Tips and Tricks: Moving

As you know from the previous post, I recently moved which makes me an ~expert~ on the topic! *kidding, but I did learn some do's and don'ts through trial and error!* Moving in New York City is difficult since you sometimes can't legally park in front of buildings. Because of this, you have to be prepared to load and unload very quickly. This takes several people, we had 4 people total and I don't think we could have done it without everyone.  Since you're in the city and moving on busy streets and sidewalks, it's handy to have someone watch your stuff as you take each load inside the building.

Packing 

Ziploc plastic storage bags totally saved my life. They are heavier than trash bags (which I found would rip under the weight of some of my things.) It was raining on the day we moved but I wasn't worried since the bags seal shut! I used them for clothes, bedding, pillows, and towels. The extra large bags will fit a foam mattress topper and are also perfect for pillows! 

Furniture 

My roommates and I have been scouring the city for cheap, cute furniture to outfit our apartment.  We found a great kitchen table at Housing Works Thrift Store.  Our coffee table and sofa were found through a Facebook "Free and For Sale" page for our college. Social media is a great way to find cheap furniture, especially when you're in school! If you're moving in the spring, chances are there are a lot of seniors leaving that are looking to get rid of furniture any way they can. We got some great items that retail for much more than we paid, they are in good condition and look so nice in the rooms. 

Transportation 

If you don't have a car and you're in an area like New York City where it's hard to get one, is 100% worth it to hire a service.  We were just going to take a few Uber cars but after packing and seeing how much we had we decided to pay for a service to drive us back and forth for a few hours. Since we didn't have furniture or a ton of heavy lifting, we didn't need movers, just a car to get us from Point A to Point B. It was so helpful to have the car and we were able to get most of our things over in just a few hours which was great - and encouraging for the rest of the move! 

Moving is stressful but also very exciting. Ask some friends to help and treat them to brunch afterwards as a thank you! Make sure you have your things in order and packed up the night before so you aren't rushing to throw clothes in bags before the movers get there.  Most importantly, remember that moving marks the exciting beginning of a new chapter! As hectic as it is, take time to celebrate that you're embarking on a new adventure! Plus you get a chance to decorate a new place which, if you're like me and love interiors, is reason enough to move! 

♥ Caro

MOVING!

Over the weekend I moved out of my dorm and into an apartment!! I am so excited to be staying in the city this summer and living with 3 of my amazing friends. We were able to find an apartment in the city fairly easily and jumped on the opportunity.  We are lucky it's in a great location relative to where we work. There is a good amount of storage and the living room is HUGE which will be perfect for having friends over this summer!! This is my first "big girl" apartment and my first time living outside of the dorms in NYC.  This past weekend and the last few days have been insane - I had no idea how much stuff I had.  Moving was hard work and we didn't even have furniture yet! The last time my family moved I was very young so I didn't remember how much went into moving into a new place.  Since coming to college I have had many "adult" moments but moving definitely tops the list. Being so far from home, I did everything myself. This was both empowering and stressful.  In the end, I am glad I was forced to figure things out for myself because the next time I move I will know exactly what needs to be done.  

I am writing this as the cable guy installs my tv and internet [#adulthood] I was so used to wifi I didn't realize how crippling it is to be without it!  The apartment is definitely a work in progress, everything is here but everything is also EVERYWHERE. Boxes and trash bags full of clothes and shoes are taking over the entire apartment and we are all anxious to have the furniture arrive so we can start organizing.  It's a work in progress but I am really excited to see everything come together! I was lucky enough to find some great deals on furniture online and at thrift stores in the area.    I can't wait for things to be in place, I will be writing a post about how we decorate once we can get everything put away! Thanks for being patient throughout this semester, it has been a roller coster and I am excited to have some free time this summer to write posts more frequently and continue to improve Handbags & Heartbeats! :) 

♥ Caro

Rebecca Minkoff Sample Sale

Tuesday (4/21) - Friday (2/24) 

10 am - 8 pm 

Saturday (4/25) 

10 am - 5 pm 

Today during my lunch break I went over to 260 Fifth Avenue to check out the Rebecca Minkoff sample sale.  I've been eyeing a Mac Clutch for a while now so I went with the hopes I could find one on sale! There were 6 or 8 tables full of handbags, most of them were still around $100. For every price range there was a discounted price and posters were put up around the room detailing how much each bag would be once marked down. The clothing was along one side wall, dresses, shorts and skirts were $100, while tops were $75 and t-shirts were $25.  The clothing was very cute and well made, they seemed to have a decent array of sizes as well, with multiples of each item, ranging in sizes from 0-6 with a few size 8.  Shoes were in the back and wallets were over along another wall in plastic containers.  They also had a large table to the side with briefcases and large leather bags. 

I made my way over to the $50 sample table beside the registers, a girl was putting samples out onto a table, she would pull out a few every couple of minutes and the frenzy would begin.  People were snatching bags from other people and going crazy when she would bring out new styles.  (It was honestly such a rush!) I got my hands on the brown Mac Clutch pictured above! Retailing for $295 I was able to snag it for $50 and I am so excited about it.  It's slightly bigger than most of the cross body bags I have and after wanting one for so long I am so glad I decided to go check out the sale! 

The sale is also happening online at rebeccaminkoff.com if you aren't able to go to the store in the city!  I would assume prices in the sample store will probably be going down throughout the week as they try to get rid of more merchandise.  If you're in the market for a new bag, I highly suggest checking it out! They had some good deals and when I was there the tables were filled with every color and style you could imagine! It was a great selection of items and worth the trip if you're in the city.  Happy shopping!! 

♥ Caro

Lilly For Target Pop-Up Shop

I have been looking forward to the Lilly for Target collection since it was announced. As a big fan of both brands, I was thrilled to hear about this collaboration. I know it was met with some criticism but I think it is a great idea for Lilly to release a line of super affordable clothing, accessories, and home wares.  The exclusive Target prints are so pretty and, as a college student, I am totally in favor of $24 bathing suits and $38 shift dresses! 

I had the opportunity to stop by the Lilly for Target Pop-Up Shop in Bryant Park today after class. Unfortunately, a 9 am class meant I couldn't get there until 1:00 but when I arrived I was in a preppy paradise! They set up the chairs, umbrellas, and hammocks from the collection around the park so people could sit and enjoy the beautiful (warm!) weather today.  A juice stand was providing samples, and the fountain water was pink! There were models throughout the park wearing the collection and Lilly print designers were stationed throughout as well painting various prints. 

I only had to wait in line to get into the store for about 30 minutes, once inside, there were about 5 racks of clothing and several shelving units holding the homewares and bright beach towels. Since it had been open since 8 am, the clothing was very picked over. They had a lot of plus sized clothing left and several racks of children's clothes.  They had sold out of several items so I wasn't able to see every piece that will be offered, but from what I saw the quality seems great.  My one concern with the line was that the clothing would feel cheap, but the shift dresses, jumpsuits, and shorts I saw were all well made and a comfortable fabric.  The nail polish and lipstick colors are vibrant and great for summer, and the phone cases come in several cute patterns for $15, they are much thinner than the ones they sell at the Lilly store, and not as protective. I only bought one item and decided to hold off on buying more until Sunday when there are more options available.  I went ahead and got the set of 3 votive candles I had my eye on since the look book came out! I am dying for the set of 4 mugs as well but it looks like I'll have to wait until Sunday for those! I am very glad I went today, even if I didn't do much damage ;) it was great to see the collection and experience the pop-up store. 

{Lilly for Target - Glass Votive Candle Holders, Set of 3}

♥ Caro 

Snow Day

"Snowverated" is the word of the day this morning in New York City.  After all of the preparation and worried texts from my parents, I woke up to freshly plowed streets and clear sidewalks.  The 2 feet of snow we were supposed to be covered in was, on my end, only about 5 inches.  With school called off and most of the places in my neighborhood closed, this day is just a continuation of the break that was supposed to end yesterday.  I got back to the city Saturday and was happily reunited with friends and my favorite city.  New York said "Welcome home!" with a lovely blizzard and my winter break is now the never-ending vacation.  My school cancelled classes yesterday afternoon when the storm was at its peak; the prediction looked horrible and I was glad we weren't going to take any chances.  Last year I was just told to trek safely to class in the snow storm that covered Washington Square Park with nearly a foot of accumulation.  This snow day is NOTHING compared to the tundra I had to walk through last year.  On the bright side, my school can't send an email retracting their previous decision to cancel all classes, I think if they could they definitely would. 

I am excited to stay in my pajamas all day and catch up on some reading - I am halfway through We Were Liars by E. Lockhart for my sorority book club and so far it's a good story, and an easy read! My roommates and I have thrilling plans to drink lots of hot chocolate and watch too much "Dance Moms". A snow day is the perfect excuse to do nothing, despite a lack of snow, I'm happy for a reason to stay home all day and make fun of the blizzard that never came. 

{My view of the blizzard, Juno}

♥ Caro

NYC Eats: Gemma at the Bowery Hotel

Nestled on the corner of Bowery and 3rd street, Gemma is the quaint restaurant connected to The Bowery Hotel.  With delicious food and a warm, rustic feel it was the perfect place to have brunch with some of my Pi Phi family.  Meeting on a cold and rainy New York morning, I was immediately impressed with the location.  Candles and white painted brick stand in contrast to the dark wooden bar and exposed ceiling beams.  Interesting light fixtures and mix-matched plates brought out the contemporary hipster feel that the Lower East Side favors.  

Not only was the food delicious, but it was also reasonably priced.  As a college student, I am always excited to find places with food that feels indulgent - without breaking the bank.  I ordered the baked eggs, avocado, and prosciutto, a meal served in a skillet, the three items were cooked in a yummy tomato sauce that was great on toast too.  Our table ordered the pastry basket to share, a little treat to ourselves on the rainy Saturday morning.  Delicious, warm buttery and chocolate infused croissants, sweet muffins, and other mouth-watering carbs were piled into the basket.  I was impressed by everything I tried and we all left the restaurant full and happy.  I can't think of anything better than being with good friends and sharing good food.  I loved having brunch at Gemma and I am excited to go back sometime soon! 

♥ Caro

Jumping Into 2015

Happy 2015! I can't believe it is a new year already, I blinked and 2014 was over - it's going to take me months to get used to writing 2015 on things ;) I started to look back and reflect on the year I've had, 2014 has been an incredible year and I have so much to be excited and thankful for.  2014 was a year of firsts, a year of discovery and growth, a year of recovery and strength. I have been tested in ways I did not know possible and I have come out stronger and ready to take on 2015 and all it may bring.  

I have been recovering over the last week from back surgery I had the day after Christmas - I know, crazy right?! It is still pretty insane to me too.  It was nothing too major and waking up pain-free after the surgery made it so worth it.  I struggled for 8 months with intense pain from 2 herniated disks in my back and I am so thankful that it is finally behind me.    

Taking things easy and letting myself heal has given me a lot of time to think, in between binge watching Gilmore Girls and The Office.  2014 was not only a great year but it was also one of the most challenging years I think I have ever had, and if I am being honest I did not realize how difficult it was until I took a step back.  It was a year that made me grow and helped mold me into the person I am becoming.  I had great moments and I had some very low moments but I believe I can learn from every single one of them. Life is all about change and growth, it is amazing to think about where I am now compared to just a few years ago.  I am so lucky to have an incredible support system behind me every step of the way.  And lucky to have the faith and strength necessary at times to take a deep breath and keep moving.  

I know that 2015 will be amazing! Every moment may not be perfect but it's the imperfections that make life what it is.  Happy New Year to all of you - I can't wait to see where this next year takes us! 

♥ Caro

Sorority Secrets: Big/Little Reveal

In case you were wondering, it is TERRIFYING to be a present.  My best friend Bailey is inside the present for Kristy, and I am in the present for Lennox! If you hate not knowing what is going on around you and you don’t like confined spaces, don’t try this at home! ;)

This year our chapter Big/Little Reveal was in Central Park! If you want to know more about how sorority families work check out my post here and if you want to see some of the things I gave my Little during Big/Little week, you can read about that here! The Big sisters and their “Phamilies” went to the park an hour before the Littles were set to arrive.  The plan was for the Big sisters to be wrapped up like presents for the Little sisters to unwrap!  We were all wrapped up for about 15 minutes before the Littles got there and we were met with a lot of curiosity.  Some people thought we were being hazed, others thought the giant people-presents were some kind of live art gallery in the park.  Tourists were taking pictures with us and posing amongst the sisters.  Despite the strange looks and mild judgment we received from the Upper West Side park goers, it was a cute idea and the day was so much fun! When the Littles finally got there they unwrapped us and the park was filled with excited sorority squeals and lots of sorority squatting for pictures!! After reveal my Phamily and I went to dinner, there the new Littles got to know the rest of the Pham and we had a chance to hang out after a week of avoiding each other! The day was full of excitement and smiles, plus some birthday cake to celebrate my 20^th birthday that occurred the next day! Over all reveal helped make my birthday weekend unforgettable! I am so lucky to have such amazing girls to call my Pi Phi Phamily.

 {Started the morning by making a sign so my Little would know where to go!}

{Can't look at this picture and not laugh}

 {How cute is my Little sis?! Meet Lennox!}

 {Throw what you know!}

{Welcome to the Pham, Angels!}

♥ Caro