I love when the Christmas decor comes down, gets packed away, and my house feels naked for a week or so. It really allows me to see things in a new way and my to-do list of house projects ramps up significantly. This year we even treated ourselves to having someone come professionally clean the house after and I was on cloud 9. Who knew our tub could look like that? Speaking of which, I’m currently working on our very weird primary bathroom. It’s coming along, but it’s not without some hiccups (an electrician just came by today and had to crawl into our attic which I didn’t know we had to stop some lights from flickering). I’ll report back on that project later.
Last year at this time, I was sick as a dog in the first trimester of pregnancy and we were deep in house hunting mode, preparing for a cross-country move. I was cold and daydreaming about a California winter and disappearing into Pinterest trying to imagine life on the other side of Zillow hell.
Well now, I’m here! I loved my visual mood board I shared last year, and I referenced it a lot when putting together our new home. I thought I’d do a new version for 2026. I’m feeling a bit more settled, and I’m ready to take this place to a 10— even though it’s a rental and we’re on a budget. We can’t let these things hold us back. This list is a bit more specific, but I think still full of fun ideas.
Along with an interior refresh, I’m feeling the need for a personal refresh as well. I returned to hot yoga last week for the first time in over a year and it was very emotional. Overall, it’s been making me feel more grounded and inspired than I expected. Social media lately has been doing the opposite, I think I need to navigate my relationship with everything in that realm this year, perhaps a topic for another time. I’m also in a reading rut post my sexy fairy books which has been making me feel bad about myself (I felt more pulled together when I was reading!) and I didn’t do my holiday puzzle. It’s okay, I know I’ll get back on track. It can just be a regular puzzle.
All that aside, these images speak to me, I hope maybe something in one of them catches your eye. I’ll also humbly suggest revisiting this newsletter if you’re feeling stuck in your space. A reminder that January is still winter, it’s a time to set intentions, plant seeds, and go slow. You don’t have to overhaul your entire life this month, just take inventory and get inspired. That’s what I’m doing, and you can trust me, I’m a witch now.
