5 Surprising Things I've Learned in Retirement [Pt. 5]

5 Surprising Things I've Learned in Retirement

1 -  It's surprising, I only need about 1/3 of the current wardrobe in my closet. Most of those pencil skirts, silk blouses, short jackets and mid-height heels are simply not as necessary with my new lifestyle of working from home. Hello consignment shop and donations bags for the items that don't thrill me! I will need to spend some time creating my casual/active wear day-to-day style but I'm not in a huge rush. For now, I'm weeding through what I already have and no  longer need. That process always feels good.

2 - Integrating my work office and my home office spaces was more difficult than I anticipated. Odd little things like which stapler, pencil cup or desk accessory to keep for my home office space gave me pause. Some of these tools had been my daily essentials, in two separate work spaces, for many years. Figuring out what to keep and what to get rid of took some time so I decided not to rush the process. I'm finally completely unpacked and organized into my home office space.

3 - It is no surprise that waking up to an unstructured schedule reduces a tremendous amount of stress.  It's a bit like a perpetual week of Sundays and it's a life changer! I feel like I can now plan my days, weeks and life with more intentionality. One of my main goals has been to restructure my priorities and fitness is right at the top. One of the best changes is that I've added a consistent yoga/Pilates schedule to my week and have even started scheduling them in my calendar. When I make an intentional appointment it helps with my commitment. Though it could be tempting to loll on the couch and watch reruns of "Flipping Out" or "Below Deck", I'm finding my days are quite busy and productive.

4 - When you make a big life change, and leave a day-to-day workplace behind, you can't know how much you will stay in touch. I'm happy to report that friends/colleagues from my former workplace want to connect. I've been surprised at how many texts, calls and invitations I have received. It feels good not to be forgotten. I also find that I'm more of a "Yes" person now. My husband (the more spontaneous one) loves that I agree to more gatherings and events now that I'm not as stressed out with work.

5 - Despite the euphoria of retirement -- real life intrudes -- no surprise.  Whether it's a medical issue, as with our sweet kitty, Jack, or the ongoing concern for a close family member struggling with serious addiction issues, real life is that rude awakening sometimes. It is easier to be consumed with worry, or attempt to solve problems beyond control, when you have more free time. It's important to stay focused on life balance, especially when serious issues creep to the forefront. Keeping that balance is one of the main reasons Scott and I committed to turning off the phone and celebrating our 16th wedding anniversary last weekend. It was lovely and thank you for the wonderful wishes!!

Have you been surprised by anything lately??

Creating a Cozy Space at Home

I was recently asked about my must-haves for creating a cozy, relaxing space. If I had to focus on one starting point to create a cozy space, I would say alwaysstart  in your bedroom. Let's get down to basics and focus on the most important element, the bed. We spend a large portion of each 24 hour period in our beds, sleeping, relaxing, reading, dreaming, napping and connecting. It's an important space to invest in layers of high quality luxurious sheeting, comforters, blankets, throws, pillows, and comfy details. I'm all about layering and a feeling of luxury in the bedroom.

Layers of pillows

The great 'pillow' debate lives on in our house. Scott bemusedly wonders, "Why do we have so many pillows?", but I can't live without them. I have pillows for comfy support, for creating just the right angle when I want to read or type on my iPad, and decorative pillows for a little style. My Savvy Sleepers satin pillow case (see the silky number above?), is a must-have for the anti-aging and smooth morning hair benefits. I'm addicted to mine (and buy in bulk for gifts)! I am also super excited to be carrying Savvy Sleepers in my Stylemindchic Boutique (online).

This is a fun post from Dale of Savvy Spice blog, creator of Savvy Sleepers, and she's wearing a Stylemindchic Boutique bracelet- it's so pretty on her.

Back to cozy comfort. My first high quality purchase of a sheet set was the gold standard Frette brand, while traveling in Italy. Luxury linens make such a difference in quality of comfort and sleep. And let's face it, even with sleep issues, like many of us have, comfy sheets help us feel pampered (as we toss and turn). My Frette sheets are still luxurious,12 years later, but I've never wanted to spend the money to invest in another set. Recently, I've been pleased to discover a newer brand, stateside, that rivals the luxury of European linens, with more reasonable price points. Parachute was developed by Ariel Kaye from California. Her experience with European linens was similar to mine. "Years ago while traveling through Italy, I found myself in a picturesque hotel on the Amalfi coast. After a long day, I got to my room ready to unwind. I pulled back the duvet, arranged the pillows to my liking, crawled into bed...and found perfection that I didn’t know existed. Those sumptuous sheets were softer than anything I had ever experienced." This young entrepreneur from Los Angeles started her own line of luxury bedding, with more accessible prices, when she saw the need. The company also gives back, which is a plus.

See more luxury at the Parachute website.

Beautiful linen sets

Swatches for lines from Parachute

Luxurious swatches

Along with my linens, pillows, and a faux fur throw blanket, layered to create a nest of a bed, I add lightly scented candles, a fragrance reed diffuser, and a linen spray to add a freshness to the sheets, to my bedside table. My current favorite is here from London.

I love to add elements that have meaning, like the framed mirror that hung in our family cottage at Lake Tahoe for years, and the gilded dish my mother brought me from her honeymoon in Europe last year.

Scott and I purchased this chandelier at the Clignancourt Flea Market in Paris, during that same trip when we bought the Frette linens. Another element of cozy comfort for me is mood lighting. I love a chandelier, candlelight, and lights on dimmers, to set a mood in the bedroom. By the way, not every element has to be expensive. The wallpaper in our room is from Lowes, the European Square Pillowcases & curtain panels are West Elm and the chair was on a major sale at TJMaxx.

I appreciate little details like framed photos, sentimental items and, of course, fresh flowers.