Mood Board Inspiration: May 2020

How is it already May?!

And yet here we are…

About halfway through the second quarter of the year and nearly 3 months into a global pandemic that has all but crippled our “normal” way of life. Now for me, I am thankful that COVID-19 and the stay-at-home order hasn’t too much impacted my day to day — changes have happened but nothing drastic — but I also couldn’t think about all the changes happening in nature that we can’t see… and possibly all the changes happening because we aren’t out in the world messing with things.

I remember reading about reports that indicated a decrease in air pollution across the world because factories were closed, cars weren’t on the road, and just overall how our being home was giving Mother Nature a much-needed reset of her home. Imagine that!

I thought about how clear skies and vibrant colors, and my may mood board inspiration came into bloom…

How My Anxiety May Have Prepared Me For COVID-19

It’s not easy for me to admit that my character isn’t naturally a “calm” one and I don’t know anyone that would use the word calm to describe me either. I have always danced on the edge of worry and even occasionally tangoed with straight-up paranoia, and yet in the midst of a pandemic, I find myself probably the calmest person in my circle. Why is that?

Vibe CheckAlbie KnowsMay 10, 2020covid19, mental health, mompreneur

5 Year Old Girl Birthday Wishlist

If you’re a parent, then you’re likely used to your kid telling you they want something new & shiny...

24/7/365

While my baby girl doesn’t ask for things often, when she fixates on a new activity or toy, you better believe she wants everything that’s in its orbit.

So what does my soon to be five year old have her eyes on these days? American Girl (Wellie Wishers) | Lego | Melissa & Doug | Disney

The EditAlbie KnowsApril 23, 2020mompreneur, toddler bedroom, shopping

Building A Capsule Wardrobe When You Stop Working From Home

After my daughter was born, it wasn’t long before I became an accidental stay at home mom. I eventually transitioned into a work from home mom, juggling growing an interior design business with raising a whole new human.

While I’d heard the term tossed around a few times, and was intrigued, I’d never really put any thought into creating one for myself...till now. I didn’t want to fund a brand new wardrobe that I’d toss and replace again. I didn’t want to buy things on a whim. I didn’t want to replace the things that I clearly kept for a reason. I just wanted a complete assortment. Also mindful of changes my body would be going through, I knew I had to be intentional and creating a capsule would be the best way to go about that.

The EditAlbie KnowsApril 20, 2020mompreneur, work life balance, amazon, organization, h&m home, shopping

Budget-Friendly Shopping Hacks: How To Use Ebates

As someone who does a lot of online shopping — be it for a project or for myself — a question I get asked a lot is how I shop. The time I put in at the beginning saves me time and money in the end. Which brings me to another common question — how do I save money! I’m going share a little secret with you about one of my fav shopping “hacks” that not only helps me save a coin or two, but is basically like getting paid to shop. While a lot of steps go into my online shopping strategy — yes, strategy — this is one step I cannot do without.

The EditAlbie KnowsApril 18, 2020budget friendly, ebates, shopping

Mood Board Inspiration: April 2020

Living in the Pacific Northwest gave me a newfound appreciation for nature’s beauty, but specifically the colors in nature — I didn’t exactly always get the benefit of seeing a crayola assortment of trees and clear blue skies while living in Hell’s. Kitchen. While I’m sure this is problem the first spring for all of us, where we’re spending most of it in our homes, there is still so much beauty out there in the world to appreciate — and with any luck, that we’ll be able to enjoy before the season changes.

That was my inspiration for this month’s mood board — bringing home the simple beauty around us.

Achieving Simple Feng Shui For Happy Living

The words "Feng" and "Shui" have very simple meanings -- "wind" and "water" -- that represent the presence of balance & harmony. The overarching principle behind the art of Feng Shui is about creating harmony in your everyday life through the flow of energy. This is why so often, although sometimes misused, we'll hear people talk about Feng Shui when referring to their furniture layout -- how is the energy moving throughout this space? That flow of energy is your "chi" and at the center of really establishing good Feng Shui and ultimately setting the tone for your space.

To E-Design or Not To E-Design

StudioAlbie KnowsApril 2, 2020edesign, covid19, design therapy, designpreneur

4 Pieces to Transition Your Home Into Spring

Thankfully, winter is gone, gone, gone, and spring is officially underway, which means time to pack away all that winter wardrobe and decor, and step into some long overdue spring style! Since I am no fashionista, here are my 4 recommended pieces to help you transition your home into spring:

The EditAlbie KnowsApril 1, 2020spring, west coast transplant, covid19, shoppingComment

Working Out At Home With Fabletics

Now that we’re all home for the foreseeable future, it’s so easy to not put in the same amount of effort when it comes to our wellness -- there are NetFlix shows to binge, piles of snacks to eat, and lots and lots of naps to be had -- but truth is, it’s probably more important now more than ever to stay on top of it. For me, working out is a welcome mental distraction from everything going on but also a way to ensure I’m not physically susceptible to any nasty viruses out there. Right now, health = wealth and I plan to look good for all of it.

How To Create Easy Mood Boards

Ever since diving into interior design as a career, I have become pretty known for how I’ve employed technology to launch my path, specifically as an e-designer. Specifically, people started really noticing my renderings and my mood boards, with the latter being some of my most popular content amongst designers and design enthusiasts alike.

Spoiler: I use Keynote to create easy and dynamic mood boards. This isn’t to say I haven’t used different platforms over the years. Trust me...I have! I got here after a lot of trial & error with my deliverables, with my content, and with my business across the board. For me, this made (and still makes) the most sense. Truth be told, my gigabytes are precious so it was worth it to me to give a native application a fair shot if it meant I could delete additional software and/or have one less website login to remember.

StudioAlbie KnowsMarch 28, 2020mood board, technology, designpreneur, how to, covid19

Grove Collaborative: What's In My Cart?

Two years ago I made my very first Grove Collaborative purchase and I have to say, not entirely sure what to expect from a household subscription service. I was intrigued by the idea that I could get cleaning products for our home, especially now that my daughter was way more active and I was now full-time working from home. With spring cleaning around the corner, it was as good a time as any to try Grove Collaborative and two years later I still turn to them for many, if now all, of our household cleaning essentials.

Watchlist, Vibe Check, The EditAlbie KnowsMarch 27, 2020grove collaborative, covid19, shopping

Dress Up Your Desk

So if you had to ask me what my fav part of designing is, it’s the shopping! In my everyday life I love finding pretty things; and if they happen to solve a problem while we’re at it...well, then I’m #winning.

I don’t discriminate when it comes to my love of shopping, but I used to especially obsessed with shopping for my office, before switching it over to my daughter’s bedroom. A lot of the decor I purchased, I still like to switch out & rotate between my desk, bookshelf, and other areas of our home; but when deciding what to get, my desk def served as a lot of the inspiration, aka the anchor piece.

The EditAlbie KnowsMarch 23, 2020home office, small spaces, covid19, shopping

How To Plan A (Last Minute) Brand Shoot

For two years in my business, I tried to plan a brand shoot for Albie Knows…with no success. Whether it was finding the right photographer or having it in the budget or just liking the way I looked in the mirror, there was always something in my way.

Last year, one of my designer besties introduced me to Mariah Texidor. I was blessed enough to book her to shoot my One Room Challenge transformation. The photos were amazing, but more than that, the shoot was amazing. I knew that if there was ever an opportunity to work with her again — aka I’m back in NYC — that I’d jump at the chance.

Here’s what planning a last-minute brand shoot covers, from my perspective:

getting organized
having an awesome tribe
trusting life’s pivots

Studio, Vibe CheckAlbie KnowsMarch 21, 2020designpreneur, behind the scenes, mompreneurComment

Mood Board Inspiration: March 2020

Look Book, The EditAlbie KnowsMarch 17, 2020mood board, color, hygge, cost plus world market, target, horchow, serena & lily, the container store, shopping

How To Unplug, Take A Break, and Live Slow

I basically live my life online — working, shopping, and even school — and one day it hit me that I was getting completely disconnected from the “real world”. As an introvert I will never complain about not having enough people interaction — I prefer it that way actually — but what I found was happening was that I was losing touch with myself and I was also losing my ability to connect with people — to communicate. It was almost as though I was losing a sense of reality that, if unchecked, would only get worse. So how do you unplug, take a real break, and slow down for more intentional & present living? Here are some tips that have been helping me unplug for more slow living.

Vibe CheckAlbie KnowsMarch 13, 2020work life balance, self care, covid19, new year

Organizing My Life By Organizing My Home

People always ask me why I am so organized and while the answer is usually pretty funny, it’s the truth — I’m organized because I’m lazy. My life is filled with chaos and just a lot that is beyond my control, be it personally or professionally, so getting organized it my way of controlling the controllable… no matter how small.

Vibe CheckAlbie KnowsMarch 8, 2020organization, my home

How To Treat Your Body Better & Stay Physically Productive

This time of year is when everyone is hitting reset for the new year ahead -- making resolutions, setting goals, choosing words to serve as their "North Star", etc -- all in order to really set the tone for the next 12 months. This doesn't necessarily mean drastic changes of any kind, but there is something about a new year that really makes you go, "I need to get my ish together!"

As someone who's made a life out of always being home, I decided to share with you some of my productivity hacks and ways that I stay focused & keep myself accountable day to day.

Vibe CheckAlbie KnowsMarch 8, 2020behind the scenes, mompreneur, sponsored post, fabletics, favorites, covid19, fitness

Shop With Me: How To JOMO?

What is JOMO? It's the JOY of missing out.

Instead of burdening yourself by worrying about what you could be missing by not being at all the places, with all the people, doing all the things, you take pleasure in having personal time. You can experience JOMO but not attending social events (aka not people'ing) or by simply unplugging, which these days, is a vacation all in itself.

Here are 28 essentials that I think are perfect for getting your JOMO on.

The EditAlbie KnowsFebruary 16, 2020jomo, hygge, self care, covid19, shopping

Mood Board Inspiration: February 2020

Look Book, The EditAlbie KnowsFebruary 13, 2020mood board, pottery barn, west elm, color, hygge, h&m home, shopping

Welcome to The Journal

A cozy collection of stories, reflections, and inspiration for creating a life (and space) you love — one quiet moment at a time. Brew a cup, get comfortable, and stay awhile.

How is it already May?!

I thought about how clear skies and vibrant colors, and my may mood board inspiration came into bloom…

24/7/365

So what does my soon to be five year old have her eyes on these days? American Girl (Wellie Wishers) | Lego | Melissa & Doug | Disney

That was my inspiration for this month’s mood board — bringing home the simple beauty around us.

What is JOMO? It's the JOY of missing out.

Here are 28 essentials that I think are perfect for getting your JOMO on.