+ A lot of what I do at home and for work is about contracting/simplifying/letting go. One of the reasons I do this is to create room for expansion/potential/inspiration. Here are some of the things that have inspired me, or at least made me smile, this month:

1. A California Road Trip Packing List from JCrew. That beautiful image is of BIg Sur which I think is on my birthday getaway list for August!

2. I think Bobbi Brown is great and I used to buy only her cosmetics. We even had the same boss for a little while when I worked at Estée Lauder! Check out this article from the New York TImes on how she spends her Sundays. I appreciate the intentionality of her routine. It reminds me a little of our Sabbath which I must discuss! (Update: discussed here!) She preps veggies for the week (Post-Market Prep!) and enjoys her “one tequila on the rocks, with fresh lime”. ;)

3. I love exploring the world of food especially at the classes at The Cheese School of San Francisco. It was special to learn a lot (and teach a little) at their Honey & Cheese course.

4. Remodelista on storage in a small kitchen! See #4: “Cull your culinary gear”. We can talk about the Essential Kitchen in a bit.

5. A minimalist sleeping trailer for those California road trips? Yes, please… especially if it looks like this.

6. Out of all my blog posts, the one that sparks the most discussion is My Morning Routine. Asian Efficiency’s The 7 Rituals of Highly Successful People recommends waking early, a morning routine, meditation… all the greats! Let’s talk evening routines soon!

7. From SF Girl by Bay: a (somewhat) simplified Victorian to inspire our simplified Edwardian.

8. If you like reading about simplifying, you’ll appreciate Joshua Becker’s 9 New Simple Living Blogs I Highly Recommend. Maybe I’ll make it one year! ;)

9. Garance on her issues packing for travel: “I’m the girl who arrives at her destination with a suitcase so full she can barely get it to roll, and who needs to find the nearest pharmacy immediately upon arriving because she forgot her toothpaste.” She’s working on it and now uses a checklist and starts packing the day before… Lean Packing!

10. Another month, another Spotify playlist!! Lots of lady singers this month! Let me know if you have any favorite songs from the month to add. (And last month's is here.) <3

Mine has been a calm, experimental, warm July. Yours?