do recommend is seriously preparing your home FOR winter, renovation or not! We came across a lot of things that needed attention or just to be thought out before we closed our home up! So, to begin, I should mention that we renovated the exterior as well as the interior; new roof, siding, built a porch and added peaks to the roofline. Below are just a few of the very important issues that arose for us!

1. Check the roof, inside and out! As I stated, we added peaks to the roofline and in doing so, also changed all of the shingles to black. We found that we needed to replace some of the plywood once they ripped off the old shingles. Now, you may not be replacing your roof, but you can certainly still check this out by going in your attic and looking at it from the inside. Check for any water stains that may indicate you have or had a leak. Something else to check for is flashing around a chimney [if you have one]. Ours was fine, but a friend of ours just bought a house and after the first snowfall was melting, he realized he had a BIG problem, as water was pouring into his master bedroom!

2. Gutters are another big thing. We replaced all of our gutters because we were told it was just easier, since we were redoing everything. Something that we added, which was a fabulous idea by my father in law, was gutter guards! These are just a mesh clip on, that lay on top of your gutters and keep all of the debris out! No more leaves, sticks or anything getting in them, to clog them up! If you don’t go this route, I would highly recommend getting up there or hiring someone to come clean them out, especially right before winter! Something that goes hand in hand is definitely keeping tree branches away from your home. Trim them back or remove them totally. They can not only cause physical damage, but also cause mold and mildew to grow because they provide shady spots, where the moisture doesn’t dry!

3. Make sure your attic fan or vent is working properly. When we redid the roof, we actually got rid of our attic fan and built in a ridge vent. This way, we didn’t need the thermostat to tell the fan to kick on to help control the temperature. The ridge vent just runs the whole length of the house, in the attic, so that the air circulates and stays regulated. If you don’t have this, make sure your fan is working properly. This will seriously help costs stay down, so your system isn’t running unnecessarily! A great recommendation is Peter’s Roofing. This Hudson County business specializes in attic fan repair and other services to make sure your roof is ready for winter and in the best condition possible. They are truly one of the most trusted and reliable companies to help when you need it the most.

4. The fireplace. We have a beautiful, dual sided fireplace, that’s the focal point of the home. I couldn’t wait to get it going for our first winter here and now we’re staring at it, looking oh so pretty and can’t use it! We obviously had a ton of construction dust from the renovation, but I cleaned it out, along with the logs. After I was done, I reassembled it and turned that baby on, so excited to sit down on my chaise, with a glass of wine and enjoy the aesthetics and warmth! Unfortunately, I smelled gas almost immediately and noticed a black substance forming on the logs. What we should have done and now will do, is call in a professional to check the fireplace, clean it and check the flu and chimney!

I hope you found these tips helpful and wish you the warmest, coziest and carefree winter yet!

Xoxo

Kelli