Stay At Home Essentials

It’s been really odd being at home SO much, with some days the only reason we leave is to take a walk around the neighborhood. Don’t get me wrong there are times when I love being at home, but I miss the social aspect of our life too. Ben and I love trying out new restaurants, hanging out with friends and traveling, so being at home for the past 5 weeks has had many ups and downs.

We understand it is important to stay home and we are making the most of it. We understand how lucky we are to have our home, health and all this quality time together, but we have also worked to find balance so we each get ‘me-time’ and have outlets to keep ourselves in a good head space.

I thought today I would share a roundup of what are considering our stay at home essentials or MVPs. These are things we have used on a daily basis and have made such a positive impact in our lives right now.

Coffee Maker: The real MVP! We received this coffee maker as a wedding gift and use is every single day. We love that we can either brew a pot or make a single cup pending the day. It is super easy to use and clean-up is also easy. We have a coffee station in our kitchen where all the mugs, k-cups and coffee bags are housed next to the coffee maker. Since we are both home we having been making large pots of black coffee. We set the timer at night and it’s ready when we both come down in the morning. Nothing better than the smell of coffee first thing in the morning. If you’re curious we buy organic, fair-trade coffee or local grounds at Giant Eagle.

Slippers: The second MVP are our slippers. I have been switching between my Ugg slippers and my Birdies pending the day. Both run TTS and I love both equally. My Uggs are more of a let me lounge around the lodge and be warm vibe where my Birdies look more like loafers and make me feel a little more put together and professional while I work from home.

Champaign Corkcicle: The third MVP is my walking buddy, my champaign corkcicle. We take a happy hour walk most nights and this champaign corkcicle is my go to drink holder. We also have the wine option, but I love champaign and why not celebrate our health!

Designated Gym Space: We created two designated gym spaces. The space I created is in an area that streams in a ton of natural light. My Peloton bike is by the window (this post talks about my love for the app) and I set-up a mock yoga studio right next to it. I have my yoga mat (I have a Manduka mat I splurged on when I went through my yoga teacher training), blocks, a restorative pillow and salt lamp. Ben created a space for himself in our family room where he has his weights and bands. We have found having a designated area all set-up makes it a lot easier to work out at-home. We have had the weight for awhile but Ben was able to order the bands from Walmart.

Designated Workspace: Before we had to stay home Ben and I shared an office. We each had a desk but Ben was really the only one working from home so it wasn’t an issue. The first day we knew we had to figure it out so I sat at the kitchen table. That didn’t work either so we brought my desk down into the living room right next to a window. I love the designated space, the natural light and not having to move my stuff out of the way. It also allows me to ‘leave’ the office at the end of the day and go to a different part of the house - mindset is everything these days!

Loungewear: I talk about loungewear weekly, but since I really only put real pants on about once a week, loungewear has become my love language. I went through my closet and got rid of all my gross t-shirts and have started upgrading to loungewear sets. A good loungewear set allows me be comfortable but still looking cute. Literally everyone is upping their loungewear game so enjoy the search!

Speaker: We received our Boom speaker a few years ago and loved it, but we love it even more now. We have music constantly playing throughout the day and while we make dinner. Having music playing has been a huge mood booster and I love that we can move the speaker around the house or travel with it (hopefully soon).

Candles: You all know I love a good candle. We burn candles all.the.time and right now we are currently burning the Mokara.

Throw Blanket: When we were in Quebec I bought this amazing wool blanket and love it dearly. I lay with it daily while we Bravo. Pottery Barn is our other go-to for throws. A warm cozy throw is such a home essential and I will even curl up with one at my desk while I work.

Board Games: We love Yahtzee and have been playing a lot recently. Helps break up the routine with some competition. We also have playing cards and a poker set, but games are a great way to have fun and spend quality time together.

I hope these ideas make your staying at home a little more fun and cozy!