Oh boy… Where do I even begin?!

The last few weeks have felt like Groundhog’s Day and I’m still in shock that everything that’s happened/happening is real life.

We always knew our time in Florida was going to be temporary, but we had no idea just how long it would before we’d have to move on. 6 months? 1 year? 2 years? When we left New Jersey in March and made our way to Fort Myers, we didn’t have an answer to that question. All we knew was that our apartment lease was ending and we didn’t want to stay in the tri-state area if Nick was still working remotely. The month we spent renting in Florida in January was heavenly and we knew we’d regret it if we didn’t take advantage of the opportunity we had to head back. .

Well, our question got answered in a big way about a month ago in the form of an amazing new job for Nick! And you won’t believe where…

Nashville!!!

Yep, we’re moving to Tennessee.

Omg gals, it all happened so fast.

Nick found out about the job, interviewed, got the job, accepted it, we started looking for a home in Nashville, found a house, made an offer and had it accepted– all in a span of TWO WEEKS.

Feel overwhelmed reading that? Yep, me too.

Life is crazy right?!

So you’re probably wondering… When are you moving?

THIS WEEK. Yep, in just a few days we’ll be packing our lives up again and making our way to Tennessee. Nashville was always a place we’d heard wonderful things about and somewhere we felt would be a great fit for us and I’m still in disbelief that it’s actually happening. Ahhh!

I’ve been dyingggg to reveal this news for weeks because there has been so much going on behind the scenes. I can’t wait to share our new home with you gals! We closed last Friday and already have been dreaming about the projects and renovations we want to do. It’s gonna be a wild couple of weeks, but we’re so excited.

The post We’re Moving (Again) & You Won’t Believe Where! appeared first on Katie's Bliss.

Working from the comfort of your own space definitely has its perks. You can wear what you want, eat whenever you please, play music and watch TV, take a break to do the laundry and you don’t have a boss or supervisor looking over your shoulder. That said, all of that freedom can easily become a distraction. Many people like myself thrive from having a daily routine. It can also be a shock especially if you’re extrovert going from an office full of lively coworkers to having to do your job at the same capacity with only digital devices to connect you to your team.

Tips for working from home is a hot topic in the blogosphere lately. While I’ve been blogging full time from my apartment for nearly four years, I know for many of you this is the first time you have been tasked with doing your job virtually and in many cases alongside your significant other.

ITEMS PICTURED // Wood Dining Table | Dining Chairs | Dining Bench | Similar Carpet | Shearling Throw (draped on bench) | Wood Candle Centerpiece | Humidifier (to combat the dry air in our apt!) | Honeycomb Shelves (all shelf decor linked here) | Water Bottles | White Tray

At this point I feel like “working from home tips” is a bit overdone. Since my job as a blogger is so different from the standard 9-5 and my home has been my office for so long now– I don’t think I’m the best person to ask for that kind of advice anyway as I haven’t had a traditional job with coworkers in nearly four years.

That said, I can 100% relate to everyone who is feeling anxious and a bit stir crazy adjusting to social distancing and living in self-quarantine. While I love working solo, I’m definitely not used to being cooped up in my apartment all day without the freedom of being able to go to a pilates class, grab dinner with a friend, take an in-person meeting with a brand, etc. I’m also still adjusting to weekday life with my new full-time live-in coworker: my husband.

So if you’re in the same boat as much then this post is for you!

How To Stay Sane Working At Home With Your Significant Other

Keep To A Normal Work Day Schedule. If you were always at your office and working by 8AM– do this at home and encourage your partner to do the same. Set your alarm early, have breakfast, get dressed and be at your desk (or wherever you are setting up your home work station) ready to go as if you were in your actual office. If your partner needs to be awake and working earlier than you– be respectful and let them go about their routine. If they have a conference call, etc. go to another room and keep noise to a minimum. Keeping a routine will help you easily swing back into the work grind whenever life returns to normal.

Get Dressed, Wash Up & Have Your Coffee. This goes along with my first point. Try to maintain as close to your regular routine as possible. Change out of your pjs into a socially acceptable outfit (yes comfy loungewear counts!) Wash your face, brush your teeth and do your skincare routine. If a little makeup helps you feel put together– go for it! Skip the Starbucks and make coffee at home for you and your partner. Establishing an in-home routine that makes you feel as if you’re getting ready for a regular work day will help you feel more motivated and productive.

Loungewear That’s Cozy & Cute!

OUTFIT DETAILS // Lounge Tee | Lounge Joggers | Slippers

Try To Reduce Distractions. Suddenly being confined to close quarters working with another person that isn’t your coworker can be jarring. Nick and I have very different working styles. He can do a million things at once with lots of noise and commotion. I on the other hand like to focus on one task at a time and need peace and quiet. Perfect combination for working together in a small apartment right?

I typically like to work from our dining room table, but now that Nick is home and needs the space to set up his multiple computers (he uses two screens for work) I’ve been taking my laptop to our second bedroom or our living room couch when I need to really focus on my work. Nick’s busiest hours when he does calls are in the mornings before noon, so I’ve also been trying to do more of my non-computer related tasks at this time so I’m out of the room and not distracting him.

If you live in a house (jealous btw) make your own “offices” in different rooms of the home and set a time to meet in the kitchen for lunch everyday

It’s a balancing act for sure and we’re still figuring it out ourselves, but I think the most important thing is to try and be as accommodating and understanding as possible with one another. Nick knows how tough it is for me to focus when there’s lots of noise so he’s definitely toned down his rambunctiousness. The fact that I’ve been making him yummy fresh pressed juices and a homemade lunch everyday probably helps

Stay Active. Easier said then done in these times, I know. But trust me when I say that you will feel so much better and clearheaded after a quick sweat or walk outside. To keep active, we’ve been doing a 30-45 minute workout in our living room. So far we’ve done a couples workout we found on YouTube (I filmed it for y’alls enjoyment!) I also signed up for the Tone It Up and Obe fitness apps– both are offering free trials right now. My friend Carly posted a full list of virtual workout apps that you can do from home– highly recommending reading it!

AT-HOME FITNESS GEAR // Extra-Thick Yoga Mat | Pink Yoga Mat | Resistance Band Set | 2lb Hand Weights | Adidas UltraBoost Sneakers

Motivate + Keep Spirits High During Downtime. Working from home can be hard and distracting. My husband thrives in a lively office environment when he is surrounded by coworkers, so needless to say he isn’t particularly loving the quiet seclusion of our apartment. Many people can become demotivated working from a small quiet space with minimal interaction with others. If you or your partner are feeling this, then try your best to be their source of motivation and positivity. Here are some ideas of things you can do together:

Things To Do During Downtime While Social Distancing:

Listen to an uplifting playlist that you both love (we’re partial to Spotify’s Disney Hits)
Have a Facetime call with a group of your college friends
Go on a walk, jog or bike ride around your neighborhood
Do a couples workout in your living room (we tried this yesterday— don’t judge! LOL)
Cook dinner or lunch together
Take a drive and listen to more music
Browse Zillow and daydream about your “dream home” (a favorite past time of ours)
Make a list of organizational home projects and tackle them 1 by 1
Play a board game
Go on a Netflix binge (here’s a list of my favorite TV series)

Keep Personal Stuff Out Of The Work Day. It’s tempting to talk about chores, family and real life things at 10AM on a Monday because your husband is right there– RESIST! Save it for the evening when you’ve both finished your work for the day.

Blame Everything On An Imaginary Coworker. Ok this is kind of a joke, buttttttt also legit advice. I saw this on Instagram yesterday and immediately burst out laughing. If you find yourself bickering or annoyed by something– just blame it on Cheryl or Jim!

The post How To Stay Sane Working From Home With Your Significant Other appeared first on Katie's Bliss.

It’s hard to believe that at this time last year our engagement was still fresh and we were only in the beginning stages of planning our wedding. Crazy how much can happen in just 12 months! 2019 was an incredible year and definitely the best one of my life thus far. I swear I say that every year, but it’s true! In 2019 I married my soulmate, traveled to many incredible countries on my bucket list, continued to grow my business and got to wake up every day to do a job that I love: blogging!

MY BEST MOMENTS OF 2019

I GOT MARRIED

My top highlight of the year would definitely have to be getting married to Nick. Planning our big day really brought us so much closer together. We truly enjoyed the entire process from start to finish and our wedding weekend ended up being everything we hoped it would be and more. Truly the best day of our lives!

WEDDING POSTS
Personalized Decor & Favors
Our Fall Rehearsal Dinner
Getting Ready Photos
My Wedding Gown + First Look Photos
Our Ceremony + Bridal Party Portraits
Reception + Cocktail Hour

MOVED TO JERSEY CITY

This time last year I was completely over cramped city life and ready for a slower pace. So after nearly seven years living as New Yorkers  we said goodbye to Manhattan and hello to Jersey City in March. It was a tough and scary decision and one that Nick and I weren’t 100% sure about even up until the day we moved, but I’m happy to say it’s been an amazing transition. We love living in Jersey City and could not be more obsessed with our apartment. The extra livable space and being able to have a car has dramatically improved our quality of life.

Before we moved, I was a little worried that I was going to feel very separated from the city living across the water in a different state, but it honestly doesn’t feel that much different. I think a lot of people don’t realize just how close Jersey City and Hoboken are to Manhattan. It takes me just 20-25 minutes to get to anywhere I need to in lower Manhattan on the PATH train (NJ’s version of the subway.) Sure, I can’t walk to my favorite city spots like I used to, but to me that’s such a small trade off considering everything we’ve gained from moving.

TRAVELED TO NEW PLACES

2019 was filled with new adventures. Looking back on all the countries and new places I got to experience fills my heart with so much joy and nostalgia. It’s crazy to think that just 3-4 years ago I could count the number of countries I’d visited on one hand. Today? I don’t have enough fingers!

I never prioritized traveling in my early 20s because 1) I was working full time and had limited vacation 2) I was scared of planning a trip and having it be a let down and 3) lack of money. Once I quit my public relations job to focus on my blog, I realized I needed to stop making excuses and finally act on making all of my travel dreams a reality.

Going into the year I didn’t have a single trip planned– just a bunch of places on my bucket list that I hoped I’d be able to check off and a few destinations I was dying to visit again. Nick and I kicked off the year with a getaway to the sunshine state, followed by a BIG adventure that took us to Morocco and back to Paris for a second time (where I found my wedding dress!) Later that spring we planned another trip to Europe– this time to Greece! The Greek islands of Mykonos and Santorini were a true dream. We also impulsively planned a post-wedding minimoon back to our favorite European country: France. Where we spent a few nights in Paris and then road tripped out to the Loire Valley where we drank allll the wine.

My most exotic adventure of 2019 happened in April when Clinique invited me on a press trip to Jaipur, India to celebrate the launch of Moisture Surge Eye Concentrate. It was a whirlwind trip and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that I still pinch myself over. Traveling halfway across the world with one of my lifelong favorite beauty brands and getting to experience a completely new culture is something I’ll always be grateful for. You can read more about my trip here.

In 2019 I took two special family trips! In August I spent an entire week with my mom’s side of the fam in Sun Valley, Idaho. It was so gorgeous! Then recently in December we invited my grandparents to join us for a holiday weekend getaway to Quebec City. We had the best time!

I did a few girls’ trips to Charleston, Nantucket, the incredible Blue Lagoon in Iceland and back to South Carolina to Isle of Palms for my bachelorette weekend.

So so thankful for all of these amazing memories!

MY 2019 TRAVELS

Marrakech Travel Guide
Paris Travel Guide 2019
Charleston Travel Guide
Jaipur India with Clinique
Santorini Travel Guide
Mykonos Travel Guide
Sun Valley, Idaho Travel Guide
24 Hours In Park City, Utah
Paris Minimoon Itinerary
Loire Valley France Travel Guide
Iceland Travel Guide
Quebec City Winter Travel Guide

CONNECTING WITH ALL OF YOU!

I’ve been blogging for nearly 10 years, but this year in particular I felt like I really got to connect with y’all in a deeper, personal way. Maybe it’s because I had so many big changes this year? Moving… Getting married.. I can’t pinpoint it! But I just felt like I really got to know y’all & you really got to know me.

I used to feel a lot of pressure to show this curated version of myself online. As if being considered a “real” professional blogger meant always looking put together, only showing my apartment when it was clean & organized, & hiding my past struggles with anxiety & seasonal depression.

In 2019 I brushed all of that to the side & have since embraced my true Trader Joe’s-regular, sweatpant-wearing, minimal makeup, budget-buy shopper self. I still sometimes second guess myself when it comes to sharing personal “real” moments, but I’ve never felt more comfortable & confident with who I am online & offline as I do today. The connection with you gals & all your support is by far one of the biggest blessings in my life & I can’t think you all enough for following along!

WHAT I’M LOOKING FORWARD TO IN 2020

OUR HONEYMOON

In just 2.5 weeks we’ll be embarking on our biggest adventure yet to Tanzania and Dubai! We purposely planned our honeymoon in January because 1) it would be an excuse to the escape the cold and 2) we’d have something to look forward to after the holidays. Visiting Dubai and going on a safari has always been on both of our bucket lists, so it was an easy to go to both of these spots for our honeymoon. I’m really excited too because Nick is taking over two weeks off for this trip– normally he never like being out of office for more than four to five days. I’m really looking forward to doing a trip that’s completely different from what we’ve done before and just relaxing with him. Can’t wait!

MORE TRAVELS & ADVENTURES

We don’t have any other trips planned besides our honeymoon planned yet, but I’m hoping to cross a few more spots off our bucket list and re-visit a few favorite spots later this year. I’ve been dying to go to the South of the France and back to the Amalfi Coast… Paris is also always a good idea…

ENJOYING TIME AT HOME

One thing I’d personally like to work on in 2020 is getting more comfortable with just being home. I’ve always been the type of person where I need something to look forward to– if not I get very stir crazy going more than two or three weeks without a change of scenery. While I love my weekday routine and working from home, on weekends I tend to put a lot of pressure on myself to go into the city or travel out of town. While that can be a good thing, there’s also nothing wrong with spending time at home relaxing.

The post Best Moments of 2019 + What I’m Looking Forward To In 2020 appeared first on Katie's Bliss.

Guess what? We moved!

If you’ve been wondering why things have been a little quieter on my blog it’s because last week we packed up our apartment and said goodbye to Manhattan. I know! The end of an era! For 7 long years we lived as New Yorkers and although we loved our time in the city Nick and both felt ready for a change of pace and scenery. So as of last Tuesday we officially became residents of Jersey City, New Jersey!

I don’t think this move comes as a surprise to many of you. I mentioned in my What I’m Looking Forward To In 2019 post that this year would likely be our last in New York. There were a number of reasons why I wanted to move and now that we’ve actually done it, I could not be happier and more confident in our decision.

If you’re curious about the full backstory behind why we decided to move, definitely give this post a read!

Over on Instagram I took you guys along with us as we packed up our old place with the amazing help of Roadway Moving and made the hop across the Hudson River to Jersey City. This was the first time we’ve ever used hired movers and we were so impressed with the Roadway team!

The guys took apart our furniture, packed up everything for us (including clothing!) and then moved it all to our new place. They then re-assembled all our furniture and placed each box in the appropriate room where it would be unpacked! It was a long day and it really didn’t hit me until the morning of our move that we were actually doing it.

Moving soon? Make sure to use promo code KATIESBLISS10 for 10% off Roadway Moving services!

At first I felt a little sentimental about leaving our previous apartment. Watching the movers take apart our furniture and begin carrying our belongings down to the truck definitely pulled on my heartstrings a bit. We loved that place so much, but we simply outgrew it and were over the fast-paced New York lifestyle.

Any nerves I had about saying goodbye to our New York apartment completely washed away the moment I stepped inside our new place in Jersey City. It wasn’t like I hadn’t already seen it in person, but just walking in the front door and seeing all our things being brought inside just made it all feel so much more real.

MY OUTFIT DETAILS // Black Moto Leggings | Peplum T-Shirt (on sale for $26) | Adidas UltraBoost Sneakers | Baseball Hat

Say hello to our new home! We signed the lease for a new 2-bedroom, 2 bathroom apartment back in December after spending about two months researching and touring buildings in both Hoboken and Jersey City. Our apartment must-have checklist was long. If we were going to undertake such a big move across state lines that would require Nick to commute, it had to be for the right place.

We really loved that our last apartment was in a full service building with an elevator, package room and 24 hour doorman. Knowing we wanted all of that again helped narrow down the options a lot during our search. One of the things that made us so excited about Jersey City is that it’s become a mecca for a new residential development. It’s home to a plethora of brand new buildings full of modern amenities and added square footage that you simply just can’t find in Manhattan.

A glimpse at our new in-progress dining room!

ITEMS PICTURED // Wood Dining Table | Dining Chairs | Dining Bench | Similar Carpet (found ours via Rugsusa) | Wood Candle Holder Centerpiece

Other must-haves for us were a large functional 2 bed/2 bath layout, affordable parking garage (rates in our last building were $450+ per month,) modern appliances (aka an a/c unit with more than just an on & off switch,) an in-unit washer and dryer (in NYC you’re lucky if your building has a community laundry room,) lots of natural light, close proximity to a PATH train stop (this is what Nick rides to work) and a separate kitchen that could fit two people at the same time. Needless to say we had our work cut out for us!

My office + closet is slowly coming together!

ITEMS PICTURED // Metal Garment Rack | Faux Fiddle Leaf Fig Plant | Sheepskin Carpet Runner | Similar Basket | Olive Green Wedges | Black & White Espadrilles | Brown Leather Sandals | White Sandals | Blush Pink Strap Slides | Stripe Slides | Pink Suede Sandals

It took us about two full months before we finally stumbled on the building in Jersey City we now call home. I hadn’t felt excited about any of the spots we’d previously toured, but I knew right away I wanted to live here. Although it’s a little disorganized and still in need of furniture, our new apartment checks all the boxes on our list and just feels right. Ahhh! So excited to decorate and show you guys more

PS I’ve received a lot of questions asking why we chose Jersey City over Hoboken and honestly for us it was more about the building and finding the right apartment. We would’ve been happy in either town, but simply fell in love with the place we found in Jersey City!

We finally stuffed the Moroccan poufs we bought in Marrakech! PS I found similar ones you can order online here for under $100

Since moving in last Tuesday my life has been a nonstop rotation of opening boxes, doing laundry, putting together furniture and organizing closets. Moves are no joke! I only changed out of sweatpants briefly over the weekend to celebrate our best friend’s joint bachelor+bachelorette party in New Hampshire, however as of yesterday I was back to the unpacking grind. My to-do list is still a little overwhelming, but I am starting to see there’s an end in sight. Oye!

Well that’s the latest with me! Thanks again friends for all the love and advice you’ve been giving me over on Instagram. If you’re interested in seeing more real-time progress of our apartment, definitely make sure you’re following me there! So excited to share more about our new place and how we plan to furnish and decorate over the next few weeks

The post Goodbye Manhattan & Hello Jersey City! appeared first on Katie's Bliss.

Feeling unmotivated or down in the dumps for no specific reason? Not sleeping well? Are you feeling irritable, negative and wishing you could teleport to somewhere warm where it’s sunny and 80 degrees year round? If this sounds like you, then you be suffering from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) or as I like to call it: the winter blues.

It was this time last year when I started feeling all of the things I just described above. I think it’s normal for anyone to feel a little bummed after the holidays, but to have a 24/7 negative mindset that lasts for weeks and affects your daily life, work and relationships? That’s a larger issue. Considering my history with anxiety, it’s not surprising how prone I am to SAD and looking back the signs were obvious.

I talked about this a little bit in my 2018 recap— for close to three months last year (basically all of January through March) I was MISERABLE. I had no motivation to leave my apartment, getting dressed in anything other than lounge clothes was a chore, I dreaded my workouts (it didn’t help that these were inconsistent) and just seeing a grey cloudy forecast could prompt a flow of tears. I had also come to the realization that I didn’t want to live in Manhattan any more. Add that to a never-ending winter and you have yourself a pretty nasty case of SAD (which I thought would never go away.)

It took the arrival of spring for me to realize what I had been going through all winter. Experiencing longer days and warmer temps brought me out of my blackhole and immediately I started feeling like myself again. As soon as that happened, I made a mental note to myself that when winter rolled around again I would take the necessary steps to ensure I wouldn’t succumb to SAD again.

So here we are in the thick of winter 2019 and I have to say, I feel really good. Definitely not that summer/fall kinda good, but all things considered, I’m in a wayyyy better place mentally and physically than I was this time last year. Curious to know how I’ve warded off the winter blues? Here’s what I’ve been doing to stay active and boost my mood.

10 Tips For Fighting Seasonal Depression

1. Exercise regularly

I’ve learned that I’m a much more productive and positive person when I exercise. I actually started prepping for my inevitable winter slump back in November by forcing myself to 3x weekly pilates classes. I book my classes at the beginning of every week and given that they are non-refundable, I have no choice but to go (unless I want to lose my $$$.) At first it was tough finding the motivation to get to class, but now I am obsessed! It’s become routine to me and I don’t view going to pilates as a chore.

OUTFIT DETAILS // Pullover | High Waist Leggings | Adidas UltraBoost Sneakers | Sunglasses | Tote Bag

Last year I relied on my gym membership and ended up not exercising nearly as much as I should’ve. I’ve found my workouts are much more productive when I go to a confirmed class that’s lead by an instructor and I’m happy to say that since November I’ve consistently made it to pilates at least twice a week. I really look forward to going and LOVE my workouts. I like to go around lunch time so I have an excuse to leave my apartment during the day and get some sun and fresh air.

2. Spend time outside

This goes along with my last tip! While the lack of daylight and tough weather conditions of winter seem like good reasons to stay indoors, it’s so important to resist the urge to hole up at home. Fresh air and sunlight is good for the soul (no matter the temperature) and even just a quick walk outside can help lessen the symptoms of SAD.

SWIMWEAR DETAILS // Strapless Bikini Top | Strapless Bikini Bottoms | Baseball Hat | Sunglasses

3. Become a morning person

My life changed so much more for the better when I became a morning person. If you want to know I did it, I explained it in this post (for yearssss I could never wake up early.) I know it’s easier said then done, but when the sun sets in the late afternoon you gotta do what you gotta do to get that vitamin C. Here are a few ideas for how to make your routine more daylight friendly… If you typically exercise after work, try switching to your workouts to mornings. Trying setting your alarm earlier so you can walk to the office instead of taking the subway. Enjoy your lunch break outside and do a quick circle around your block. Even just a few minutes can make a big difference!

OUTFIT DETAILS // Sweater Top | Sweater Pants | Slippers | Glasses

4. Use a light therapy box

When I opened up about my SAD on Instagram, so many of you recommended I try light therapy. I recently ordered this LED light therapy box and use it for a few hours everyday while I’m working on my computer. It essentially mimics natural light and helps regulate the body’s circadian rhythms that can get thrown off by days with shorter periods of light. If you don’t have the ability to get outside during the daytime or you live somewhere where the weather is bleak, using a therapy light can be a great tool to help combat the winter blues.

MY FAVORITE GADGETS // LED Light Therapy Lamp | Portable Bluetooth Speaker

5. Play more music

I’m obsessed with this little portable bluetooth speaker!  The first thing I do every morning (besides making lemon detox water) is put on a different playlist to listen to while Nick and I both get ready for the day. We used to always turn on the TV, but I’ve found I feel so much more positive and upbeat starting off my day listening to a cheerful playlist. This speaker is great because you can easily carry it with you from room to room

6. Keep busy

One of the best things you can do for yourself during the winter is to keep busy. I find that I when I have too much extra time on my hands, I have a tendency to get wayyyy to into my thoughts and feelings. Since I work from home, I make a point to spread out any meetings, appointments, errands and fitness classes throughout the week so I have something to do every single day.

While it’s very easy to just sit on the couch at home all weekend, during the winter I try and plan at least one fun thing that will get us out and about, whether that’s trying a new restaurant or going on a walk. Looking for something that will keep you busy at home? Winter is a great time to take on an organizational project or pick up a new hobby. Try some different recipes, teach yourself a skill, treat yourself to a few new books— the list goes on!

7. Switch up your scenery

If you have the ability to take a trip somewhere sunny and warm, there’s no better time of year to do it then in the winter. When my grandparents told me they were planning to rent a house in Florida again this year, I POUNCED at the opportunity and planned a visit over a three-day holiday weekend. Winters can feel dreadfully long when you live in northeast, so breaking up those cold months with a quick sunny getaway can really be a lifesaver.

OUTFIT DETAILS // Floral Mini Skirt | Scallop Bikini Top | Pink Button Down | Straw Tote | Hair Wrap | Aviators | David Yurman Bracelets

Of course I recognize that not everyone can just hop on a plane to Florida. Sometimes just taking a weekend trip to visit a friend in another city, taking your Netflix binge over to a family member’s couch or spending the afternoon exploring a new place can be a very welcome breath of fresh air. Here’s another idea: if you typically work from home, grab your laptop and head to a coffee shop for the day. You’d be amazed at the positive energy you can gather just by working from a different setting.

8. Treat yourself to a sunless tan

This tip may sound silly, but I swear I feel so much better about myself when I have a glow to my skin. I remember last winter feeling so icky when I’d look at myself in the mirror and immediately be reminded that it had been months since I was last out in the sun. I discovered these awesome tanning drops that are so easy to use and give amazing natural results!

MY GO-TO SUNLESS TANNERS // Self Tanning Water | Self Tanning Drops

All you have to do is a mix a drop or two with a pump of your body lotion or face cream and apply to your skin. The more drops you use = darker glow! Giving yourself a sunless tan is a simple way to boost your mood and confidence— just try it and you’ll see! Click here for a full review + more info on my favorite tanning products.

9. Get social

It’s easy to want to hibernate during the winter. I know firsthand that the urge to avoid human contact can get real on those nasty cold days, but getting out and being around other people is so important when you’re prone to SAD. I find that catching up with a friend, doing a meeting in-over coffee or just eating my lunch out (vs taking it home)  can completely flip a day from negative to positive.

10. Practice healthy eating habits

This is another tip that’s easier said than done, but can really do wonders for your mind and body. I’ll admit that I don’t have the best diet. I love me some fried things and regularly snack on junk food, but I try my best to incorporate healthy and fresh food into my diet. I stopped drinking soda about two years ago (I only buy sparkling water) and I start every morning with a lemon turmeric detox water. During the week I’ll stick to healthy salads and proteins and then on weekends I let myself splurge a bit on fun stuff (aka pizza and burgers.) I find that when I make a point to eat healthy foods, yet don’t aggressively restrict my guilty pleasures I feel so much better. It’s all about balance!

What are some of your tips for combatting the winter blues? Anything else I should add to this list?

The post 10 Tips For Fighting Seasonal Depression appeared first on Katie's Bliss.

Our Wedding

Just 12 months ago my feelings on marriage could not have been more flipped. In last year’s big personal update I got deep with you guys and revealed why Nick and I were dragging our feet on getting engaged and that neither us felt particularly enthusiastic about having a wedding. I wouldn’t say there were a big moment per se where we both changed our minds and started viewing the prospect of marriage in a more positive light, but I want to say it was last spring when we started to have real conversations, versus just mindlessly fantasizing about the where/when/how of it all would happen one day.

Needless to say, I knew a proposal was likely coming in the summer. Then it happened! And it was wonderful and I was SO surprised. I’m the planner in our relationship and usually I can figure out everything, so the fact that Nick pulled off something completely unexpected still blows my mind. He’s truly one of a kind If you have’t read our proposal story you can read all about it here! One of the best days of our lives!

Since getting engaged, you gals have been the absolute sweetest and the most helpful support system! Never have I felt more connected to those of you who choose to read my blog here and follow me on Instagram, than I have since getting engaged. Anytime I’ve had a question or needed recommendations, you all have been nothing short of amazing. THANK YOU!

Sharing more of the planning process and the big day itself with all of you is by far the thing I’m most looking forward to in 2019.

Moving To A New Apartment

I think 2019 is going to mark the end of an era: we’re ready to say good bye to Manhattan. We’ve lived on this tiny island for over six years now and to be completely honest, we both feel ready for a change. I’ve personally always known that New York City was never going to be a permanent home for me. I loved growing up in a house with a yard and having easy access to nature and the conveniences that come with living in the suburbs. It’s been an amazing experience getting to take on adulthood and spend some of the best years of my 20s living in Manhattan, but it’s become harder and harder to rationalize the sacrifices one has to make living in a large expensive city. I want to say it was last February where it really hit me that I didn’t want to live in New York anymore.

I never talked about this publicly, but last winter I fell into a terrible seasonal depression. There was a period of time for about two months where I had no desire to change out of lounge clothes or leave my apartment. If I did head out it was only to grocery shop, begrudgingly hit the gym or take pictures for blog content. I was miserable for no specific reason and my mindset about everything was completely negative. There were many nights where Nick would get home from work and I would dissolve into sobs about how I felt trapped and had no escape from the miserable weather and the claustrophobia of the city. It got so bad that we seriously looked into buying a home and moving to Connecticut.

As much as I was over city life, we realized that making such an aggressive move to the suburbs was not the answer and we started looking for a solution closer to home. Then the lightbulb moment happened: Jersey City and Hoboken. I’m not sure why we didn’t consider New Jersey earlier. For some reason I just didn’t realize how accessible these two towns are to Manhattan. Literally they are connected via the PATH train to Manhattan’s subway system similar to Brooklyn. You can get to neighborhoods like the West Village and Tribeca quicker from Jersey City, than you can from our current apartment in Kips Bay.

After checking out Jersey City for the first time it was kind of a no brainer decision that this should be our next move. Our lifestyle would be similar in that we’d still rent in a high rise apartment building and Nick would ride the subway to work, but you can just get so much more for your money. Hello two bedroom/two bathroom apartment, washer/dryer and affordable parking garage!

So why not Brooklyn or Queens? We originally thought about moving to one of the outer boroughs, but quickly nixed the idea once we realized how much we would save in taxes by moving to New Jersey. Fun fact: all residents of New York City and the outer boroughs (Queens, Brooklyn, Bronx, etc.) have to pay an additional up to 4% income tax on top of state and federal taxes. Given I’m self-employed and run my business from my laptop, there’s really no good reason why Katie’s Bliss should be based in New York. Nick did all the math and even though we’ll likely have a higher rent and new expenses from car payments, parking and commuting, in the end we’ll actually SAVE money by moving to New Jersey as the New York city income tax will no longer apply to us.

We don’t have a new apartment or exact move-in date confirmed justtttt yet, but we’re getting there! Once all the details are finalized I’ll of course fill you guys in

Getting A Car

This is something I have been looking forward to ever since I gave up my beloved Honda Civic before moving to New York after college. As much as I have wanted to have a car for years now, I could never rationalize the ridiculous amount of money it would cost to have one here. Want to know the monthly price for the parking garage in our current apartment building? $480. It’s totally insane.

We’ve started looking into our options and the plan is the get one around the same time that we move! I’m really looking forward to the freedom of being able to plan trips to see family and friends without having to worry about bus tickets, train schedules or rental cars. Oh and being able to go to Costco or BJ’s and buy laundry detergent or toilet paper in bulk without having to carry it home by hand– I’m looking forward to that too

Traveling

When I first started blogging and even a few years into building Katie’s Bliss, I never anticipated becoming so passionate about traveling. Growing up my family didn’t have the money to travel internationally or really take any vacations that involved purchasing flights, so for most of my childhood the idea of exploring anywhere outside the U.S was just a fantasy. It wasn’t until I had the opportunity to go on a study abroad trip to Spain in high school and another to South Africa in college that I really got exposed to any extensive international travel.

I loved those experiences and for years fantasized in my head about all the far away places I wanted to visit. But real life happened and getting a job, paying off student debt and finding a way to survive in New York City without going broke took priority. For about five years I had to place all my grand travel dreams on the back burner until 1) I could afford it and 2) had a job with decent vacation time.

Having the ability to travel more and often over these last two years has honestly been the biggest blessing of blogging full time. Similar to my adventures in 2017, I kept up the momentum this year and checked some new places off my bucket list (Italy, London, Germany, the Alsace region of France, Bermuda, Palm Beach, Quebec City) and repeated trips to some of my favorite destinations (Charleston, Nantucket, Mexico.)  I’ve found that I get the most joy out of putting together travel guides and getting creative with photography when I’m in a new place, so definitely expect that to continue in 2019

Continuing To Focus On My Health & Wellness

2018 started out a little rocky when I fell into that ugly mental black hole of seasonal depression the first few months of the year. Ugh it was awful and I remember being so angry with myself for feeling the way that I did. I kept it a secret and never talked about it openly because I just felt like it was such a privileged first world problem. I decided it would be a better approach to solve it on my own and talk about it when I was in a positive frame of mind, versus hopping on Instagram at my lowest point looking for a pity party.

I truly think the things that helped me most with stopping the negative spiral was 1) forcing myself to focus on all the GOOD things in my life and not what was missing or dwelling on things out of my control, 2) getting into an exercise routine and 3) traveling and just getting out of my apartment to experience new things, whether that was checking out a restaurant or walking around an area of the city I hadn’t explored before.

You can’t control the weather, but you do have decision-making power over many other major aspects of your day-to-day life. What you put in your body. Who you surround yourself with. When you go to bed and wake up in the morning. What you choose to do with your free time. How you spend your money. These are all things where YOU have primary control. Don’t let other people or factors out of your control, make you feel like that’s not the case.

Now that I know how susceptible I am to the winter blues, I’ve already started taking steps to start the new year in a positive and healthy way. December is always my busiest month for brand collaborations and a month where I typically tend to neglect taking care of my body. Healthy eating goes out the window and workouts get prioritized last. At the beginning of December I made a commitment to go to at least 2-3 pilates classes per week. I signed up for all the classes in advance and having the set times blocked in my calendar every week helped me stick to my goal! I’m going to continue doing this throughout January as I found I was way less stressed and anxious during the holiday season this year.

I’ve never been one to make New Year’s resolutions for myself. I find these to be unrealistic and a good way to set yourself up for a failure. Oftentimes completing a big transformative goal can take more than a year and involve trial and error– which is totally okay! Beyond continuing to regularly exercise in 2019, I want to make time to cook more healthy dinners and incorporate organic and natural food into my diet. Nick and I are both very good about portion control and exercising, but we eat a lot of crappy food, especially on the weekends. I’d love to cut this down a bit, not for any diet or weight loss reasons, but just for the health benefits that come with putting better things into your body.

Well this post turned into a novel! I’d love to hear your thoughts on my updates as well as what you’re looking forward to in 2019! If you have any specific feedback for me you’re always welcome to leave a comment or shoot me a DM on Instagram. I love to hear from you gals and can’t wait to conquer this new year with ya’ll by my side! Cheers to 2019 and HAPPY NEW YEAR

The post Big Personal Update + What I’m Looking Forward To In 2019 appeared first on Katie's Bliss.

SIX years in New York! I honestly probably would’ve forgotten about my ‘Moving To New York Anniversary’ if it weren’t someone asking me last week how long I’ve lived in Manhattan. When I hit the five year mark it was shocking to think I’d spent more time here than the four years I was in college or high school. This year? I’d say that surprise has worn off. Now that I’m in my late 20s, engaged(!!!) and have been comfortably working for myself for over two years I really feel like I’ve entered a new, more grown up phase in life. I guess this means I’m an adult now?

The last six years have been a rollercoaster of exciting milestones, learning experiences, personal growth and big life changes. Life in New York began for Nick and I in a walk-in closet-sized apartment off of Bleecker Street in the West Village. Fresh out of college and almost totally unprepared for an expensive and hectic city life, those first two years were probably the hardest. Between close encounters with mice and cockroaches, only being able to afford Kraft mac n’ cheese for dinner and putting in long hours at first jobs that paid pocket change– we did it!

OUTFIT DETAILS // Strapless Dress (under $100!) | Tote Bag | Sandals | Sunglasses | Cuff Bracelet | Hoop Earrings

By year three we’d moved on from our entry-level positions and could finally afford to upgrade to a much nicer one bedroom apartment (no roaches this time :P) Life in New York had become significantly better now that we felt comfortable in our home and had extra money to spend on fun things like eating out and going on vacation. I want to say it was around this time I started really feeling like I could enjoy the city. My blog was growing at a quicker pace and had even started turning a real profit, which I was able to put towards paying off all my student loans.

Years four and five kinda blur together for me because so many things happened. As I hit my fourth year living in New York I was moving full steam ahead in my PR career while also juggling more responsibility with Katie’s Bliss. It was a lot of work, but being able to see the potential growth for both my blog and my day job was incredibly motivating. Long story short: eventually the stress of managing two careers and realizing I wasn’t passionate about public relations lead to me having to make one of the hardest decisions of my life: quitting my job (I talk all about it in this post here) and taking on Katie’s Bliss full-time.

What a good move. Fast forward to year six, I couldn’t be happier working for myself and some days I still have to pinch myself that I’m my own boss. The last two years, and especially these recent few months, have definitely been some of the best of my life and I’m excited for what the next one has in store. We have some big things on the horizon: wedding planning, more travel (we just booked another trip to Europe in the fall!) and hopefully another apartment upgrade.

So will there a year seven in New York? To be completely honestly I have a very good feeling this one might be my last. Now before you get too shocked… When I say ‘last in New York,’ I really mean ‘last in Manhattan.” We have no plans to move away from the New York metro area, however it’s become harder to ignore our desire for more space and the amenities suburban folks take for granted like a car, washer/dryer, easy access to the outdoors, storage space, a second bedroom– the list goes on.

I’ve always enjoyed living in New York, but I’ve never loved it. From the first day I moved here I’ve always known I didn’t want to settle down here permanently. I think New York is a wonderful place to live, especially in your 20s when career is a main focus and you aren’t saddled with major responsibilities like kids, homeownership and a car, but now that marriage and starting a family isn’t that far away our priorities have shifted.

We’re 99% sure we’re going to look into living options outside of the city once our lease is up in 2019, but in the meantime the plan is to continue taking advantage of having everything at our fingertips right here. I don’t have much news to share on the moving front yet since it’s still months away, but I promise you guys will be the first to know once any big decisions are made. More to come! xo

The post 6 Years In New York appeared first on Katie's Bliss.

With all my energy in the last month going into planning our trip to Italy and some other upcoming getaways, it’s only now hitting me that summer 2018 is just around the corner! Where did May go? Traveling and vacations are always the highlights of summertime for me, but this year I want to do a better of job of making memories at home in New York especially now that we need to start prepping and saving for a wedding. Eeek!

Carly did a cute post on her blog sharing her summer 2018 bucket list, so I thought it would be fun to share mine too! Though I’ll admit… I may or may not be writing this down so I can hold myself accountable and think twice before choosing the spend the night watching Netflix vs actually leaving my apartment to try a new restaurant

Chambray Ruffle Skirt | White T-Shirt | Madewell Tote | Tory Burch Sandals | Similar Watch | David Yurman Bracelets

Summer 2018 New York City Bucket List

Visit an art gallery. I’ve always wanted to do this, but admittedly I’m not very in touch with the art scene. If any of you have recommendations for exhibitions I’d love if you could let me know!

Walk the Brooklyn Bridge. Nick and I did this once our first summer living in the city and of course we chose the hottest day ever to do it. I still remember being drenched in sweat by the time we reached Brooklyn. I’d love to walk the bridge again, except this time on a cool(er) early morning or evening

Eat fun sweets. I always take a screenshot whenever a delicious-looking local dessert pops up on my Instagram feed. At this point my camera roll is full of ice cream-filled Belgian waffles, churros, cookie dough, cupcakes and donuts that look like art. Now I’m not trying to gorge myself every weekend, but there’s no harm in trying some fun treats here and there.

Indulge in rooftop drinks. Where New York lacks in grassy spaces and outdoor eateries, it makes up for it with rooftop bars. It’s always fun to have drinks with a view and I hope to try a new rooftop bar or two this summer.

Go to a food festival or pop up eatery. I feel like I walk by food truck pop-ups and street food festivals all the time, but I never actually stop at them. There are always a ton that happen in the summer here, so I want to research ahead of time and maybe have a date night with Nick or do a food crawl one afternoon!

Check out all the colorful street art and murals downtown. Similar to the rotating door of new restaurants and bars in New York, there’s a constant turnover in street art and colorful wall murals. You’ll see the entire side of a building covered in rainbow hearts one week and then the following it will be painted over with something brand new. It would be fun to spend an afternoon walking around Soho, Nolita and the Lower East Side just seeing what I could find.

Visit Coney Island. I’ve always wanted to visit Coney Island, but for some reason we’ve just never made it out there. I’d love to walk the boardwalk, eat some yummy fried food and explore the beach at some point this summer.

What’s on your summer bucket list? Anything else you think I should add to mine?

The post My Summer 2018 New York City Bucket List appeared first on Katie's Bliss.

Surprise! We’re engaged

The last 48 hours have been a whirlwind and I’m still a bit in shock as I write our engagement story. On Saturday afternoon Nick asked me to marry him in Gramercy Park and of course I said YES! We’re both over the moon and spent all day yesterday celebrating with loved ones and sharing our news with all our friends and family. To everyone who has reached out thus far– thank you thank you for the well wishes!

I had a pretty good feeling we’d get engaged sometime this summer, but I never expected it would happen the first weekend after getting back from our trip to Italy. I’m the “planner” in our relationship and we’ve always joked about how something as simple as choosing a restaurant and making a dinner reservation leaves Nick frazzled and stressed. Maybe that was all just a charade so he could pull off a meticulously planned surprise proposal

The only plans we had this weekend were dinner Saturday night with my cousin Avery and our grandparents. Avery is interning in the city this summer so dinner was supposed to be a celebration for him and an opportunity to catch up with my Gram and Pop since we haven’t seen them in a few months. I should’ve known something was up since my grandparents don’t like driving into the city (too stressful for them) but Nick pulling off a proposal a few days after getting back from Italy was such a far-fetched idea that I didn’t even consider it could happen.

So here’s how it went down! Around 2PM on Saturday I was in the middle of a Netflix binge when Nick told me he was going to drop off his dry cleaning. I was completely engrossed in season 2 of 13 Reasons Why and had completely forgot he’d even left the apartment until I got a text that filled my stomach with butterflies.

“You have one hour. Meet me at Gramercy Park Hotel front desk. Say your name. No questions.”

I’ll be honest with you guys. Once I read the text I was 99% sure that this was the moment. There was no other reason he’d send me a text like that. He was going to propose!!!! I felt a mix of so many emotions: excitement, happiness, shock, love and panic when I realized I was still in sweatpants, my hair was in a frizzy topknot and apparently I had less than an hour to get myself looking presentable and all the way down to the Gramercy Park Hotel.

Somehow I made it to the hotel lobby within 55 minutes. Omg I was sooooo nervous. My hands were even shaking!!! I didn’t see Nick, so I just headed to the front desk and let them know my name and that I was supposed to be meeting my boyfriend. Right away one of the bellman took out a very ornate iron key and told me to the follow him. We proceeded out the revolving lobby door and turned towards the park. That’s when I saw Nick. His hands in his suit pockets, pacing back and forth behind the gate. If I was feeling stressed, I can’t imagine how he felt!

LOL we were both ugly crying by the time he had finished proposing!!!

For those of you not familiar with Gramercy Park here’s a little history. Gramercy Park is the only private park in Manhattan and has to be accessed via key by a park homeowner. I walk by it on a weekly basis and am totally guilty of creeping through the tall iron fence at the manicured gardens. I never thought I’d ever get to go inside in the park, but leave it up to Nick to figure out a caveat: booking a room at the Gramercy Park Hotel.

Once the hotel bellman opened the gate into the park, Nick took by the hand and led me down one of the winding walking paths before stopping at a large bed of gorgeous blooming purple flowers. I’d later learn that before I arrived Nick and Carter (who took these beautiful photos!) had scoped out the entire park looking for the perfect proposal spot.

It was there that Nick got down on one knee and asked me to marry him! He was so nervous and as you can see there were some tears and ugly cry faces on both sides. We’ve been together for so long (ten years this October!) and have basically been living like a married couple for close to six years. We knew this day would come, but I don’t think either of us expected to get so emotional! It was a really special moment <3

So what happened next? We snapped a few photos before walking back to the hotel. At that point I had started wondering– was dinner with my grandparents just a charade? Were they even here? Nick just told me we had about 15 minutes to take a moment for ourselves and cool off in the hotel (it was about 80+ degrees and we’d both been sweating bullets) before heading to our next destination. I was happy to find out that a bunch of our friends and a family members were waiting at a nearby pub with drinks to celebrate!

Nick and I have always had a very transparent relationship, so of course over the last nine years we’ve had conversations about how we’d get engaged. I’d always told him that I didn’t want some over-the-top proposal with helicopters or fireworks or in some public place with strangers clapping, but I did hope it would be in a meaningful, intimate setting with some element of surprise.

I know that’s soooo open-ended and not very helpful guidance especially when you live in a large city, but he truly did nail it! If there’s anywhere that’s peaceful and serene in the loudest and most-crowded place in the U.S. it’s Gramercy Park. I asked him if he chose it because of the symbolism with having to get the special key to enter the park (aka his heart.) His response? Oh absolutelyyyyyyyy.

Of course the one time I decide to drag out my gel manicure an extra week, I get engaged. Ahhh! After announcing our news on Instagram yesterday I got a lot of messages asking for a ring close-up so here you go!

Nick worked with jeweler Stephanie Gottlieb to design my perfect dream ring: a classic emerald cut diamond on a ultra thin rose gold pave band. He did good, huh? I don’t own a lot of jewelry and have never regularly worn a ring so this is definitely going to be an adjustment. I honestly can’t stop staring at my hand it’s so beautiful and sparkly!

Well, that’s our story! My brain still feels a bit like sappy mush from the weekend, but I wanted to clue you guys in on our special news. I still feel completely surprised and think I need a few days to actually wrap my head around the fact: WE’RE ENGAGED.

In terms of next steps with wedding planning, I honestly have no idea where to start or even how we want to make things “official.” This week I’m going to try my best to live in the moment with Nick and take some time for ourselves before getting bogged down in any planning. I just love him, and what we have together so much and I’m so happy my blog has given me the privilege to share this moment with all of you too! Thank you again from the bottom of both our hearts for all the sweet messages!!! We’ve been on a few fun journeys, but I think this one could be the best yet <3

The post Our Engagement Story appeared first on Katie's Bliss.

I promised you guys a fun guest post would be coming this week! While Nick and I are currently eating our way through Rome, I’m letting my dear friend Carly take over and share her ideas for where to head with your girlfriends in New York City. Whenever I can’t decide on a restaurant or bar, I shamelessly head over to Carly’s blog and Instagram to see where she’s been because gurl alwayssss finds the best spots that are equally as tasty as they are Instagram-worthy.

Hi everyone! My name is Carly Hill and I have the blog Carly A. Hill, where I love to share my travel guides, but especially for right here in NYC! I’m so excited Katie asked me to share a guide over here today and I hope it helps with finding your next spot too! One of the best things about NYC is all the fun spots to try with my girlfriends! Whether you live locally or are visiting for the weekend, this guide is packed with all things perfect to visit with your girls!

Where To Head With Your Girlfriends in New York City

DRINK 

While We Were Young: This tiny West Village spot is usually super busy but the wait is worth it for the Instagram shot!

Sel Rrose: Stop in for oysters, fries and cocktails, they have a great happy hour till 7 pm everyday!

Dear Irving: Glamorous décor, fun music and well crafted cocktails

Tom & Jerry’s: This elevated dive bar is known for their long list of delicious (and strong!) cocktails making it the ideal spot to kick off your night with.

EAT: BRUNCH

Egg Shop: If you’re an early riser, head here to beat the brunch rush and try one of their incredible egg dishes.

Pietro Nolita: This all pink spot (my whole pink restaurant guide can be found here!) is the perfect spot for a great breakfast and capturing your last few vacation shots.

Lafayette: This huge space is decorated beautifully, and also has some of the best pancakes in NYC. Grab some macarons or croissants from their bakery to bring back home with you too!

Baz Bagel: Along with its adorable décor and 80s tunes, this has the best bagels and diner favorites like BLTs, matzo ball soup and egg sandwiches.

EAT: DINNER

Lil Frankies: My favorite pizza and pasta in the city! A must is the lemon pasta, nothing better!

Thursday Kitchen: Fun adult Capri Sun drinks and a mix of Asian inspired tapas plates to share (make sure to order the truffle mac and cheese!)

Old Rose: Another new pizza and pasta place that’s inside The Jane Hotel and gorgeous and delicious! After dinner, head over to the hotel bar for a nightcap.

Tacombi: A fun Mexican restaurant with a few locations around the city, you can never go wrong with margaritas and tacos.

DESSERT AND COFFEE

City Bakery: A must for hot chocolate and chocolate chip cookies

Toby’s Estate: Inside Club Monaco, this spot also has a gorgeous flower shop and Strand Bookstore to look around.

Union Fare: With indulgent croissants like birthday cake, fruity pebble and crème brulee.

Flour Shop: This Soho spot has become the must have treat of the year thanks to their sprinkle filled cakes. (See how I attempted my own here!)

For more travel guides, they can all be found here for more of my favorite spots here in the city and around the world!

The post Where To Head With Your Girlfriends in New York City appeared first on Katie's Bliss.