GOOD HOME LIVING

tips and tricks for living in your home

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makeup can be a great way to look nice. it's amazing what a little bit of foundation and color can do. and don't forget to stay hydrated.

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ice dancing for one (at home)

the cold of ice meets the heat of hot hot dance love in ice dancing: the most beautiful and romantic of olympic sports.

after watching super-skaters tessa virtue and scott moir we all want to throw on a pair of knife shoes and hit the lagoon with our one and only.

but what if your downstairs neighbor isn’t returning your texts? make your own romantic ice dance without leaving the comfort of your room. toss on a bathing-suit and tennies, throw open the windows, and cue up a youtube playlist of doubles skating. it’s time to get lutzing.

not only will you experience the immaculate romance that is ice dance, you will also clearly communicate to your downstairs neighbor that this is your life and your room and you can do what ever you want and he’s just going to have to deal with it.

[goodhomeliving-blog]

all snacks are foods, but not all foods are snacks. almonds are both, and they are healthy too. i keep a stash of almonds in my room for times when i am hungry, but not hungry enough to interrupt my roommate's metaphysical book club poaching their ethical yoni eggs in free-trade bongwa.

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as we now know, there is a secret department of the pentagon dedicated to researching ufos. many of my friends and family members panicked to learn that aliens are real, but do not be afraid; we have nothing to fear from aliens if we welcome them with darling little gift-baskets. but what would an extraterrestrial want in their gift-basket, you wonder, pawing at your tinfoil hat (tutorial to come). for your convenience, i have done research and assembled a short list of earth-tokens a space-being would appreciate.

1. very large knit hat (they have giant heads and are not used to chilly earth-weather)

2. tic-tac (not only a fun reference to the appearance of their space-craft, but also a practical hint at earthling dental hygiene practices)

3. gun (alien equivalent of a gift-shop arrowhead)

4. confetti (extraterrestrials are naturally fascinated by earth gravity)

5. replica human vagina (we all know aliens only want one thing, so better to give it to them on our own terms. i recommend a generous application of aquaphor, vaseline, or other lotion. please do not use vicks vapo-rub as this will burn their skin, resulting in a ww3-level killing-spree)

please feel free to reach out with any additional gift-basket recs. <3

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even when it is cold out, opening your window is a great way to let in fresh air and natural light. i am always amazed at how much better my room smells if i open the window, even if only for a few minutes.

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fresh flowers are a great way to add color and fragrance to any room or kitchen <3

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many of my many friends have been asking if i use deodorant. the short answer is yes. i don't like to talk about it, because my recipe is a secret i've been keeping for over 16 months, but as the heat of summer continues and my many friends' many inquiries increase in both frequency and intensity i have, like a pile of rocks falling in on itself, caved. the recipe is simple: mix an amount of sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) with an amount of shea butter (hippy lotion) and put it in a cute little jar. voila. you have now made your own deodorant.*** ***please note that sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) is deceptively powerful. it often leaves my underarms burning and bright pink and/or red. as a solution, i give myself "skip days" during which i apply entirely no deodorant whatsoever. happy sweating xoxo

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if you’re anything like me, all your best panties shrink in the wash. these cute but miniature undies turn even the tightest two buns to four and leave an unsightly coin-slot up top.

sure, you could hand-wash your unmentionables cold, but you’re too busy making your own deodorant (i promise i’ll share my recipe soon).

luckily there are only three steps to up-cycling your drawers into sassy thongs: 1) tiny panties 2) scissoring 3) use scraps to make a fun bra

enjoy

<3

[goodhomeliving-blog]

nothing saves a dry conversation like robert browning and tiny plastic arrows.

lindsey leonard

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if you have plans to go to a party or event, there is a possibility you may take someone back to your room. be sure to clean your room, but not so well it looks like you were planning to entertain. leave a few things out that make you look fun and interesting. i chose a legolas action figure and an antique book of english poetry. not only do these objects speak volumes about my value system, they can also help ease tension; nothing saves a dry conversation like robert browning and tiny plastic arrows. this weekend i'm going to a family reunion.

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making a chore chart is a fun alternative to cleaning. i added pictures from popular contemporary entertainment to make an otherwise boring chart fun and engaging. next i’m going to add special magnets for each roommate so we can track who does what each week. because i’m getting the magnets and made the chart, i’m allowed to choose the cutest magnet for myself. just remember to tell your roommates about the chart after you put it up. my roommates were confused about it until i told them what it was.

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my roommates are on a ketogenic diet, which basically means they eat bacon for every meal. there are several pros and cons to cohabiting with body-conscious carnivores. a pro is the apartment smells like a denny’s and i get all their pre-diet bread and pasta. a con is that everything in the kitchen is covered with a thin layer of bacon grease.

this afternoon i grabbed a grease-smeared water glass from the cupboard. i stared in horror at the crumbs and fuzz peppering its murky surface before it slid out of my hand and onto the floor. it didn’t break, but it was startling and loud.

if this situation sounds familiar, don’t worry; i have a fun and effective solution. i call it the hoarder-shower method. simply hoard all your dishes, dirty and clean, in your room. when you are ready to take a shower, bring your dirty dishes with you. it’s basically the adult version of rubber duckies.

not only will your dishes come out un-tainted by the meat-slime of the cluttered kitchen sink, you can feel good knowing that you’ve saved water. xoxo

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don’t be afraid to lean into a character to defend your outfit choice.

lindsey leonard

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it might be summer, but winter is coming.

there are few places to better make an impression than where land meets sea- aka the beach. but what happens when you reach the shore and realize every other twenty-something girl is also in a high-waisted black two-piece?

don't bury your head in the sand. do something unique. i chose to wear a scarf and several long black shirts. nothing says “i seriously don’t care” like off-weather dressing. as an added bonus, it’s game of thrones season. luscious winter-wear is on the tip of everyone’s mind, but at ninety degrees most are too scared to attempt it.

be the envy of weekend volleyballers in voluminous sleeves and soft fur. and remember, personality is the best accessory. don’t be afraid to lean into a character to defend your outfit choice. for example, when a tattooed dog walker asked me why i was in a scarf i put on my best british accent and said “your words will disappear. your house will disappear. your name will disappear. all memory of you will disappear. you haven’t fed them in seven days. you said it yourself.” the man shook his head and led his hounds back toward the hotdog shack. a girl might even say he disappeared.

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my new roommates are only awake at night. they eat my food, never pay rent, and poop on the floor. as much as i hate confrontation, it is time for them to leave. my human room mates suggested mousetraps, but i don’t want to be a murderer. i told them if they gave me a chance, i would trap the mice alive and release them at the church down the street. i pray to god this works, because swear to christ if i see a dead animal i am going to vomit.

i am the cat

and you are the mouse

you want the crumbs

but this is my house

scurry into the tube

for a nibble of bread

oopsy you fell

but at least you’re not dead

you’re in the old trash can

on a soft paper bed

no need to panic

won’t leave you in the lurch

crawl into my hands

we’re going to church

[goodhomeliving-blog]

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right now it’s super popular to do chic, spooky covers of pop songs. you may think to yourself “i could never do that. i am not a musician. i can’t even sing,” but you would be surprised how much you can do using nothing but your voice and simple recording software on your laptop.

this is a cover i did of jt’s cry me a river. i made it so i could sneak it onto the playlist at my friend’s housewarming party. no one commented the first time it played in the background, but i expected that so i added it three more times. sure enough, the third time the song played a woman said “didn’t we just hear this?” the fourth time around the host skipped it.

all-in-all my cover did not get the warm reception i’d anticipated, but it effectively communicated to this guy there that i’d seen a few times that i know what he did, and if he was even thinking about getting back with me he can forget about it.

[goodhomeliving-blog]

congratulations, your home haircut has officially made you the chillest person in any room

lindsey leonard