5 Productive Tasks to Accomplish This Weekend

Two more days to the weekend y'all! I've had this post idea for quite a while and since the weekend is quite around the corner, it's quite fitting. The weekend can be a great time to get ahead for the week ahead but it's so easy to get overwhelmed with the tasks you need to get done.

To beat the I need to be productive need on the weekend, here are 5 ideas for things to do that don't involve reorganizing your entire closet or spending a lot of time doing it.

via my Instagram

1. Make a list and make a Target run

I love Target but I don't usually have a ton of time to go. Making a list of everything I need and then going to Target is such a productive thing to do on the weekend and ensures I have everything I need for the week ahead. Plus, I'm pretty much giving you an excuse to go to Target haha!

2. Clean your Makeup Brushes

A task you may overlook but is so important as your brushes get so dirty so quickly. I usually fill a cup of water with dish soap, let the brushes soak, and then let the brushes dry for a few hours. Pretty easy and great thing to cross off of your to-do list!

3. Update your agenda

I live in my agenda and it's so nice to update everything in my agenda during the weekend for the week ahead. I'll add in my workouts for the week, my work schedule, tests and quizzes, coffee catchups with friends, or whatever that week holds!

4. Get your inbox to 0

My email gets so overrun during the week so I always try to get it down to 0 over the weekend. It helps you to start the week on a fresh note as you don't have to catch up on emails on Monday morning.

5. Clean out your purse

I sometimes find such random items in my purse- loose change, receipts, granola bar wrappers, etc. Taking the time to clear out your bag to the essentials over the weekend is so helpful and an easy thing to cross off of your to-do list.

Anything you would add? Let me know in the comments!

Why It's Important to Take the Time to Workout

Before starting to take Pure Barre classes, I never realized the importance of having a workout routine that I actually stick to. Before barre, I played soccer freshman and sophomore year and I would run/go to the gym on my own. I am definitely not a runner and it always seemed like such a chore to me.

I decided to start taking Pure Barre classes last June and haven't looked back since. This isn't going to be a why I love Pure Barre post but taking barre has definitely helped me learn to love to workout!

via my Instagram

As I mentioned, I took my first barre class right after junior year ended. Junior year, I probably worked out a solid two times all year. Junior year is stressful no matter what and not working out did not help out at all. I convinced myself I didn't have time- I take AP classes, I'm involved in school, I have a job, etc. The problem was I didn't make time and I definitely could of used a workout to relieve some stress.

This year, I've gone to class at least two times a week all year and it has been so nice. I know barre is a stress-free zone as phones are in a separate room and all you have to do is listen to the instructor and workout. After class, I am always in such a good mood and ready to take on the rest of my day.

Of course, it's not always easy to work out- some days the only class I can attend is the 6 AM and I dread the early wake up call- but it's so important not only for your physical health but for your mental health and well-being!

Why is it important to you to take time to workout? Let me know it the comments!

Blog Bloopers, Part 4

Happy Monday y'all! To hopefully brighten up your Monday (let face it, we need it), I decided that today will be the perfect time to share some blog bloopers. For every image y'all see in an outfit post, there is honestly five bloopers behind it. Some of them are a bit hilarious and to it definitely shows that blogging isn't as glamorous as it may seem and I am a real person who isn't perfect all the time.

From Trying to be Trendy with an Off-the-Shoulder Top

"Wait, take my picture from over there"

From Sucker for Seersucker

It looks like I'm about to sneeze...

When this is a cute pic until you realize my eyes are closed <<

From Fansea by the Sea

T-rex hands!!

Not thrilled

From Prints & Pom Poms

Nothing but the best posing here at Chic in Carolina

#dramatic

From Pink Peplum + Navy Stripes

"Let me play with the ruffle, that's a good idea"

Sassy hand emoji in real life

From J. Crew & Lilly for Apple Picking

"THE APPLE"

From What I'm Wearing for Thanksgiving

When you try to get an artsy pic and your necklace hits you in the face <<<

From Pineapples & Peplum

I don't even want to know why I thought this would be a good idea!

From Shifting into February

I was trying to hand my sister my cardigan and she snapped this lovely picture of me- don't I look fun?

The wind was too much and all I could do was laugh

From Ready for Spring

When fixing your hair goes wrong

My hand literally looks so awkward

"Okay, now take a picture on my hand on my bag"

Thanks for reading!

My Chic Week: March 17-23

Happy Friday y'all! This week has both dragged on and flown by at the same time- so weird! I'm so excited that it's the weekend- this afternoon, I'm grabbing coffee with a friend and then tomorrow, I'm going to my school's play. I will also be fitting in a few barre classes but y'all probably guessed that haha!

It seems that all of my teachers like to make things due on Fridays so I had a lot of things to turn in but thankfully no quizzes or tests haha!

After school Friday was a bit busier as I started by afternoon off by going to barre. I then stopped home to eat a quick dinner before heading back to school for my school's chapter of NHS's Dance Marathon. I was the treasurer this year for NHS (just "retired" this week) so I was involved in a lot of the planning for the event so it was both exciting and nerve-racking to see it come together. Thankfully, it went well but I don't have any pictures to share with y'all!

Saturday morning, I was able to sleep in a little bit before getting up to get ready and eat breakfast before barre class. After class, I ran home, got a few things done off of my to do list, and ate lunch. I wound up nannying for a few hours Saturday afternoon, which was a lot of fun as I was able to take the sweet baby I nanny for on a long walk because the weather was gorgeous.

Myers Park is one of my favorite parts of Charlotte as all of the houses are historic and simply gorgeous. Perfect spot for an afternoon walk!

After nannying, I headed back home to have dinner with my family and to enjoy a low-key Saturday night.

On Sunday, I didn't have anything planned other than a 3 PM Pure Barre class so I was able to sleep in, which was heavenly. I did't have too much homework last weekend so I finished up what I did have and then spent the rest of the day cleaning and organizing my closet (which is quite the feat haha).

Sunday night, my family celebrated St. Patrick's Day with a corned beef and cabbage dinner with Irish Soda Bread as a side, which was so yummy and the perfect day to end the weekend.

I didn't have too much going on for school on Monday, which I will gladly take haha. After school, I taught my religious education class at my Church and then went to Pure Barre afterwards. I didn't have a ton of homework so I was able to get that done and also work on a few things for the blog.

The only thing I had on my calendar for Tuesday was working after school, which was honestly so nice. I did wind up working a bit later than usual but it was fun to spend some extra time with the kiddos I nanny.

My first part of my Lunch at Lilly order came in on Tuesday as well and I can't wait to style the pieces for blog posts that y'all should hopefully see soon!

pearls ⎢sandals

Wednesday was a fairly busy day as it started off on the early side since I went to a 6 AM barre class. I had a test in my first period class but thankfully the rest of my classes weren't too crazy. After school, I quickly ate a snack and changed at home before going to a dentist appointment and nannying.

The rest of my Lunch at Lilly order came on Wednesday and I honestly love both the pieces so much- so much so that I wore the leggings yesterday haha!

shift dress ⎢leggings

Thursday was another early morning as I squeezed in another 6 AM challenge for the March 20 class in 31 days Pure Barre challenge. It definitely makes my mornings a bit more hectic but it's so worth it to get a workout in!

leggings

Yesterday was thankfully a calmer day at school as there wasn't too much going on but I definitely brightened up my Thursday by wearing my new Lilly shift haha!

shift dress ⎢sandals

I nannied after school and when the little boy I nanny requested a stop at Starbucks, I couldn't turn down an iced coffee haha. The weather has been so nice that I made it iced although the Starbucks did have the cute spring cups in haha!

In case you didn't see it on your Instagram feeds, yesterday was National Puppy Day so I couldn't help but to spend a little extra time with my two puppies yesterday before doing some homework and blog work.

On my Radar This Week:

1. Day Designer just released their mid-year planners and I ordered this one for college this fall- so excited to get to use it! I decided to splurge on a Day Designer after seeing Dorothy's agenda organization post- Day Designers seem perfect for planning and organizing in college!

2. Love this article about how the Plaza is now offering etiquette classes- my mom and I had tea there while we were in New York last spring!

3. My blogger bestie Riley has been killing it this week (she announced where she's going to attend college this fall in one of her posts!!)

4. I just ordered this bikini (top + bottom) from J. Crew for Spring Break (less than 3 weeks!!) and I'm so excited for it to come!

5. My friend Amy shared her five favorite brunch spots in Charlotte and even though I've been to a few of them, I definitely want to try the others on her list (like Fahrenheit and Bourdeauxs)

This week on Chic in Carolina:

How to Drink More Water ⎢Easter Dresses ⎢Finding Inspiration ⎢How to do a Deep Spring Cleaning

Happy Friday!

How to do a Deep Spring Cleaning

Last weekend, I was super productive and managed to get quite a bit of my room organized. I divide my closet by season and only keep in-season pieces out so at the beginning of spring and then at the beginning of fall, I switch over my closets and typically do a bit of organizing as well.

This time of the year, I usually feel the need to organize and freshen things up for spring. If you're the same way, I've come up with a few tasks for spring cleaning that help organize your space that can be done on their own or all in one day for a deep clean.

from a shopping trip last summer

Clean your makeup brushes

Makeup brushes can get so gross so cleaning those should definitely be on your spring cleaning to-do list. I usually let them soak in soapy water, which removes all the grime from your makeup.

Wash your sheets

Hopefully this happens fairly often but a great added item to make your room feel fresh and clean for spring. Plus, who doesn't love the feeling of freshly washed sheets?

Take inventory

In transitioning your closet, I always like to take inventory of what items I have and also if they need to be cleaned or anything like that. Sometimes items are dirty from the previous season so I'll throw those in the wash or I'll realize that I don't have a lot of tops so I'll write that down for a future shopping trip.

Make a list of items you need for the upcoming season

After taking inventory, I'll make a list of what my closet is lacking in and that I'll need for the upcoming season. Obviously I don't buy everything at once but it's good so I know what I should be looking at while online shopping for the spring and summer.

Wash and put away out-of-season clothing

In transitioning your closet, first sort through those clothes and see what needs to be washed or dry-cleaned for next season. Then put everything in the back of your closet, storage bins, etc.

Delete unused apps on your phone

Digital clutter but definitely makes a messier and less efficient phone. If you're like me and have forever decreasing storage on your phone, this will help clear up some space!

Sort through clothes to sell or donate

Each time I transition my closet, I always try to sort through my closet to get rid of a few pieces and clear up some space. I'm pretty sentimental when it comes to my clothes (especially my Lilly pieces) but I get rid of pieces that don't fit or I haven't worn lately.

Get rid of old makeup or skincare products

Contrary to what we like to believe, makeup does expire and the random products under your sink probably aren't going to be used anytime soon. Be realistic in what samples or products you are or are not going to use and get rid of the products you aren't going to use or give them to somebody that will use them.

Recycle old papers

Last weekend, I realized I had a ridiculous amounts of papers that I don't need in my room. Clearing those out and recycling what I don't need saves a lot of space and keeps my room looking a bit more tidy.

Anything I missed? Let me know in the comments!

Finding Inspiration

It's definitely starting to get to the point in the year where I'm losing motivation as the end of the school year is close but not close enough. A lot of this is a lack of inspiration, which can be a bit tricky to overcome. However, I have come up with a few ideas if y'all are in the same boat that I am.

from my Instagram

Go for a Walk

After a long day of school, it is always so nice to go outside and soak in the sunshine. It's a nice mental break from the stresses of school and helps you feel a bit more refreshed.

Update your Spotify playlists

Updating your playlist is one of those tasks you always mean to do but somehow always forget about. Adding new music (or deleting the songs that are getting annoying) makes your playlist more current and makes you want to listen it to more and be inspired by it.

Catch up on other blogs

Whether it's for new blog posts or just for life, I always find so much inspiration by reading other blogs. I use Bloglovin to stay up-to-date on all the blogs I follow and I love seeing new posts on my feed each morning, whether it's useful tips and tricks or cute outfits!

Spend a few minutes on Pinterest

For the fastest way to gain inspiration, I definitely recommend Pinterest! I'm guilty of having a few too many boards to pin things to but it's a great way to get ideas for all aspects of your life- school, health, fashion, beauty, etc. Be sure to follow me while you're at it ;)

Catch up with a friend over coffee

Catching up is always a positive in my book and add coffee it's even better. This always puts me in a better mood and inspires me to take a different perspective in various situations in my life.

Plan a trip for the summer

I honestly love trip planning as it's so fun to research all the different places you want to go and it makes me so excited for the trip! Even if you don't have grand plans for the summer, plan out a day trip, a dream vacation (who says you have to take this trip?), or a staycation!

How do you find inspiration? Let me know in the comments!

Easter Dresses

Besides Christmas, Easter is definitely my favorite holiday. By then the weather is warm and since we always visit my grandparents in Florida, it is always gorgeous out. I love spending time with my extended family and we always go to the yummiest brunch at my grandparent's country club after Mass. Picking out a dress for Easter is always so fun as well (I always wear Lilly- as seen through last Easter and two Easters ago).

Today, I've rounded up my favorite Easter dresses at a range of budgets that will be perfect for any Easter festivities.

periwinkle lace dress (under $60) ⎢white lace dress ⎢coral bow back dress (great deal) ⎢swing shift dress

mint shift dress ⎢scalloped blue dress (under $60) ⎢fit and flare dress ⎢shift dress

What will you be wearing for Easter? Let me know in the comments!

How to Drink More Water

Happy Monday y'all! It's been a while since I shared a health post with y'all but I figured that it is the perfect time to do so with spring break and summer just around the corner (!!!). If you look on Pinterest or just on the Internet on ways to be healthier, drinking more water is almost always one of the tips. Even though it sounds so easy, it definitely can be overlooked but is so important to your overall health. I'm definitely not perfect in drinking lots of water but I decided to share a few of my favorite tips on drinking more water.

Ironically not water haha!

Use a Straw

Sounds odd but trust me on this one! Adding a straw to your water makes it so much easier to drink more of it, which helps if you're wanting to increase the amount of water you drink each day.

Bring your Water Everywhere with You

I honestly almost never leave the house without a water bottle. I always have one with me, whether it's to school, to work, to barre, running errands, etc. Having it in the car makes sure I'm drinking more and it saves me money as well since I don't have to buy a water or another drink

Remember to re-fill

Whether it's filling it up at the water fountain or bringing a bottle of water to refill your cup with, it's super important to refill your water throughout the day. For school, I will typically bring a bottle of SmartWater so I have that with me throughout the day.

Add lemon juice

If you're someone who gets bored drinking plain water, adding lemon juice is a great way to jazz up the flavor but drink more water as well!

Buy a bigger water bottle

I switch between my Corkcicle that I got for Christmas and my Lilly S'Well during the week and I've found that when I bring the Corkcicle, which is bigger, I drink a lot more water during the day. This is such an easy way to boost your water intake.

Log it

When I log the amount of water I drink into my Fitbit app (read about my Fitbit Alta here), it motivates to drink more throughout the day. Even if you don't have a Fitbit, there is plenty of apps that do the same thing that are often free!

Cut out other Drinks

A bit harder to do than the other tips but definitely effective. I don't drink soda (read why here) and only really drink sweet tea and water, which means I'm drinking a lot more water than I did when I drank soda. Deciding to only drink water until dinner or on weekdays really helps cut down on other drinks and increase the amount of water you drink.

Do you have any more tips for drinking more water? Let me know in the comments!

Weekend Reading

Happy Saturday y'all! Since yesterday's My Chic Week post was a bit longer than usual, I wanted to make the On my Radar section a separate post so yesterday's post wasn't a million miles long! This way, there's a fun surprise post up for y'all with some fun links to read!

from my visit to Clemson (where I'm going to college!!) last weekend

1. Today is Lunch at Lilly! Be sure to stop in your local store or order online to get the fun Gift with Purchases (and read my post about Lunch at Lilly, which has my current Lilly favorites).

2. Obsessed with these gingham pajamas!

3. Speaking of J. Crew- they just declared March 31 National Stripes Day so I'll definitely be celebrating that haha!

4. My friend Annaliese just got a new job in Vermont and I'm so excited for her, even though I'll miss having her here in Charlotte!

5. Love Caitlin's 10 tips for waking up happy! I definitely need to incorporate a few of these into my daily routine

6. I've been trying to be more active on Pinterest this week, so be sure to follow me

7. Mackenzie shared 3 tips on being more productive, which are so useful!

8. Love this post from the Day Designer Blog on 10 ways to plan a successful day!

9. Tory Burch is having a private sale and y'all, everything is so cute!

10. My blogger bestie Riley is seriously the cutest- love this Lilly look on her! So excited that we'll be two hours from each other this fall!

Do y'all have any fun plans for this weekend? Let me know in the comments! I have a few barre classes scheduled and I'm hoping to do some spring cleaning- nothing too crazy haha

My Chic Week: March 3-16

Happy Friday y'all! This week has certainly been busy but in a good way as a lot of the busy "stuff" is exciting things coming up, especially with spring break around the corner (less than a month!). My NHS chapter is having our big Dance Marathon tonight to raise funds for our philanthropy so it has been busy prepping for that but I'm so excited for the event!

Since I didn't get a My Chic Week post up last week for y'all, I'm combining the past two weeks so y'all can still get a glimpse of what I've been up to but I was still able to get other posts up on the blog this week. The usual On my Radar will be a part of tomorrow's Weekend Reading post so be sure to be on the lookout for that!

Two weekends ago, my mom and I headed up to Elon for their scholarship weekend. I took Friday off from school and we were able to tour all four of Elon's residential neighborhood, which was really nice to see, and also attended a session about internships. After that session ended, I was able to meet up with Carrie of Carrie on Blogs who also was attending the weekend and it was so fun to meet her "in real life".

We had a quick dinner at Panera before heading back to campus for a opening reception for Education majors, where we were able to learn a bit more about the program.

Saturday morning, my mom and I were up somewhat early to get head back to Elon for a busy day of attending a panel where alumni spoke about their experience at Elon, attending a session about the Education Fellows program, eating lunch, having my interview, grabbing coffee with my mom, going to my seminar, and then meeting with one of the students currently in the Teaching Fellows program  before heading back home. Once my mom and I got home, we were fairly tired and so I just had a quieter night at home and caught up on a few things for school and the blog.

Saturday's #OOTD

Since I missed school that Friday, I used that Sunday to catch up on homework and also go to a Pure Barre class. Thankfully, I had some more exciting plans in the afternoon as one of my friends and I had lunch at Dean and Deluca (which I previously visited here). It was so fun catching up with her and, not to mention, the food was delicious!

Two weeks ago was a short week and thankfully wasn't too crazy compared to the past month or so of school!

a random Instagram stories snap

Last weekend, we had Friday off of school but my mom and I were up bright and early to go visit Clemson for an Education major Open House (read about my last visit here). We made a pit stop for Starbucks before a busy and fun day at Clemson. I was able to learn more about the Elementary Education program, meet some other girls going to Clemson, and then go on a campus tour.

Since we were so close to another school I was looking at, Furman University (read about my last two visits here and here), we decided to stop in on the way home before I officially made my decision. I pretty much decided on Clemson in the car and put in my deposit that night haha!

Saturday was another busy day as I was up early for a 7 AM barre class. I babysat two "shifts" on Saturday as well (one in the morning and one at night) and got a bit of homework done so it was definitely a productive day.

A behind-the-scenes look from Twitter

Sunday, I went to another Pure Barre class before doing some more homework. My dad wanted to go to Nordstrom so I gladly went to the mall with my parents. While we were there, I tried on all of my current Lilly favorites (literally all. of. them. haha) and also placed my pre-order for Lunch at Lilly this weekend.

Sunday's OOTD

little white dress ⎢shift dress

shift dress ⎢flounce hem dress

shift dress

I quickly grabbed a few things at Sephora, went to Vineyard Vines, and then we headed back home where I had even more exciting homework to do haha!

The rest of this week went by in a blur so I'll give y'all the short list: quite a few Pure Barre classes, nannying, a few meetings, a few assignments due, and then meeting up for coffee with another girl who is going to Clemson!

Recently on Chic in Carolina:

What I'm Giving Up/Doing for Lent 2017 ⎢The Big Announcement! ⎢How to Stay Focused in Class ⎢ Lunch at Lilly GWP Event + Favorites ⎢Easy Ways to Improve Your Day

Happy Friday!