✨ Cozy Winter Must-Haves, Postpartum Fitness, and... A Cute Toilet Paper Holder?
Sunday R.E.S.E.T. #34
Guess who’s back, back againnnnn. 🎶
The Sunday R.E.S.E.T. is back, tell a friend.
Hello, my dear friend! I’m ridiculously excited to be popping back in your inbox for my first “live” R.E.S.E.T. after my maternity leave.
While I’m still very much in baby world and navigating postpartum, that newborn haze is lifting and I’m eager to be transitioning back to a real-time content cadence (as opposed to all of the posts I lovingly prepped for you before my leave!)
At the beginning of the year, I asked for your feedback in the annual survey, and we chatted about the cadence of the Sunday R.E.S.E.T. (you get a more tangible post every Wednesday without fail, but the R.E.S.E.T. is more seen as an additional feature).
In the survey, I shared that my bandwidth has definitely shifted now that twins were here (😅), and 87.2% of you were super supportive of switching to a monthly R.E.S.E.T. if needed, which is so reassuring!
That said, I’m going to TRY my best to maintain the bi-weekly cadence and see how it goes, but if I start to feel the stress rise or the quality dip, I’ll make the call to switch to monthly (think: January R.E.S.E.T., February R.E.S.E.T., etc.). For now, though, I’m trying my best to maintain the bi-weekly and will keep you updated if anything changes. Sound good? ◡̈ Cool? Cool.
With all that being said, it’s time for your Sunday R.E.S.E.T. ☕️ :
🧻 Recommending: The life lesson I learned from a toilet paper holder? 🤨 …Stick with me, team.
🧤Embracing: Chilly winter Northern Minnesota days (…and my fave Etsy finds to stay warm and cozy this season!).
💪🏼Sweating: My approach to exercise in the postpartum phase 😅 and the lessons I’ve had to learn the hard way…
🎥 Enjoying: An internet video roundup of some of my fav vloggers, incredible home tours, and music!
🧘🏻♀️ Transforming: My life has changed like crazy over the past year…here’s how I’m trying to lean into it. (And if you find yourself in a season of transition, here’s 7 tangible journal prompts you can do!)
Let’s dive in, my friends!
Okay, this may seem a little random, but what I’m recommending for you this week is to finally address a small annoyance in your life.
Whether it’s an iphone charger that’s just slightly too short to reach your nightstand or your an overwhelming tupperware drawer— it’s time to TAKE ACTION and work to resolve the issue once and for all.
What was this for me, you may ask? None other than a toilet paper holder. 🤨
When we redecorated our bathroom in 2022 (before and after pics here for your snooping pleasure), we forgot to buy a toilet paper holder before the project finished and I ended up grabbing a cheap stand as a “temporary replacement”.
It was wobbly, it always knocked over, it constantly got in the way… it was basically the textbook definition of a minor annoyance.
And yet… I let it persist.
For 2.5 years.
Why are human beings like this? Why do we let these tiny, VERY fixable things linger?
After having my toddler carry out the portable stand to the living room for the 10th time that day and knocking it over, I finally had my lightbulb moment.
Why was I dealing with this?
I wasn’t forced to use that specific toilet paper holder.
*cue meme of remembering you have free will*
I hopped online, ordered a proper toilet paper holder, installed it in literally two minutes, and just like that—BOOM. Minor annoyance eliminated.
This may seem silly (or, like, why are you talking about toilet paper on the internet, Kate???) but I’d wager there’s some small annoyance in your life.
The water bottle you thought was perfect… until you realized it doesn’t fit in your cupholder and leaks all over your bag.
The squeaky hinge on a door that always seems to wake your baby up from their nap.
The jeans that fit perfectly everywhere except they’re a bit too long— that you intended to bring to the tailor
The mismatched tupperware lids and containers that never seem to fit each other in your kitchen.
That burnt out light bulb you’ve been meaning to replace…
What if, instead of letting it bother you for 1% of your day every single day, you spent an hour—or, in some cases, just 5 minutes—taking purposeful action to eliminate it once and for all?
Again, I know it may seem small, but that’s... kind of the point? 🤣✌️
We often take on the big things with gusto—redecorating an entire room, applying for a new job, you name it. But I’m here to remind you that finally addressing some smaller stuff can have a huge cumulative impact.
So this week, I challenge you to tackle at least one minor annoyance in your life, okay? And if you’re feeling bold, you can drop a comment for a little accountability! (Anyone else have a toilet paper holder grievance??? No? Just me? Cool, cool. )
After an uncharacteristically warm Minnesota winter with an unusual lack of snow, winter has finally shown up in full force this last week with some ridiculously chilly days (-30°) and a generous snowfall.
And, as always, I am alternating between 'OMG, we live in a magical winter wonderland!!!🥰🤍✨' annnnd 'Why the [bleep] do we live here again?🫠🫠🫠'
But if there’s one thing I’ve learned about winter, it’s this: fighting it gets you nowhere—you’ve just gotta embrace it.
Which means dressing for it! Like most of my purchases these days, I turned to Etsy first. Why? Most of the sellers are small businesses, there are so many unique, and many items are handmade. Win, win, win! So, just for fun, here are a few of my cozy winter finds specifically from etsy!:
This handmade scarf instantly jumped out at me. I love how the color and style of it are very timeless, but the size of it gives a little boldness and oomf which makes it feel unique. I actually bought this as a gift for a dear friend for Christmas, and after the fact I couldn’t resist getting one for myself. (Are these the world’s first friendship scarves? Tbd!!!!). It’s so ridiculously warm and well-made! Highly recommend.
This balaclava. I bought this two years ago, and it’s still my go-to for those chilly (but not brutally frigid) winter days. It’s effortless to throw on, keeps my neck cozy, and adds just enough warmth to my head... while being unique & cute. 💅🏻 It doesn’t quite replace a proper hat on the coldest of Minnesota days, it’s perfect for those bright, sunny winter moments when you want to stay warm and look a little more elevated. (Another idea: this handknit headscarf. SO CHIC.)
These mittens: I couldn’t find the exact pair of mittens I have, but these look really similar. With mittens, I opt for a quality fabric on the exterior, but like it be lined in some sort of fleece or wool. For this particular mitten, I’d be torn between shades “fawn” and “brown”, but they have multiple hues. Which color would you pick?
While I’ll always be a summer girl at heart (and forever whine while I begrudgingly scrape the ice off my windshield), I can’t deny the magic of these cozy, cold days when the world seems to slow down.
Ooooh, postpartum exercise—this is a big topic.
One that I’m constantly learning about, living through in real time, and, honestly… being humbled by. 😅
For those of you who are new around here, fitness has always been a huge part of my life. In my younger years, I was a Division I athlete, and exercise wasn’t just something I did— it was part of who I was.
But now? In this postpartum season, with three young kids? And a body that’s been forever changed? My relationship with exercise feels… different.
Let me explain—