Fashion – Page 40 – Amanda Bella

Getting Organized for the New Year!

I spent this weekend organizing and cleaning my room- it was due for a head to toe. The biggest feat was my closet. I only have one semi-walk-in for all of my clothes, shoes, and handbags. I’ve needed more space for quite some time, so I took a trip to IKEA on Saturday and ended up buying a simple black dresser that worked wonders for my room! I assembled that bad boy all by myself! (With only a LITTLE help from my boyfriend ;))

It took a couple of hours to get the entire body and drawers built, but it was worth it!

I joke that this is dorm furniture, but it works perfectly in my room :). (I couldn't get an orb-free picture- freaky!)

I also wanted to find a solution for my shoes. They always end up in a big mess no matter how I organize them. I was thinking hanging shelves might be a good solution- IKEA had these for only $4.99 a piece. I bought five and hung them in my closet. *Life Saver!*

The bottom slots of these organizers are perfect for storing scarves, hats and tanks.

I really went through my wardrobe and tried to clean house. Many clothes were moved into the dresser, and many were packed up to sell, give away, and donate. I can’t believe this was all that was left, but that just makes room for some new pieces, less is more 🙂

I try to color code my clothes. This isn't necessarily my best effort-I was more focused on getting rid of things I no longer wear, I didn't spend much time getting them in rainbow order.

I used to have my television on this little book shelf in place of my dresser- it was so make-shift, and not very strong. It now has a perfect home next to my door.

I love those little candles, I try not to burn them. My Mom found them for me- they have an "AB" medallion on the front 🙂

This is one of those picture/ribbon boards which I converted into a necklace holder.

I got this jewelry organizer as a gift which works perfectly for my earrings, rings, bracelets and watches. I leave it hung on the back of my door.

Goal is to keep this organized year round!

I have two great night stands that I bought when I moved in. They are super sturdy and have some storage . I cleaned out the bottom cabinets and used them to hold misc. documents, products, chargers/cords, and throw blankets. I try to keep as little clutter on top as possible.

I love fake flowers. Is that tacky?... They never die!

(The candy dispenser is a little something I got my boyfriend-he is a legitimate sugar addict,)

My room is fairly small, but it is my little oasis. I am still looking for a few pieces to complete it- I’m trying to find the perfect French/vintage/sparkly mirror for over my bed, a standing lamp for next to my television and some tall pre-lit floral arrangements. Decorating is addicting!

For now, I just need to keep it clean 🙂

Time to get cozy and retreat for the night! What are some ways you organize your room?

January 10, 2012 | 1 Comment

Beauty, Fashion, Uncategorized

Ringing in 2012 on a yacht…with a ponytail.

The past two years my boyfriend and I have spent New Years Eve with two amazing couples. This year, the six of us booked a dinner cruise on a yacht in NYC! We all got together before heading to the port to enjoy some cocktails and photo-ops…unfortunately, none of us were pleased with any of the shots we took.

I wore a ponytail on NYE (ugh)…needless to say I doubt I will be doing that again. It looked cute in person, but boy is it hard to be photogenic when your hair is slicked back and better suited for the gym. Speaking of the gym….

Having fun on the eliptical...doesn't everyone work out before they go out?

The boys looked great…while typically, none of the girls could agree on a decent photo!

Nicole, Toya and I complaining about our pictures 🙁

We left to board our boat (with no good pictures).

AiCZHD_CAAAhqEm.jpg-large — This was our ride for the night 🙂

We took off (does a boat take off?) at 10:30pm, and sailed down the Hudson. We got to enjoy a dinner buffet, open bar, and a whole bunch of drunk people.

The best part about the boat was the roof deck! It was so cold, but we kept going up there to enjoy the beautiful scenery that surrounded us. At midnight we sailed past fireworks that were shot over the Statue of Liberty.

This is my favorite picture of the night, because Mike had given up alcohol for the entire year and finally got to sip some champagne at midnight <3

We all had fun ringing in 2012 together! I wish I had more pictures, but for me-the memories will do just fine!

January 4, 2012 | 0 comment

Books, Fashion, Fitness, Food, Money, Uncategorized

New Years Resolutions!

I have a feeling that 2012 is going to be my year- I’ve been making resolutions left and right! Let it be known that I have never made a New Years resolution before in my life- so this is new to me. The reason you are reading this is because one of my resolutions was to begin blogging! I have blogged in the past, but have never stuck it out for very long. This year I hope to keep a sustainable blog… so here we have my (in actuality 6th or 7th) very first post!

I wanted to share the rest of my resolutions as well. I figured this would be a good place to document them!

1) Stop cursing. You know the Dashboard lyrics “You smile like a saint, but you curse like a sailor”…? I have to plead guilty to this, no one believes that I have a foul mouth, but I do; and the funny thing is I cannot stand cursing! I never did it until I got to college and it has become a nasty habit of mine. Noting is more unattractive than a girl with a foul mouth.

2) Exercise regularly (I’m sure this is on everyone’s list…) The gym and I have never been great friends, but I do like the way I feel when my body has been active. I’m not planning on turning into a gym rat this year; I just plan on moving my body more. I love hiking, walking, TV workouts on demand…anything that doesn’t initially suggest exercise.

3) Eat healthier (…I’m sure this is on your list too lol…) This is the resolution that never ends. I’m not going to diet, because I don’t have the will power, nor am I trying to lose weight. I just want to cut out the junk that I tend to eat regularly. Making healthier choices when it comes to food is something I need to consider more frequently.

Lunch — Today I brought some healthy snacks to nibble on throughout the day.

4) Stop spending so much money and start saving more. While I don’t spend a ridiculous amount of money, I could spend less. The little things add up quicker than you’d think! I’m going to be making a conscious effort to cut back on frivolous spending.

5) Make an effort to spend more time with my friends. This one is really important to me. My best friends don’t live down the street anymore, and we rarely see one another. I want to begin having monthly dinners or outings with them! Those relationships are important to me, and distance is a poor excuse for not making the effort!

Girls@Uconn — My bests from home; we all live across CT. (Side note- I love that we all showed up wearing black tops and jeans that night- totally random!)

6) Spend more time reading. I love reading but am such a slacker! I think I’ll shoot to replace an hour of TV per night with some reading time. That’s realistic, no?

200px-Hunger_games — Currently in the middle of this! I need to find time to finish it so I can read the others before the movie comes out 🙂

Chelsea — This is waiting on my bookshelf as well!

7) No more soda. When I was in college I stopped drinking soda my freshman and sophomore year, out of nowhere I had completely lost the taste for it. Unfortunately, I re-developed a nasty addiction to Diet Coke and have been weening (is that how you spell it?) off of it the past few weeks.

8) Eat out less, and cook more. I love to cook, and I tend to go through cooking sprees. This year I want to make those sprees more of a consistent thing. Buying lunch everyday adds up quick! And going out for dinner so frequently isn’t even much fun.

IMAG1417 — I do know how to cook! (Not the healthiest of dinners, but I think that's why I have a picture of it LOL)

Pizza — One of my favorite foods to make!

What are some of your resolutions? I really love hearing everyone’s plan for the New Year. I don’t think you could ever have too many! 😉

January 3, 2012 | 4 Comments