The Best of Trader Joe’s for Fall —

It’s truly one of the best times of the year.

Here are my beauty recommendations for you.

Best of Fall Trader Joe’s for Fall — Honey Hydration

Honey Hydration is a duo set from Trader Joe’s.

I have yet to get my hands on it, but if you are lucky enough — I am glad you were able to try it.

This product is supposed to be a dupe for Farmacy’s Honey Halo.

Honey Halo is about $48 for its 1.7 oz formula and $25 for its smallest version.

Either way, the Trader Joe’s dupe will offer you a day and evening lotion for about $7 together.

Not a terrible way to get your moisture in for the colder months.

(Plus, this could also make a fantastic stocking stuffer as we gear for the colder months.)

You can buy this duo here.

Decor – Honey Crisp Scented Apple Candles

This is not a beauty-related item but a necessary purchase ( I kid).

All things must smell like fall for fall ( I joke again).

Please tell me I am not the only one (no, but seriously though).

Fall Home Necessity – Apple Cider Foaming Hand Soap

I could not love this soap more.

It smells delicious and foams beautifully.

Not to mention, it lasts a fair amount of time.

Dessert Options –Organic Maple Butter

This sounds amazing.

Something to put on waffles, toast or to eat plain.

Honorable mention — Pumpkin Spice and Snickerdoodle Cookie Mix.

This is a pretty short-listed version of everything.

I hope you enjoy this autumn and these fall Trader Joe’s short-listed items.

xx,

Nikita

For more blog posts like this please check out my other Trader Joe’s post.

Best of Trader Joe’s Beauty

The post The Best of Trader Joe’s for Fall appeared first on Bella Kate 22.

Celebrating summer in all its glory at the beginning, middle, or end of summer is a MUST.

Going to the beach is not always an option for everyone.

I am lucky to be surrounded by lakes and rivers and am only about six to nine hours from the ocean at any given time.

I try to get to the ocean every so often.

Often settling on the Oregon coast, the Puget Sound or BC.

That being said, on the summer days when you want to have a pool party….

The Mini Dip is perfect.

For those of you who have unground pools….I am sure you are everyone’s favorite right around now.

The Mini Dip

This pool has gotten so many compliments (it is very adorable and chic) and it fits two adult people.

Not only that, but the founder of the Mini Dip created these pools specifically for adults, which I love.

A Min Dip will run you about $54 and can be purchased at Target.

Have you seen the Mini Dip’s frequenting yards across the USA?

Throwing a Mini Dip Pool Party

It is as simple as it sounds.

All you need is a Mini Dip, an electric pump, some fun mini pool toys, and your beach-best accessories.

It really is that easy.

To make it more inclusive, you can offer your backyard space to your friends who can set up camp with their own Mini Dips — having a true summer lounge day.

It truly is so relaxing and perfect.

Pro’s — It is adorable, easy to set up and perfect for any yard.

Con’s — Not as easy to drain, and if you fill up the sides with too much air it can cause a small leak in the sides (per user feedback and my own).

My Personal Pool Day Checklist

• a book
• music
• a beach towl
• a lounge chair
• your favorite beach snacks
• a signature drink for the day
• a vat of water
• friends
• dogs
• good weather
• a swimming suit
• sunscreen
• a sunhat

Shop Similar

A lounger isn’t necessary but it is nice to have.

A beach towel

A swimsuit you love.

A fun book.

A cutie outdoor speaker.

A vat of water.

Don’t forget the snacks and hurricane balls.

You can also substitute a pool for a good old fashioned slip and slide.

xx

In Case You Missed It

The post Celebrate Summer with A Fun Mini Dip Pool Party appeared first on Bella Kate 22.

Moving is stressful so I am sharing my moving tips.

Moving last minute on a whim?????

Very much do not reccomend.

Very stressful.

It’s also expensive.

Here are my best tips.

Throw Away or Donate Items

Moving is a great time to go through things.

Things you want to keep and things you want to donate and things you’ll want to put into storage.

You’ll be tired of owning anything by the time you’re moved into your new place or space and trust me.

You’ll be wanting to get rid of everything.

Many times I was like, I don’t need a damn thing.

I could just walk away from this and be fine.

But I stuck it out and packed and got through it.

Moving Tips – Invest in Storage

I am so grateful I invested in a storage space.

Looking into a storage space that is reputable and clean was the first step in feeling comfortable housing my items there for safe keeping.

I brought a shelf to store boxes on into the storage unit and I found that to be a really great investment.

Costco Has Great Storage Items for $10

You know those black and yellow plastic storage bins?

Yeah.

Costco sells them where I live for $10/each. I bought five and am about to buy more.

Amazon also has them, but Costco has them for the best price.

Thankful to my neighbor for pointing me in the right direction. I had no idea Costco was coming in clutch with storage bins.

I bought additional bins from Target.

These bins a great and under $10.

Packing Tips for an Apartment

Buy a ton of bubble wrap. If you’re packing an apartment, buy three units.

Invest in two to three large tape rounds.

U-Haul has the best box options and they offer free boxes that are used. I just bought new boxes because I am weird.

U-Haul storage I loved:

• Glassware box kit (x2)
• Dish kit (x2)

• Bed cover (x1)
• Drop cloth (x3)
• Plastic dust covers (x4)
• Small Boxes (x15)
• Large boxes (x4)
• Medium boxes (x5)

Various other items, but I think in total it cost me just under $300 for packing supplies and tools and around $200 to book the storage unit (you do get charged a deposit fee as well).

Invest in Camp Style Groceries

I bought plastic cups, silverware and paper plates (rewashing the plastic dishes) until it was time to move out.

Investing also in microwaveable dishes, fruit plates, instant coffee, one or two mugs, cheese sticks, yogurts, granola and boxed snack items to get me through transitioning out of the space.

Eating like this for a week was about $130.

Being out of Routine

I don’t like to be out of routine and I love my comforts — like a nice cup of tea before bed, a hot shower, fresh pajamas…..that sort of thing.

But, while your transitioning into the new space you’re going to find it a lot easier to grab fast options especially after working all day.

What I mean to say is…..pick your poison.

The week of transitioning into the new space I ate out a lot more than I usually do. Not my favorite, but can be a fun break it’s just not ideal for energy levels at all.

Storing Vintage Clothes

Invest in plastic cloth containers.

Invest in cedar and mothballs.

You need to be able to fold the clothes. Do not store vintage clothes on hangers in storage as it is hard on the garment.

Next, store the clothes that are already in plastic cloth containers and place them into a plastic storage bin, in a temperature controlled room.

Cleaning Supplies

My go-to cleaning supplies were as follows.

Trash bags. I bought the double count, and I used almost all of them.

Sponges. I used both microfiber and double-sided green and yellow’s from Scotch-Brite.

Myer’s lavender dish-soap.

Dawn Power Wash (thankful to BSL for sharing her favorite cleaners).

A ton of paper towels.

Glass cleaner (another BSL recommendation.).

Hire Movers – One of the Best Moving Tips

I didn’t.

I regret it.

When I do buy a home, I am absolutely hiring movers.

I hope you have found this helpful.

xx,

Nikita

The post Moving Tips to Keep the Sanity While Transitioning to a New Space appeared first on Bella Kate 22.

Let’s look into the beautiful by drew coffee pot in a review format.

I bought this coffee pot back at the end of 2022.

During the pandemic my old coffee pot broke, so I held off on buying a new one.

Instead, I used my French Press, my Moka pot and bought a used espresso machine off of Facebook market place.

During this time I wasn’t sure if I wanted a coffee pot, pod coffee machine or a fancier espresso machine. So I gave it time.

By the end of 2022 I knew what I wanted. And what I wanted was a really basic and black coffee in the morning that I could program the night before.

A coffee pot is great for the non-morning person who just desperately needs a cup of coffee, tbh.

All non morning people, unite.

Beautiful by Drew Coffee Pot – A Review – The Pros

The first thing I noticed was how modern and sleek the coffee pot is.

I opted to buy white because it just made sense for my previous kitchen. It looks really smart as a countertop accessory which was a major selling point for me.

Next, I got to looking at the features.

It has a charcoal filter but I have to be honest, I never understood where it went by reading the directions and I never used it.

This coffee pot does not need any additional paper filters, so that is a great feature.

It also keeps your coffee warm for up to four hours if you program it to do so, and you can program it the night before.

You can also select how strong you would like your coffee to be, which I love.

The Cons

It does spill a bit, and in the reviews that was the main complaint of many, but it didn’t detour me from liking the product overall.

Because Beautiful by Drew is a newer brand they have some product kinks to work out, and some customer service kinks to work out as well — which is to be expected.

Around week 4 of having the product, one of the coffee filter attachments (the spring stopper that attaches to the plastic filter holder) became loose and broke off when I was cleaning it. I wasn’t able to salvage the part.

This particular part was a stopper of sorts, where if the coffee pot is still brewing you can take the pot off and pour yourself a cup while it’s still brewing with no spillage.

Without it, you risk an overflow of coffee onto your counter space.

Customer Service

I reached out to Beautiful by Drew on Instagram, asking for a replacement part page. They did respond, but it was not the correct page.

I reached out again and never heard anything back….. and upon researching more, I still was not able to find a similar part to replace the part.

That issue has mostly been the only annoying thing about the product.

Another thing was that I wasn’t able to confirm if the carafe is dishwasher safe.

I think they discourage you running it through the dishwasher because of the gold handle.

Although, I did chance a run through the dishwasher and it was fine, but it’s not something I would do often.

I would keep mostly hand washing it tbh.

But, would I purchase the product again?

I am 50/50.

The product works well but the customer service portion kind of bummed me out……

This part mishap should be an accessible and easy fix for customers to find replacement parts…

Versus replacing a coffee pot that is four weeks old.

Have you tried the Beautiful by Drew coffee pot?

What did you think?

Tell me in the comments.

The post Beautiful by Drew Coffee Pot Review appeared first on Bella Kate 22.

Christmas decor ideas you’ll love.

It is the time of year where if you celebrate Christmas, you’re probably looking to polish up your space with Christmas decorations.

In this blog post, I really wanted to focus on adding minimalist decorating ideas.

As I have gotten older I have decided to minimize how many decorations I put up each year, as I find I enjoy it visually a lot more for my space.

Christmas Decor Ideas You’ll Love – Tips

If you are trying to get into smaller spaces with minimal effort, I really love adding mini trees to areas of the home, like in this pin below.

To create a similar look, you can buy small white Christmas trees (I have seen them at Michael’s and Target).

If you are into lit-up trees, check out these white ceramic LED mini Christmas Trees.

For the person who is wanting a more rustic mini tree vibe, this green-flocked mini tree is perfect.

Finding rustic wooden discs is pretty easy, as Amazon has a great option.

This look is made by the vase.

Finding the perfect glassware is an important piece. Here is a great clear glass vase option to complete the look.

Adding in some pinecones (as shown), candy canes, or even a candle (inside the vase) could also be a great finishing touch as well.

Outdoor Decor

Outdoor decor is such a great way to visually give back to your community and neighborhood.

So many families go on Christmas light drives– adding in a few festive decorations can enhance your experience as you enter your home as well.

This not only enhances your holiday experience but enhances others as well.

Here is a great example of how to incorporate garland on the exterior of your home.

I am obsessed.

To get a garland to fit your door frame, please measure. Here is a 16.4 ft garland with LED lights.

Adding in some pre-lit outdoor Christmas trees is such a fun way to add volume, light, and depth to your outdoor space. Here are some under $50.

Finishing with a really cute and cozy holiday doormat. This one is from Kohl’s.

Adding in Cozy Vibes

To get into a cozy mindset and theme, you’re going to need a tray.

Adding in some faux or real pine leaves helps to decorate the interior of the tray and adds wintery vibes.

Next, this design focuses on bringing in a lantern or tall candle holders (I like the silver because they will reflect light).

Large pillar candles are also a great way to finish off the interior of the look.

Placing all of these items in a round tray adds a visually pleasing atmosphere to any place you decide to display it in your home.

Entryway-Christmas Decor Ideas

I love the simplicity of this and currently, this mirrors a similar layout to what I do and have already.

You’ll need a garland (loving this simple one from Target) or just simply use white Christmas lights.

Decorative candle stick holders and finish off with white candles.

Pretty sure I just found the EXACT entryway table here.

Some under the console baskets….I have similar to these.

Closing with a similar round mirror.

You can also DIY your own coned Christmas trees or buy them ready to go at your local fabric and craft stores.

As always, these are just fun suggestions.

Most of us don’t need to go and buy new Christmas decor, but some years we feel obliged to change it up.

Happy decorating.

xx

The post Christmas Decor Ideas You’ll Love appeared first on Bella Kate 22.

The Best Fall Scented Candles

What do I love about fall? One of the things I love is fall scents, and fall-scented candles.

It is officially cozy season (actually, it’s still pretty warm where I live).

Candles have been one of my favorite things to round up on the blog and just about everyone can appreciate candles.

I am very picky about scents, so I try to only suggest what I think are the best scents for every season.

Salted Pumpkin

Salted pumpkin has a soft scent of caramel against an earthy scent of pumpkin.

This candle is not an overly sweet or musky candle, it really hits all of the right notes.

It is by all means a dessert-scented candle, so I highly recommend this candle for setting the mood for entertaining purposes.

It gives off the scent of baking without having to have had to actually bake anything.

This particular brand has really cute packaging and has a masculine vibe with a candle top of leather and wood.

Sparkling Apple Cider

What I love about this candle is that it really does smell like apple cider and brings in the scented memory of apple picking and apple orchard season.

This is a great candle to burn when you’re feeling the need for fall nostalgia, plus it is such a calming scent to have on in the background.

Best Fall Scented Candles- Cinnamon Apple & Oats

This fall scented candle really brings the sweet scent of autumnal mornings into play.

Calming, sweet and yet still not overpowering.

Restful nudges to bring a calm into your candle burning experience.

You have to try this candle.

It smells amazing.

Vanilla Pumpkin

Trader Joes is my favorite place to first get into a festive mood I think.

It is the store that really teases all of your senses before you even knew you wanted to be seasonally flirted with.

They have two fall scented candles this year, but I only loved this one so this is the one I am sharing.

Honorable Mentions

Birthday Cake is obviously poignant all year round, but in honor of my dad’s birthday, this candle scent is perfect to add into any and all birthday gifts.

Pumpkin Cheesecake is another great fall scent to have on for entertaining.

Hello Fall is a very specific kind of decor candle, that screams farmhouse.

Farmhouse is perfect for fall.

Let me know in the comments what your favorite and best fall scented candles tend to be.

xx

The post The Best Fall Scented Candles appeared first on Bella Kate 22.

This bird bath DIY is the perfect fun, quick and easy way to give back to nature in your patio setting this summer.

Normally, I am not a fan of how bird baths look……. I am really picky about how they look.

I wanted to incorporate something that looked like it fit into my patio surroundings without it being noticeably a “bird bath.”

Birds are pretty exploratory in nature, and they really do not require a sign that says “bird bath hotel.”

They’ll figure it out.

What You’ll Need

-An old planter

-a dog bowl or plate with a dip

In This Image

–Dog Bowl

–Cream Planter

–Vintage wood bookshelf (linked a modern find)

–Privacy Screen

Bird Bath DIY- Color Choice

Typically, birds are drawn to colors that are most like their own coloring.

Also, most agree that white as a bird bath is not a great color (it can induce fear as it is a “warning color in plumage”).

However, birds and other animals such as squirrels have been enjoying my bird bath despite the cream coloring.

Originally, I was going to change the bird bowl coloring to a darker color.

I noticed how the birds in my area were interacting with white and cream surfaced objects and decided against it.

The birds in my area seem to be okay with cream and white surfaces and interact with the surface in a calm and restful nature.

So, I became okay with my decision after seeing their positive response to cream surfaces.

But if I do end up buying a bird bath, I’ll probably pick a color that isn’t white, just in case.

Why We Should Water the Birds

Bird baths are used by a lot of other animals besides birds.

I remember last summer seeing a squirrel in the mid-day heat scurrying across a residential street….. and stopping midway because he was so overheated, to rest…..then it continued to cross the street to safety.

After that, I became increasingly aware that these animals depend on our kindness as the months get hotter.

Maintenance

It is important to maintain clean water for the bird bath, so please change the water every few days.

Don’t fill the water too full and put a rock in the bowl so the birds can perch.

Birds can drown in bird baths if you are not careful with the water level.

Try to make the water cool and store in a well shaded area.

I have mine perched on a vintage wood shelf that I use to place planters on. (If you had an Irish/Canadian grandma, you probably do the same thing (Idk?)….vintage garden items of wood and metal in a garden do my late grandmother proud)

Directions

Place an old planter upside down.

Place the bowl or plate on top of the upside-down planter.

Let the bowl be a few inches deep of water so that the bird can safely drink from it.

Kindness

When I was a little girl, I was friends with a girl down the street and we would often play at her house, and during the summer swim in her parents’ pool.

One time, while riding our bikes she wanted to introduce me to her friends “Mr. & Mrs. Blocks,” who coincidentally lived at the end of the block.

Mr. Blocks (in his 70s) was busy putting peanut butter and bird seed on the side of their front yard tree, and Mrs. Blocks got us popsicles as we watched in awe at how Mr. Blocks took care of his birds.

They weren’t his birds, but he watched out for them.

The memory of this has stuck with me for thirty-one years and helped to inspire this bird bath DIY blog post.

Another thing was that this post was supposed to go up last weekend…. because the heat waves have been terrible.

I couldn’t post it because I was mentally and emotionally exhausted after hearing and seeing footage of Alika Ogorchukwu being beaten to death in Italy.

He died with onlookers standing by and doing nothing (but recording it), and I had to sit with this anger, sadness and disappointment in humanity for a while.

So many people still remain silent.

Either from agreeing with the violence, or from embarrassment or from pretending everything is fine.

This is my reminder to anyone who reads this blog post.

No human is better than another.

Kindness is not weakness.

Distract violent people and have someone record the incident.

Recording it can be used for proof to authorities if you witness an assault happen.

Never assume the role of a coward in society.

Be vigilant.

Be kind.

Stay safe and look out for others.

I hope this blog post inspires some kindness towards animals and humans.

Take care.

-Nikita

The post Bird Bath DIY| How to Help the Birds Stay Cool This Summer appeared first on Bella Kate 22.

Floral Bouquets-How to Make Them at Home

What I love about a floral bouquet is that they are universally pretty, pretty much everywhere you go.

In the garden, on fabric prints, in paintings and basically…..flowers are a win anywhere and I am a huge floral print fan.

About eight years ago, I got really into making my own floral arrangements.

I remember the year because one of my vases is my late grandmothers and it was a vase that I bought for her for Mother’s Day.

What You’ll Need

-A large store-bought bouquet of flowers

-scissors

-a vase

-water

-bleach

-sugar

-your own unique styling ideas

Picking the Perfect Bouquet

Picking a bouquet is a really fun way to get to know yourself.

I prefer picking out single flowers from Huckelberrys (a local store)….. but when I went in recently the prices went from a few dollars a flower to almost ten dollars for a single flower, so I did what anyone would do…..

Opting instead to buy a fresh and curated bouquet with flowers that resonated with me.

I have to be honest, I only know a few flowers by name.

My favorite flowers of course….. and the basic flowers that everyone knows.

But beyond that, I really just pick up whatever flower feels right at the moment.

Remember that the perfect bouquet has plenty of accent greenery, like eucalyptus or Israeli Ruscas.

Make Sure you Have Bigger Flowers & Smaller Flowers

You want to make sure you have accent flowers to accompany your statement flowers.

Accent flowers on a bouquet can be anything smaller than the statement flowers.

I would recommend trying not to be too rigid and leave yourself with too many rules.

It is your bouquet after all and you’re going to be the one who has to look at it.

Make sure it is something that you will enjoy looking at.

Lay the Flowers out

By laying the flowers out, you’re able to pick up just the right flower and add it to your bouquet by hand.

This gives you a slow and steady approach to adding together your bouquet.

Bundle Up the Floral Bouquet in Your Hand

When you bundle up the floral bouquet, you’re better able to see how the arrangement is coming along.

I like to hold mine up and angle the bouquet out away from me.

This allows me to get a better feel of how the arrangement is coming along.

Pick Your Vases

Your choice of vase is very personal.

Personally, I love textured and white vases.

I think they brighten up your home and add depth and character to any space.

If you’re wanting similar vases to the ones in this blog post, I found some really great ones.

This teardrop patterned vase from Target is really great.

Nordstrom has a similar shaped textured vase as well.

If Farmhouse is more your style, this vase is for you.

Or, this one by Threshold is really fun. I love the shape.

If you want a taller textured vase under $30, this is also a great find.

All I can say is that white and textured vases were a thing in 2013, when I bought the vases pictured and the trend is still going strong.

These are timeless pieces for any home.

Trim your Floral Bouquet

When you have your perfect bundle ready to place into the vase, hold the flowers upright next to the vase to measure how much of the stem you want to cut off.

Cut the stem at a diagonal of a 45-degree angle.

Fill the Vase with Water

You’re going to want to fill the vase up to 3/4ths with water.

To keep the flowers longer add in a bit of bleach and white sugar.

I always guesstimate this part, so it’s really up to your discernment.

About half or less of a capful of bleach and a pinch of sugar should do the trick.

Check back for the next few days to see how the flowers are handling it (the bleach and sugar) and if it’s too strong, throw out the old water and put in fresh water and the flower food the bouquet comes with.

Make your Floral Bouquet – AKA Floral Arrangement

Tell us if you make your own floral bouquets and if you have any tips and tricks….

Or if you found this blog post helpful.

Happy floral arranging everyone.

Talk to you soon.

-Nikita

The post DIY Floral Bouquets| How to Make Them at Home appeared first on Bella Kate 22.

(This post may contain affiliate links, which means that if you use the links posted, a small commission is given to me. I am currently participating in affiliate marketing with Amazon and Google Adsense. These affiliate links are at no cost to you and are yours to use at your discretion. Thank you for stopping by my blog and I do hope you enjoy this post.)

A tree is a tree is a tree.

Except a tree is not just a tree and Christmas happens but once a year……Hello and welcome to Bella Kate 22, you’ve just opened a blog on how to decorate your Christmas tree in eight easy steps.

Step 1: Please select your tree.

If like me, you have a fake Christmas tree, you just have to go to your garage or wherever you keep your extra storage and dig out your tree. The tree you use should spark SO MUCH JOY……This is why I personally use a fake tree…..long story short; in college my roommate and I got a REAL tree……IT was MAGICAL and I hated to throw it out (like I actually felt bad for the tree) and also, real trees are MUCH TOO MUCH WORK (they take a lot of water & I fail at indoor plant life) if truth be told.

So fake tree for me it is.

Here is a great fake tree that closely resembles my current tree branches.

Here is a tree thats closer in height to my actual tree but has a fuller look.

Step 2: Separate your branches. Take several steps back from your tree to admire the branches. Repeat this step for a few hours and up to a few days before you decide to do any decorating on your tree canvas. I sound like I am kidding, but I actually did this and as annoying as it was, I am not mad about my tree branch results. I am also slightly kidding because this approach is bananas.

Step 3: Consult last years Christmas tree photo and JUDGE IT, but do it in a harsh way……so that you NEVER MAKE THAT MISTAKE AGAIN. Just kidding. I am kidding, but I did find it helpful to look at my last years tree in a photo to see what I could do differently this year.

Actually, my iphone surprised me with a  photo of last years tree in the “memories” set up Apple updated with, and I had no choice but to look at it and do better this year.

For example, last year my tree had a lot of gaps and this year I aimed to NOT have a lot of gaps between branches.

Quick fix to fill out the branches: Add ribbon.

I used tartan and a cream/gold wired ribbon that I purchased from Joanne Fabrics; but you can get similar items on Amazon.com and I have posted links to those below.

Step 4: Consult actual decorating queens and kings on Pinterest to see how they went about styling their tree and start mapping out a plan of attack on getting your tree closer to the tree of your dreams.

I am NOT a Pinterest Queen, so do not expect perfection. Be warned.

Step 5: String the lights, but before you do, please plug the lights in to see if they are all working. I do not pretend to understand lights, I just think they are pretty and I let them do their thing. I always love to see the kinds of lights people use on their trees. Will they be all white, blinking, colorful variations or the large vintage bulbs?

A trick I implemented this year was to wrap the lights around my arm like one wraps a guitar amp cord after your set is done, instead of letting the lights trail behind you on the floor. I have to say that I found it very helpful. The act of avoiding a threading lights disaster was adulting at its finest; to do this, I would sporadically plug the lights in to see how the design was translating and would unplug to continue lining the tree. This technique saved me a lot of pulling and chord tangles and I cannot thank myself enough for avoiding that headache.

Also, this year I used exactly one string of lights for the tree, where in years past I used two…..because I was younger and I did not know then what I know now. Hindsight is 2020 (PUN ABSOLUTELY INTENDED, bring VODKA) and I am thankful I discovered that one string of lights works just as well as two…OMMMERRRGERRRD.

Also, if you’re going to use ribbon, do it now before step 6…..this is technically step 5.5 in the tree decorating game (I did a whoopsies and posted the ribbon links with step three….)

Step 6: Hang the bulbs on the branches with care, but do it in a way that has you switching the color of bulbs every time so that you can try to decorate without favoritism. All the bulbs of all colors need a fighting chance on the tree. You feel me?

Step 7: Hang the ornaments in any way you’d like and add a tree top ornament, like a STAR or an ANGEL….make it work for you. Some people have tree themes, I have one theme….Christmas tree that gets better with age.

Step 8: Take a lot of photos and send them to your family members and friends so they can virtually pat you on the back, because damn it…..IF YOU DO NOT DESERVE PRAISE AND A PRIZE FOR HOLIDAY CHEER IN 2020, YOU DO.

Hang in there.

Have fun.

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Happy, Merry, JOY to whatever you’re celebrating, but bring LOTS of Cheer!

-Nikita

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