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

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 

Kate Spade: Bows

I have always been obsessed with bows.  You can thank my mother for putting them on my head as soon as I had hair to hold them. Kate Spade always uses bows in the best way and this season is no exception – here are some of my favorites!

Fur Earmuff Bow Headband – As we have established, I am not a fan of how cold it gets in New York when winter comes! But with these adorable earmuffs, I might be able to make an exception.  I feel like this is so Blair Waldorf, classy and chic, I love it!

Lanise Boots – OBSESSED with these booties, the bow is perfect and they are just too cute.  The heel is the perfect height and the pebbled leather looks beautiful.  These are booties that would be perfect for any occasion.  Tights, leggings, jeans, or bare legs, these boots will look good anyway you style them.

Funnel Neck Puffer Coat – Oh. My. Goodness. This coat. Kate Spade has taken the puffy parka (an essential in the city) and turned it into something I actually would LOVE to wear!! This is so stylish and I am so impressed she was able to take a shapeless necessity and turn it into something classy and cute.

All The Trimmings Bow Gloves – Another winter accessory done right! I love the black and white, and the perfectly placed bow will look great with a cute pea coat as the weather continues to cool down.

♥ Caro

Mug Madness

Lately I have been obsessing over mugs. Weird, right? Please tell me I'm not alone. This year especially I have been drinking hot tea more than usual - when I got sick earlier in the semester I lived off of it and now I am addicted.  And I have always loved hot chocolate, my favorite winter treat!  I don't drink coffee (I know if I start I will become addicted and I'm just not ready to go down that road haha) As I browse Pinterest or Tumblr lately, I find myself saving pictures of all of these cute mugs - and this year my birthday wish lists consists of several! I thought I would share a few of my favorites with you, they're just too cute to keep to myself! 

Two that I am in love with (bottom left and bottom right) are from Charm & Gumption - they're both on my wish list. The mugs they carry are so cute it was hard to narrow down my favorites! 

♥ Caro

*Also this is not a sponsored post, I just thought the site and mugs were super cute so I figured I would share! 

LL Bean Duck Boots

Wanna know what saved me from the NYC polar vortex last year? LL Bean Duck Boots. These boots are AMAZING and I literally lived in them through all of the cold and slush that New York threw my way last winter.  I got the 8” boots with Gore-Tex and Thinsulate lining (sounds fancy right?) That’s just a cool way of saying they’re super warm and durable.  What I love most about the boots is no matter how many slush puddles I step into, my feet never got wet or cold.  In New York, when the snow begins to melt you are left with deceiving puddles on every corner; puddles that look harmless but are MUCH deeper than they appear. 

Having the taller boots helped with this situation, plus I love the look of the taller boots with cute socks sticking out.  They are perfect with leggings or jeans and I know I will be living in them again when the time comes.  If you are unsure what size or style you should order, call the customer service number – one thing I LOVE about LL Bean is they always let you talk to a real person. The guy I spoke to was nice enough to tell me what size I should get and recommend the best model for me based on where I live and what kind of weather I deal with daily. Get them now while you can, by November they are typically on backorder and you definitely want them in time for the cold weather!

{Aren’t they cute with my J Crew Camp Socks?!} 

♥ Caro

Lust List

Shopping is a weakness of mine, I love to browse and check out all of the new products (who doesn’t?) To keep myself from going into debt, I will write down things I am obsessed with and save them for birthday or Christmas presents (that way when family members ask I can give them an idea of things I would love!) Here are some things I’ve been lusting over lately.

Kate Spade Eat Cake for Breakfast iPad cover – The Eat Cake for Breakfast tote might have been my favorite Kate Spade bag ever, it’s not sold anymore and if I find it somewhere you best believe I will be buying it ASAP! Since that might not happen, this iPad cover can give me my fill of the adorable design. I was so happy they brought it back!

Marc Jacobs Daisy Eau So Fresh Delight Fragrance  – I love Marc Jacobs perfume, I wear the original Daisy and Dot all the time.  The newest Daisy scent is so nice! It’s more floral, very light and fun.  And the bottle is super cute - I can’t wait to get my hands on it!

Roses de Chloé Fragrance – Another floral scent, can you catch a theme here? ;) I think perfume is a great gift, especially if you know a friend or family member loves a particular scent.  I have always loved the smell of roses and this perfume is so fresh and delicate, perfect for any occasion!

Frends Headphones – I have seen these all over Instagram and they look amazing, I don’t know how great the quality is but they sure are gorgeous to look at! I especially love this pair, made in collaboration with Bauble Bar.

What have you been lusting over lately?

♥ Caro