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  • Writer: Jackie O
    Jackie O
  • 3 days ago
  • 4 min read

Sometimes it's the little upgrades around the house that make all the difference in a home. We spend a significant amount of time in our homes, and these spaces should be sanctuaries—relaxing retreats from the rest of the world. I also find that when I love what I have, I have less need for more, and a space can feel complete. Over the last few months, I changed three items in my house that I believe you will love too!


Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. All opinions remain my own and any commission associated with this post helps support my blog.


ONE

Casper Sleep Glow Night Light 


With little ones, someone is up at any given hour of the night, walking to the kitchen or a bathroom. I’ve never loved the look of a night light, so my bathrooms are either dark, or you're forced to turn on a bright bathroom light. In the hallway, I had a multicolored night light that shined way too brightly into my room and my kids’ room. When my hallway night light went mysteriously missing, the hunt for the perfect replacement began—and let me tell you, the perfect night light exists!


Meet the Casper Sleep Glow Night Light, with its simple and sleek design. I love everything about it—from the backlit design to the motion sensor that gradually increases the light's brightness with nearby movement. The night light plugs into most standard outlets and includes an ambient light sensor, automatically turning the light on when the space around it is dark. This night light is perfect for the hallway. I loved it so much, I purchased two more lights for my bathrooms (this light is sold as a single or double pack). I've even considered adding one to the kitchen, but I think three is enough for now.

I love the overall design and the glow of this light. The Casper Sleep Glow Night Light provides plenty of illumination in the spaces you need, and when you walk away, the light dims down to a low-light setting—brilliant, right?


TWO

Hatch Restore 3 


One of my goals for the year is to focus on health and wellness. I’ve really wanted to move away from using technology in my bedroom—especially having a cell phone charging next to my bed—for the sake of my mental health and a digital detox. I’ve also had concerns about electromagnetic field exposure from my phone charging beside me each night. However, I rely on my phone for an alarm clock.


When my kiddos were babies, we used the Hatch Rest Baby for its soft light and soothing sound machine. I really loved the quality of the Hatch and how easy it was to program. So when I came across the Hatch Restore 3, I felt it would be a great replacement for my phone alarm.

The Hatch Restore 3 is a sunrise alarm clock, sound machine, and smart light—a perfect solution for a screen-free sleep routine. It’s available in multiple colors, and its sleek design blends seamlessly into any bedroom. To set up your sleep routine, simply download the Hatch app and follow the setup instructions to customize it to your needs. Hatch also offers a subscription service for users interested in additional content, including meditations and an ever-growing library of wind-down routines. The customization process is easy to use and allows users to create the perfect routine.


The best part? My phone is no longer in my room while I sleep—and it’s no longer the first thing I reach for in the morning.



THREE

TIPGO Automatic Motion Sensor Bathroom Trash Can 


The bathroom in my primary bedroom is the smallest room in my house. The space feels more in line with a powder room or half bath. Regardless, I’m always exploring ways to maximize the space and work within the room’s limitations. My most recent focus was upgrading the trash can. We had a small white bin with a lid, but the foot pedal broke, so you had to lift the lid manually — a minor issue, but one that annoyed me every time.


The best location for a trash bin in this bathroom is between the toilet and the sink. It’s a tight space, and the bin is clearly visible when you walk into the room. Personally, I hate seeing an open trash can or having to reach down awkwardly to use it. A new bathroom waste bin was definitely in order — enter the TIPGO Automatic Motion Sensor Bathroom Trash Can. This sleek little trash can is one of my most recent purchases, and even my kids think it’s cool. It looks great in the bathroom, is easy to use, and adds a touch of luxury to what’s probably my least favorite room in the house.

The touchless trash bin holds 2.6 gallons, is slim, battery-operated, and comes in multiple color options. Best of all, it’s super affordable!


Little Luxuries


Regardless of why I love the Casper Night Light, Hatch Restore, or Motion Sensor Bathroom Trash Can, every home is unique to the people who live their lives in the space they continue to create. These little luxuries, as I like to call them, give each room or routine an upgraded experience for both me and my family. Part of creating your home is finding items and routines that spark joy and simplify your life. If any of the experiences I’ve shared resonate with you, I would absolutely recommend giving these items a try. What do you have to lose?


Halloween is just days away, but the excitement in my house begins well before it seems appropriate for Starbucks to sell pumpkin spice lattes. One of my kiddos loves decorating the house and all things Halloween. Over the summer, he asked to decorate the front yard with skeletons and gravestones "just for fun."


Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. All opinions remain my own and any commission associated with this post helps support my blog.


Every year I pull out my Halloween decorations and sort through the items to determine which decoration pieces I still love and the items I'm ready to part with for whatever reason. I also love to see what's new and add to our collection or build upon any unique Halloween themes for the house and yard. Like many, I'm often inspired by Pinterest and Instagram to see what unique ideas and DIY projects are trending and worth trying in my home.


Last year, my front yard was home to a trio of skeletons around a fire pit roasting skeleton heads, and I made light-up pumpkins using solar yard lights. Where we went wrong with the skeletons is the lighting. I have minimal lighting in the front yard and the skeletons were almost impossible to see once it was dark. So this year, I am incorporating outdoor lights and trying something new with my skeletons and the overall theme for the yard.



This year's Halloween projects include a fun surprise for my kiddos with a visit from a spooky witch with ‘boo bags’ and a dining room decorated with floating witch hats, you can read the post here. My second focus was a more robust plan for decorating the front yard because my kiddos love to walk around and see what all the neighbors are doing, therefore our yard needed to be just as spooky and fun as everyone else in the neighborhood!



Let me tell you if you are wondering what the neighbors have in their yard! We have a giant inflatable Oogie Boogie across the street, the scary It clown and his friends live two doors down, and the most elaborate Nightmare Before Christmas setup with a 12' Jack Skeleton a few blocks over. The neighborhood loves Halloween, and we need to find some way to add to the season's magic with our front yard display.  


Outdoor Halloween Decoration Tips & Ideas


To maximize my Halloween decorations and create a spooky/fun space, I divide my yard into zones creating unique themes for each space. My front door is not visible from the road, so creating a cohesive theme feels less important than maximizing decorations across the entire yard. Working from the street to the house I divide the space into five zones.


Zone 1 : The Light Up Pumpkin Patch

Last year, I made these easy light-up pumpkins using outdoor solar lights and the classic trick-or-treat plastic pumpkin pails. This Halloween DIY pumpkin project is low budget and uses minimal supplies. Sharing the pumpkin pails and outdoor solar lights I used here. I reused the solar pumpkins this year in the front of the yard, creating a pumpkin patch below a layer by cobwebs.



Zone 2 : The Things that Climb Out of the Hedges

As you move past the pumpkin patch and cobwebs I have two wide, low to the ground hedges. In the evening, these hedges are dark and hard to see. For Halloween, I draped orange and purple solar lights across the hedges for a pop of color. Behind the hedges is a larger hedge holding a floating pumpkin scarecrow and a holly tree with a skeleton stepping onto the lower hedges as though he is emerging from the yard. We decorated the skeleton with Spanish moss hanging from trees in our yard.



Zone 3 : The Skeleton Witch with Her Caldron of Skulls

Moving past the hedges, you are greeted by a skeleton witch at the start of the staircase. My witch is covered in cobwebs and stirring a cauldron of skulls with her witch's broom. This is a simple setup, we secured the skeleton to our railing using zip ties and draped her with fabric, cobwebs, and more Spanish moss from nearby trees. Incorporating natural elements from the yard helps tie the decorations and the yard together.



Zone 4 : The Salem Cemetery

Following the staircase up to the house, we have a large tree surrounded by a square dirt lot. This space seemed perfect for a cemetery. We decided to designate this space as the home to our Salem Cemetery with tombstones and skeleton bones appearing as though they are coming out of the grave. I think this space is one of my kiddo's favorite spaces. If the neighboring cats or wildlife knock over the tombstones, my boys are outside fixing the displays or our cemetery sign.



Zone 5 : The Skeleton Guard & Her Pumpkins

The last zone is the staircase to the front door. At the top of the stairs sits our final skeleton wearing a black bucket hat and she is wrapped with Halloween creepy cloth/gauze. She is surrounded by large and small pumpkins that trickle down the staircase steps closest to the house.


As we prepare for trick-or-treaters we are planning the final decorations for the house, including a projector showcasing dancing skeletons in the window by our front door, and more string lights to light up the staircase. Whatever decorations or traditions you have for fall or Halloween, I hope you are enjoying the season just as much as my family. Happy Halloween!






Are you ready to elevate your Halloween celebrations with a unique surprise for your little ones? If your household thrives on all things spooky and fun during this season, then creating Halloween boo bags for your kiddos might just be the perfect addition to your Halloween traditions. Let's dive into the enchanting world of boo bags and explore some exciting ideas to make this Halloween truly memorable for your kiddos.


Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. All opinions remain my own and any commission associated with this post helps support my blog.



What Are Boo Bags?


Two ideas to try -


ONE A mischievous witch visits your home, adds a touch of Halloween magic to your home, and leaves behind boo bags filled with surprises for your kids to discover.


TWO Boo bags are a fun tradition where small gifts and treats are assembled in a bag or container and given anonymously to friends or family members. It's a wonderful way to spread Halloween cheer and create special memories your kiddos will hold for years to come.


The Spooktacular Goodies Inside a Boo Bag


This year, a mysterious witch flew by the house leaving behind floating witch hats throughout the living room and dining room, and boo bags filled with a variety of fun Halloween treats on the dining room table:


  • Pumpkin Bucket : A perfect accessory for trick-or-treating adventures or fun around the house. My kiddos love to collect toys in baskets or bags to carry throughout the home.

  • Halloween Themed Treats : Spooky pretzel bags ideal for school lunches or on-the-go snacks.

  • Halloween Pajamas : Two pairs of Halloween-themed pajamas for added excitement at bedtime during the spooky season.

  • Ghost Pop-It : A fun sensory toy great for the car or bath time.

  • Craft Project : Let your children's creativity shine with a pumpkin painting kit, providing them with a hands-on Halloween activity to enjoy.

  • Halloween Books : We read every evening before bed, adding Halloween-themed books is a must for my kiddos, as we will read these books over and over again.

  • Glow Stick Pumpkin : Light up the night with a glow stick pumpkin that adds a touch of spookiness to your Halloween celebrations.


Pumpkin Bucket

These carefully curated items were sourced online from Target, making it convenient to gather everything you need to create these magical boo bags for your little ones. You can find the exact items I used this year online here.


Embrace the Spirit of Halloween


With Halloween just around the corner, now is the perfect time to embrace the spirit of the season and surprise your kiddos with unique boo bags that are sure to fill their hearts with excitement and joy. Whether you choose to create boo bags for your children at home or surprise friends and neighbors with a "you've been booed" gift, this Halloween tradition is sure to create lasting memories for everyone.


So, gather your spooky supplies, unleash your creativity, and get ready to craft the most spooktacular Halloween boo bags for your kiddos. Wishing you a bewitching Halloween filled with laughter, treats, and the pure joy of celebrating alongside your loved ones.


Happy Haunting!

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