DIY: Storage Organizer ♡

Hi friends! As you guys might know, we are having a guest stay with us and that means we needed to clean the apartment before he comes. While I was cleaning and organizing our stuff, I noticed that I could use some boxes to store other things. The boxes I had used to hold food, like a box of popcorn or crackers, so I needed to figure out a way to cover them but still look nice. I made one to hold some takeout napkins we had laying around and a smaller one to hold my post it notes for my desk which I took pictures of for this tutorial. If the pictures are too small, click on them to make it larger :)

Supplies:
1. A box big enough to hold what you're intending to organize.
2.  Wrapping paper. You can use any type of paper you have or want, I just used a paper bag I got from Chipotle.
3. Tape
4. Scissors
5. A pencil

Step 1:
Mark how much of the box you should cut. I wanted the post-it notes to poke out of the box so that it would be easier to take out and put back in.

I just took a post-it note and estimated how much of the post-it note should be poking out.

Step 2:

Make sure you mark around the whole box.

It'll make cutting a little bit easier.

Step 3: Time to cut!

I made a cut on the corner of the box then cut diagonally to the line that I marked. I did it this way because it's easier to follow the line mark, especially if you wanted to cut it evenly.

Remember it doesn't have to be perfect!

Step 4:

Continue cutting all the way around the box! At this point you want to put your items in the box to make sure that's how you want it to look like.

It's better to cut off less than you want because you can always cut more.

Step 5: Cut the Wrapping

Measure out the wrapping that will go around the box. I cut out two separate pieces because it will be easier to wrap. The second piece should be bigger than the first, but I suggest cutting the second one after you already wrapped one side of the box.

Step 6:

This is the part of the bag that I wanted to wrap on my box. I made sure it was big enough to at least cover one of the sides.

Step 7: Tape it!

You might end up using a lot of tape like I did... oops ;)

Tape the inside and the corners.

Tape the bottom.

Tape the sides!

(It's kind of like wrapping a present)

This is what the front looks like. Now it's time to wrap the other side.

Step 8:

Wrap the other side of the box!

Remember that your second piece should be bigger than your first one so that it can cover the whole box.

Step 9:

More taping!

Tape the inside and the corners.

I tape the corners to make sure  the paper is secured.

Tape the sides!

I pinched the corners so that it looks nice and then taped it down.

Tape the bottom!

... It's a lot of tape.. I know.

And...


You're done! Your DIY Storage Box is ready to be used and displayed. This box will help my desk stay uncluttered and organized.






The most important part of this project/craft is that you choose the right sized box for whatever it is you're storing. I just happened to have a box that fit my post-it notes perfectly. You can use a shoe box or an empty tissue box. I hope you guys liked this DIY project! I know I'll be making more of these after I have more boxes that I can recycle. Happy crafting!

Personal Update ~

Hello!! I just wanted to do an update post to let you guys know what's been going on recently.

School: The semester has finally ended! It was a long and hectic semester. I had 4 classes, which isn't a lot, but each of those classes had tons of homework and work outside of class. I was also on campus for hours on end and I was not used to having my classes so spread out before. Final grades haven't gone in yet, but the should be posted by the end of the week. I'm keeping my fingers crossed! This also means I have more time to update my blog, yaay.

Home: My fiancé and I recently looked at a new apartment. The rent is a lot more than we anticipated, so we're looking at ways to save money before we move. I am personally very excited to move because the apartment we're going to move into has a lot of space!

Winter break plans: My fiancé's brother is coming to visit us during winter break. He'll be staying with us for 2 weeks and we're so excited! It's the first time one of his family members is staying with us since we've moved here.

Spare time: I've recently got back into playing Animal Crossing! I used to play for hours but I had to stop because it was interfering with my school work, but now that I'm on break I have so much time to play! I will be doing a post on my Animal Crossing town. I'm so happy that I can now add more content to my blog with this addition. I'll also be posting at least once a week or maybe more often, depending on the content and if you guys request any posts.

Christmas Wish List ~

Hi friends! I'm not expecting any gifts, but I thought it would be fun to create a wish list. These are just some ideas for you if you don't know what you want for Christmas, or some fun gifts for a secret santa gift or for your friends. All of these items can be found on Amazon. 

1. Tea Cups 2. Molang Anti-Dust Ear Cap 3. Rilakkuma Slippers (Similar) 

4. Instax Mini Film 5. Instax Polaroid Printer (Printer w/ Film) 6. Instax Album

Evolution of my Music Interest

Hello! I'm here with another requested post. As you can tell, my friend is really into music and she requested that I go in depth with my music interest and how it's evolved or changed throughout different phases of my life :)

To be honest, I don't listen to music that much. I usually listen to whatever my fiancé listens to, so a lot of my music taste comes from him. I'm pretty much a typical girl when it comes to my own music taste. I like listening to mainstream music, as long as it's catchy. I'm not music discriminate when it comes to mainstream music, but there are some songs and artists out there that I absolutely do not like. One that comes to mind is Rhianna. I respect her as an artist, but I just can't stand her music and every time I hear one of her songs, it's an automatic skip for me. I just don't like the way she sings in her songs so any time she makes a feature on a song or I hear one of her tracks on the radio or playlist, I don't even think twice before hitting that next button.

When I was in high school, I only listened to the radio when I got ready in the morning. I was really into the R&B/Pop genre because that was what the radio station played. I still really do like R&B, but it seems like this genre is thinning out or I'm not listening to the right stations. I really like Pop, because it's just a genre of popular culture things and it's always usually on the radio. Other than listening to it in the morning while I got ready, I didn't listen to a lot of music throughout the day.

I love love love listening to old 90s music. I didn't include any in my previous post but I love bumping out to N'Sync, TLC, 3LW. I'm an N'Sync junkie because when I was little, my sisters got to see them in concert and I couldn't go because I was too young. I will always love N'Sync because it was the first boy band that I ever listened to. I love the 90s boy band phase with N'Sync, Backstreet Boys, 98 degrees, Hanson.. all of them. I can't say the same about boy bands these days, but I have a great appreciation for them back in the day (now I sound old..). My TLC/3LW phase was short. My aunt and cousin had their CDs and I would listen to them, but listening to them now just gives me a nostalgic feeling.

When I first started dating my fiancé, he introduced me into my 'screamo' phase. He was really into that type of music and I liked being exposed to different music genres. He introduced me to some of my favorite bands like Dance Gavin Dance, Underoath, and The Devil Wears Prada. He's introduced me to a lot of bands and music, but those are the only ones I know on the top of my head. Those bands are like scratching the surface of 'screamo' and are pretty popular and mainstream, but I can't help that I'm attracted to their music. Sometimes I just like a specific song from other bands like Saosin's Seven Years.

After our screamo phase, we start getting into the Indie/Alternative genre. My fiancé liked to visit the store FYE (For Your Entertainment) to scout out new music genres. We're the kind of people that still like to buy albums, especially for lesser known artists like Mew, Metric, Minus The Bear, Walk the Moon, and a couple of others. I'm actually really upset that I don't know more of the band names because I really enjoyed this phase I went through with music.

The next phase is one that I'm still in: the electronic/instrumental phase. You can see a lot of the music on my playlist comes from this phase. I love Tycho because his music is just so soothing and relaxing. We listen to it when we're doing homework or just trying to decompress from a stressful day. I feel like this genre is full of music that I can listen to over a couple of years but they never get old. I like Electronic because it's kind of like hype music. I dabble in a little bit of Trap Music, but sometimes it gets too busy and I just stick with Electronic. I really love Nero and their music is just so catchy.

It's hard for me to pinpoint songs and artists because I use Pandora and Milk Music a lot. Milk music is basically like pandora, but exclusive to Samsung phones and they categorize their music playlist by genre. Pandora lets you create your own station, which is good, but can have varying results. I hope this gives you all an insight into my music taste and how it's changed over a period of time.

Current Playlist ~

I was asking my friend for post ideas and she asked me to do one on my music interests.

I don't have a specific genre that I like because I listen to a variety of music.

Here is what I've been listening to recently, or songs that I always enjoy!

Song Title - Artist

• Awake - Tycho
• Adrift - Tycho
• Afterschool - DJ Okawari
• DAT JAZZ - Nicholas Cheung
• Under Lake Hamana - Senpai
• On Melancholy Hill - Gorillaz
• At Sunset - idenline
• Airplanes - Local Natives
• Feel It In My Bones - Tiesto ft. Tegan and Sara
• Disparate Youth - Santigold
• 4/17/1975 - Rob Viktum
• Make You Feel - Alina Baraz and Galimatias 
• L.U.V. - Charlie Puth
• Vanessa - Imprintafter
• In The Dark - Dev
• Early Morning May - Ronald Jenkees
• Red Lemonade - Ronald Jenkees
• Fifteen - Goldroom ft. Cheetah

I created a YouTube playlist with all the songs listed for easier access.

Let me know if you have any suggestions for future blog posts. Enjoy! :)

Fun on a Budget!

If you're like me, I am always broke. Well, not really broke, but I don't always have money to spend on shopping, buying the newest and latest things, or going out to movies or restaurants a lot. I save a lot of my earnings for bills and loans, but that doesn't mean I don't have a little bit to spend here and there on entertainment. Here are some of the things I like to do when I don't have money to spend.

Blogging: I've recently been really into my blog. I have so many things I want to share and I've been spending a lot of time creating content and thinking of ideas to put on my blog. It's so easy to create one once you've found a website that is easy for you to learn to use. Blog about your personal life, what you like to do, share your thoughts and ideas. I find this fun for me because I like creating things like this.

Netflix: If you don't have Netflix already then you're missing out. Netflix honestly has so many shows that you can waste your time watching. I like listening to Netflix while I cook or take a shower and for the price, I think it's totally worth it. You can watch your favorite shows or shows you've always wanted to watch. If you can't afford Netflix, see if a friend will let you use their account or even better watch Netflix with them! Netflix is a solo or group activity, so get social with your friends over your new favorite show or movie.

Window Shopping: Some people don't like window shopping, but that's the only way I know how to shop... honestly. Sometimes I'll go to the mall and not spend a single penny. I like looking at what type of fashion is trending. If I find a really good sale or deal, then I'll spend money. I always make a beeline to the sale or clearance rack because I know I will find a good deal, especially at the end of a season. Find coupons or visit your friends that work in retail, you might score a discount! I like window shopping because it gives me lots of inspiration, especially if I'm window shopping in a home decor or furniture store. I always have so many ideas!

YouTube: I've been noticing that YouTube and YouTubers have been creating some really nice quality content. This is so great because it makes watching videos more enjoyable. I don't know about you, but sometimes I watch one video and then an hour goes by because I got sucked into watching more videos. Once you've found a YouTuber that you like, make sure you follow them and see what kind of videos that they like or watch. You might be surprised by how much content there is in the YouTube universe. You can also start making your own videos! Start with vlogs if you're not sure with what to create, someone somewhere out there will find your videos interesting.

Coupons: Coupons are not just for middle-aged moms and crazy couponers, you can do it too! Maybe not to that extreme, but you can find coupons for a lot of places. If you like a certain restaurant, make sure to sign up for their email list. I know those emails can get annoying, but you'll see the benefits when you get a coupon for a free desert! Some restaurants and stores have reward programs and most of them are free to join. You might not think you'll use them, but it's nice to be rewarded for every time you visit a store, especially if you go there often. Some stores also give you a discount for using reusable bags or cups, so take advantage of that. It might not seem like you're saving much, but it adds up in the end. I use reusable bags all the time when I go grocery shopping.  If you're really serious about couponing, do your research!

Friends: Find people who have the same interests as you, but make sure you can also share your struggles with them. It sucks to be the odd one out of the group and having to say no to going out to dinner because you don't have money. You can still be friends with them, but try to find people who are going through the same thing you're going through. They're more understandable about your situation when you decline and invitation to go out, or they'll be more considerate and invite you over for a night in instead. 

Bring your lunch: Start bringing your lunch to work or school, you'll save so much money! I like bringing my lunch to school or work because I have something to look forward to and I don't have to waste my time waiting in a line or be disappointed when they don't have something for me to eat. It's getting harder for me to find alternative things to eat since I'm semi-vegetarian now, so bringing my lunch is very helpful. I know what goes into my food and I know that after I eat, I won't be starving. I used to prep a whole week's worth of food on Sundays and then I wouldn't have to worry about cooking during the week. It's super helpful if you're health conscious, but also if you're tight on time. It honestly saves my fiancé and me a lot of money. (This is more of a saving money tip than having fun tip, but saving money means you'll have money in the future for fun!)

I hope these tips help you see what I do to save money and still have fun.

Let me know if you have any questions or suggestions!

Black Friday!

My sisters have always done Black Friday and I went with them for the past three years. Every year I don't spend lots of money because I'm broke... but I still spend some on things that I think are worth buying. This year I did not spend that much because I literally came with a set amount of money and did not have any extra money. Thanks to my sisters, they spoil me and provide me with the necessities ie. providing me a place to stay, feeding me, and paying for things when we go out, and I get to save or spend on things that I wish to buy.

I only bought a couple of things this year and I'm pretty happy with my purchases.

The first thing I bought was a tsum tsum. If you guys don't know what it is, it's okay, because I didn't either. One day I decided to go into my local Disney Store to find some presents for my nieces and nephews. I saw this wall of super cute and adorable stuff animals. I cannot get enough of these and I want to collect them all. I got a Stitch tsum tsum as a present for my fiancé because he wanted one and I was set on buying one for him anyways. It's normally $4.99 but on Black Friday, the Disney Store was having a sale of 20% off the whole store. I would've paid for the original price to begin with, but I was happy that I bought it during the sale.

The only other thing I bought was some lotion from The Body Shop. My sister has an allergic reaction to the lotions at Bath and Body Works, well her hands just get itchy from their products. She wanted to try The Body Shop products because they use natural and organic things in their products. I really liked their Strawberry Scent because it smells just like candy. I bought two mini hand lotions (body butter), because it was 2 for $10. I'm not sure if it was on sale like for Black Friday, but I really liked the scent and I really wanted to buy some small lotions to keep in my purse.

My sisters also bought some candles for me at Bath and Body Works. They were doing a storewide sale: buy three get three free.  My sisters had coupons already and wanted to use them during this sale. I just decided that I wanted two candles and I got them in the scent Cranberry Pear Bellini. I really like this scent and I would have gotten the bigger candle size, but I knew I couldn't fit it in my luggage. We were originally looking for a different scent Peach Bellini, but I think I like the Cranberry Pear Bellini a little bit better.

I would have taken my own pictures, but I wanted to have this post up as soon as possible. I also already used one of my candles and mini lotions and threw away the packaging. I will try to remember to keep packaging and take pictures before using too much of the things I plan on posting.

I hope you guys had a great shopping trip on Black Friday and took up those good sales on Cyber Monday. I didn't buy anything for Cyber Monday, but The Body Shop is doing a 50% off site sale and free shipping on all orders until 12/3. I think it's a great deal because they have a bigger selection of product on their websites.