Showing posts with label Lifestyle. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lifestyle. Show all posts

I Sold My Car - Now What?!




Yes, you read the title correctly… I sold my Jeep Patriot. I loved that car so much and wow it was my first big purchase on my own. I drove my Patriot to Florida with all my belongings and traveled countless road trips with it - so why did I sell? Read and find out.


If you’ve been following me on social you would have known back in December 2016 I picked my 2017 Jeep Patriot out. I went to the dealership and actually selected it off the truck! It was such a wonderful and unique experience. Over the years I have had some highs and lows in that car. From having unexpected flats to traveling in snow covered roads to visit family at Christmas during the Pandemic! It has been such a joy to have but as I paid it off and 100% owned it with no loan attached I realized that the chapter of my life has shifted. From current events to wanting a more sustainable future. I simply sold my Jeep for a change that will have long term benefits for me. Bryce and I have been debating about where we want to live on our future - which having a car or not plays a big role. Also, with the amount of traveling I do I need a car that can handle the miles, drastic shifts in weather and climates. I also want to go in the direction of a battery powered car for a longterm benefit for my family. 


Though this Jeep has a special place in my heart - I have always made sure to take the best care of it with the end goal to sell and get something new, different, and a step up. 


Is the car a problem? No no 100% no. Its a perfect car. I’ve always worked hard on making sure it was taken care of the way someone would an exotic sports car. No wreaks, no damages, no problems at all. In fact whoever gets this car is going to win the lottery. It has so many new upgrades added to it that I feel its literally a brand new car. 


How we sold the car:

We requested quotes from Carmax and Carava. I considered Cars.com but their website seemed to be a bit picky with the number of miles my jeep had - my jeep had less miles than predicted based on the year model and the website said my mileage was incorrect (odd right?). Carvana quote was over 1.4K more than Carmax. Sadly I am having to pay $290 for a delivery service but still the price and value was A LOT better on Carava


Have you sold your car recently? How was your experience? For us we opted to reach out to multiple car selling companies (carmax, carvana, etc) for the best quote. 

Half Year Check In (Where I'm at, Where I've failed, and What's next)


Hey friends, today I felt like doing a half year round up on how 2023 has been and what I hope to achieve during the remaining months. Check-ins vital for mental health and physical health - so why not a half year check in to see if we’re on the path for success?!


I’m going to admit something major - this first half of the year I feel I’ve been on auto-pilot. I don’t feel like I’ve achieved as much as I hoped but I also don’t feel like I’ve failed… I’m just doing the average and I assume its okay (but to be frank I want to be going above and beyond, so I aim to make the last part of the year have more passion for goals). 


To do some reflecting on why I feel I’ve been kind of ‘auto-pilot’ I think its best to explain what’s been going on.
-  I loss a family pet unexpectedly and it has resulted to deep affects on me, more than I expected on myself.

  • I ended up having my car damaged in a situation that was out of my control. I had a new windshield installed because I felt it would increase my car value when I sold it, BUT some unexpected events happened resulting in over $2.5k in damages as a result of the windshield specialist not installing my windshield correctly. The “big goal” was to sell my car in May but it ended up being 2 months of back and forth drama and requesting legal actions. 
  • Bryce became unexpectedly ill and it took half the year to discover what was wrong with him.
  • I also haven’t had much spark in doing LTK as much. I do post but its more like here and there VS the goal of posting daily. It might not be a surprise but A LOT of people are kind of getting exhausted with social media… It was helpful during the pandemic to keep everyone socializing in a safe way but now that the world has opened back up I feel social media is going on the back burner. 


Now I want to aim for my remaining goals. My biggest mission is to get off ‘auto-pilot’ and get somewhere that there is great results and something I can be proud of! 

- I want to work harder on my social media, I know I just said more people are becoming tired of it but personally thats my opinion - if you do research they claim social media is still growing and deeply valued. So since I feel the way I do, I want to make sure what content I create is very inspiring and that’s what I want to focus on is creating more inspiring content. 

- I also want to make sure my LTK stats improve. The pennies and small dollars I do make on there is to be sat aside for my Japan trip in March 2024 and I want to have saved up as much money as possible so I can create some travel inspiration for the future.
- I also want to improve on my health. I’ve been slowly adding vitamins into my diet all year but I need to really start a fitness routine or just find a way to get my body moving more.


Anyways, I hope this half year check in helps you in some way. Maybe it shows you that we all have moments where we feel we’re ‘just getting by’ or possibly hearing where I’m at will help you find a new goal to strive for in the remaining months.
As always don’t forget to follow along on my socials especially YouTube and instagram since those two will be featuring the most of my upcoming Japan trip! 


Packing Tips - Super Simple and Easy!

With summer quickly approaching many of us are getting ready for family road trips, tropical destinations and the must have weekend getaways. One of the biggest 'ughs' I experience with packing is making sure what I pack is what I need and where it should be in the suitcase. I have this fear ill open my luggage and everything will be wrinkled or a makeup bottle will have leaked out onto all my shoes! Here's a round up of tips I started using and noticed my packing anxiety seemed to fade away to a stress free experience. 

If you have any other tips let me know! Also don't forget to follow along on the social media! I have a North Carolina trip coming up soon and a Japan trip! I plan to use these tips and will update you guys on international packing tips when I start to prep my suitcases for that vacation!


Don’t forget to follow my socials!

LEMON8: https://www.lemon8-app.com/brittmcadenmills?region=us

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brittmcadenmills/

Home Account: https://www.instagram.com/mcadenmillshome

TIKTOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@brittmcadenmills

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/brittmcadenmills

liketoknowit:  https://www.shopltk.com/explore/brittmcadenmills

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BrittMcAdenMills


Best, Brittney 







Ultimate Stay-at-home Moms Guide for Activities!


As a fellow Stay-at-Home Mom, I too have hit roadblocks where I'm out of ideas or my child is just 'bored' of playing the same old stuff. Most "SAH Moms" have a budget set for the 'out of the home' activities but (let's be real) we can't go out to the zoo every day! Below I gave my Ultimate Stay-at-Hom Moms guide for activities (home edition).
*I will give a guide to Activities outside the home that are affordable too!*

If you're down to be creative, search around for some normal everyday items and a bold imagination add some of these Ultimate Stay-at-Home Moms Guide for Activites in your daily routine! Before you know it, it'll be bedtime!

*** Tip*** I don't do these every day. In fact a lot of these I have set aside in baskets in the top of Holly's closet. Each Day I grab out 2 or 3 different activities and sometimes I only grab out one depending on the weather and if we have appointments. I do recommend sitting these aside in small zip bags or boxes and even labeling them "Monday, Tuesday, etc". This keeps the activities 'fresh', new and exciting! 

- Color Time
Jumbo construction paper, Toddler size crayons, and some parental supervision. Even grab some giant soft stickers if you want to add texture!

- Make Bubbles
Sink, some bubble bath soap. Grab a bubble wand too! This activity can be done in the bathtub, kitchen sink or containers outside!

- Bathtub Crayons or Paint
I found these amazing crayons and bath paints that Holly really enjoys during bath-time but also I sometimes will let her sit in the tub and paint/color as a activity as well.

- Nursery Rhyme Dance Party
Pandora some Children safe music and bust a few silly dance moves! Your toddler might not dance but she'll get a few laughs.



- Kitchen Items Music Class
Containers, Different size pots, plastic mixing spoons. Make some music! *Don't sit out dangerous kitchen items*

-Sorting Cardboard Box Game
2 larger boxes, some round items, some square items. Use the big boxes and cut the shape (a nice large circle) in the middle of the box. Do the same with the other large box of a square or whatever other shapes you decide to use. Then have your toddler sort out the shapes into the correct box! You can even have your kiddo decorate the boxes too! Once finished keep or properly dispose of the boxes!

- Safe Finger Paint
Use baby food (mashed carrots, mashed peas, ketchup, etc) as finger paint. Grab some jumbo paper or even use a large white paper plate to paint on! This paint is safe so if your child wants to taste the foods she can.

- Story Time
grab some books and read! Even if your little one is busy playing with blocks she is still listening to you and learning new words.

- Big Puzzles
My 19-month-old is learning how to pick up and place big puzzle pieces. Our favorite is her farm puzzle. Even if she doesn't get the pieces back in the puzzle we still pick up the different ones and make the animal sounds.

- Copy Cat
Toddlers are all about copying their best friend (which is you!). So sit and do some simple things like stack a few blocks or tap on your toes and his toes. He'll most likely pick up on the game.

- Dress Up Silly
Grab a few hats, gloves, sunglasses a jacket, whatever you find that is in the coat closets. Sit on the floor and dress silly! As you grab the articles of clothing tell her what they are. She might even try to dress you up!



- Stuff Animal/Doll Challenges
A fun thing to do is grab your child's favorite stuffed animal and have your child help the toy with an activity. For example, Dolly needs help taking a bath (no water, just a large plastic bowl), a small hand towel, and an empty mini travel bottle of soap. I show my little one how to give dolly a bath.

- Backyard Explorer
We spend a lot of time outside in the backyard. We walk around, pick up leaves, sticks, and other unique things and make a collection on the carport. My 19-month-old is too young for slides, sidewalk chalk, and its too cold to get the kiddy pool out. But when once its summer she'll be old enough for her first slide and we can splash in her kiddy pool too!

- Laundry Sorting
When I get a fresh load of laundry out of the dryer I always drop the clothes in the floor and have my little one touch the different items as I hang or fold. She loves to sort the socks into a pile and will even hand me clothes hangers!

-Little Texture Box
Plastic box, tons of different textures (large feather, soft squishy, bumpy shell, Crunchy paper, etc) use the box to let her feel the items.

- Empty Tissue Box Tissues
Empty Tissue Box and Lots of Tissue Paper. The little one can pull out the tissues, feel the textures, and hear the sounds!

I hope this sparks some ideas for you and your tot! If you would like, follow my instagram page! I post daily and even post some of my Toddler Holly and her adventres!  Simply click here to be sent to my Instagram page!

Lifestyle - Technology Clean Up!


Today its all about ways to clean up our technology! Currenlty my phone has 300+ emails and a constant reminder that I'm out of cloud space, my phone hasn't been backed up, and to purchase more storage. If your phone, laptop, or any tech gear sounds similar to mine continue reading on some of my technology clean up tips!

De-clutter + Unsubscribe emails
A chore I dread doing is de-cluttering my emails. Every few months I take a good 45 minutes to focus just on deleting old un-needed emails and ‘unsubscribe’ link to get off email lists that blow up my inbox 5 days a week. Seriously, once this chore is complete my emails are easier to load and no more random promotional emails!


Save your photos and free up data space
I panic when my phone tells me the photo storage is full and needs space. I recenlty linked phone and MacBook so my photos automatically store into my computers photos file! Now I can erase them off the cellphone! If you can't link your phone and computer like me purchase a photo memory card and photos up as often as possible to free up data space. 



Delete any Apps you haven’t used in 3 months
My rule is if I haven’t used it in 3 months, take it off the phone. It helps so much with your storage space! And no worries cause if you ever want to upload again its in your purcahse log!

Delete anything you don’t need or want
I have tons of untitled documents I started to type and stopped. Or lists I made on my phone. So deleted anything thats just sitting and taking up space. Notes, Documents, videos, powerpoints, etc. 

Bye Finger Prints!
Get a glasses cloth and clean the screens of all your devices. If you scroll for hours and then talk on the phone you’ll be surprised how much germs go from the screen to your face. Wipe your screens as much as possible.

Clean behind the cases
An area I forget to clean is behind the cases. So when I do I am shocked at all the dirt and dust that has coated behind the case. 


Lastly, turn off the phone!
Doing this will help your phone reupdate itself. And if there was a glitch slowing it down the restart will repair it. I try to turn my phone off at least 2x a month. And I turn my phone off anytime I'm inside a plane or in a location I dont want my phones speaker collecting information of (yes your phone speaker is always on and listening!)


I hope these tips will help you on your next technology clean up! And if you’re not following the Instagram please click this link and follow along! I post daily on fashion, beauty and lifestyle! I appreciate all the love and support from everyone.


- Brittney 

Ultimate Skincare Routine - Why I love my Clarisonic Brush


For 2019 I decided to focus on my daily skincare routine. My goal is to have smooth skin and never ever have to deal with breakouts + aggravated pores again. Luckily I found the solution. Read about my skincare past, present, and why I feel the Clarisonic is important for my Ultimate Skincare Routine!

Skincare Past “college days”: I really didn’t care about what I was using to remove dirt and toxins from my skin so I constantly resorted to the cheap makeup remover wipes and washing my face in the shower with whatever soap was an arm reach away. 


Skincare Present: having a baby (well being pregnant) things changed. My skin started to react more towards what I used and how often I cleansed. A night without removing my makeup (like I did in college) the next day my skin would look tired and I’ll spend a week getting the balance + healthy glow back. I noticed fine lines and exaggerated pores if I didn’t cleanse well.

So, I created the ultimate skincare routine with products that worked well for my skin (AKA: ditched the wipes and invested into products I could trust) + purchased an amazing tool; the Clarisonic Mia Brush. *I understand a lot of people turn away when they see the price but let me explain the amazing features this product offers and some affordable ways to purchase one!*






The Clarisonic has magnetic brush attachments that last 3 full months. From a foundation brush, massage brush, and the classic lineup of different skin cleansing brushes. The Clarisonic has a smartphone feature where you can customize your skincare routine. It’s water proof (so you can hop in the shower with it) and a charging port so no battery changes. A full charge holds for 60 minutes - most brush timers last 40-90 seconds.
Around holidays Clarisonic website does promotions on the full lineup of Clarisonic tools. You can also purchase gift sets that come with cleansers, additional brush heads, and more. A great tip is Clarisonic is sold at Ulta where you can use your Ultimate rewards points + shop Ulta catalogue for when they have a special promo sale! - I personally purchased my Clarisonic at Ulta during my birthday month (double points!) and I had a 20% off promotion. 





If you’re interested in learning more about this amazing skincare tool send me a private message on my Instagram, comment below or click these links! I hope this post was insightful on one of my favorite tools I use in my Ultimate Skincare Routine! 
- Brittney 

Healthy Lifestyle - How I get all 8 Glasses of Water in!

I feel everyone struggles with is getting their daily recommended water intake. I mean, 8 glasses of water a day can sound like a lot - because it is! I envy the people who can just pour a glass throughout the day and by 6pm they’ve reached the suggested amount. I’m the type of gal who had to find tricks to get myself to drink H2o. So if you're in need of some advice on how to get all 8 glasses of water into your daily diet below I mention some helpful tips that I use everyday! 


- Set small goals
If you’re an anti-water drinker you’ll probably struggle to get more than 3 glasses down. So start small, and be proud. Start with 2 or 3 cups and work you way up. 

- Switch up the cup
Something that helps keep me excited to drink water is switching up my ‘water bottle’. Sometimes I’ll match the bottle to the outfit I’m wearing or grab a funky shaped bottle so when I see it, I’ll remember to take a sip.

- Add a vitamin to it
A way I make sure I get my full amount of water needed is by adding a vitamin supplement. Currently, I drink 8oz with a collagen tablet which gives the water a lemon rose flavor but also I know I ‘must’ drink all the water to get that vitamin in for today. Then later in the day when I take my other vitamins I pour another 8oz and remind myself to consume all the water with the vitamins. 

- Flavors help
Add water flavors or fresh fruit if you’re bored of the flavorless water. Water flavors varies from ‘sweet tea’ to ‘lime margarita’. They seriously make a flavor out there for everyone! And fresh fruit you can toss anything from watermelon, berries, to even cucumbers. 

- Ice does the trick too
For me, really cold water is easier to consume than room temperature or Luke-warm water. So I always make sure to add some ice cubes (like the small pellet size from Sonic).

-Remind yourself why you’re doing it
For me, if I tell myself “hey girl, drink this water! It’s going to do wonders for your skin, appetite, weight, and keep you alert to play with Holly” I suddenly get major motivation to drink a little more H2o. Find what will motivate you if its a quote or a goal you want to reach. 

- Reward yourself overtime
The best trick is to reward or ‘treat’ yourself overtime. When I met my 30 day water goal I went and bought a new mascara I’ve been dying to try. I feel keeping a promise to drink water even when you rather have a Coke-a-cola is a reason to celebrate! 


I know these might sound silly or be obvious but the goal is to get the daily recommended amount into yoru diet. If drinking 8 glasses of water is hard for you I hope these tips help!
-Brittney

Cleaning Tips! *Daily Chore Log Idea Too!*

When people visit our home I often hear “This place is so clean… How do you do it all?” Then I get the rundown on how much I have on my daily plate. Which are a lot and I know that.

The mass majority can’t stand cleaning (a good example is my husband) but I’m one of the few who loves to clean. I’m in charge of all the cleaning. Bryce spends all day at the office; it just doesn’t seem right for him to work all day and then come home to do chores. Don’t get me wrong, my job isn’t easy. I’m in charge of tending to Holly all day and night during the week so Bryce can rest, plus all the other projects I have. But I’m very fortunate that Bryce works a job that can support me being a “FTM”.

Anywho, cleaning is the best stress reliever for me. I have a weekly chore log that’s broken into daily cleans. The breaks help so I’m not overwhelmed, doing the same thing every day, and still have my weekends to relax. My cleaning list might not work with everyone’s lifestyle but I’m happy to share for anyone who needs ideas on how to create a cleaning log.

Daily:
Make the beds
30 minute pick up before Bryce comes home and/or pick up before bed
fold bathroom towels after baths

Monday
Laundry
Mop floors

Clean kitchen

Tuesday
Clean bathrooms
Clean towels


Wednesday

Dust
Vacuum
Clean livingroom + office

* Once a month (normally the last Wednesday of the month) I dust the baseboards, crown molding/molding around the doors, etc. This takes a lot of work but its a chore you only need to worry about once a month to get the extra dust. 

Thursday
Recyclables ( I take our recyclables to a center because this Condo we currently live at doesnt provide recycling; and personally Im a big supporter of helping the planet)
Clean bedrooms
Clean bedding sheets

Friday
Mop floors

* I try to do the least amount of work on Friday’s so I can relax for the weekend!*

Saturday
This is a day we relax. Bryce normally goes to the gym and I can have “me time”. It’s also a day we head to Destin, Seaside or visit family.

Sunday
Meal plan for new week
Grocery shop for the new week
We mainly relax on Sundays as well. We almost always do our grocery shopping this day but sometimes we bump grocery day to Monday. 



Extra tips: 
- When cleaning an area do everything within that area. For example: when I plan to clean the bathrooms I always throw the bath towels in the wash first. Then by the time I have the entire bathrooms cleaned the towels will be clean/dry as well.

- If you have small children like me do the bulk of your cleaning during their naps. I also knock out some good cleaning when Holly is having her ‘tv time’, eating lunch in her high chair, or when she’s having her “alone play time”.

- Keep the clutter down -> clutter is the root of all evil. We trash and recycle as many items as we can. When clothes and shoes are worn out, we pitch em. If it's something we never wear, we donate.

- If you have a busy week, meal prep or make large portions to have leftovers. Bryce isn’t big on leftovers but I grew up on leftovers. I think for families large portions + leftovers help keep the stress of meal planning under control.

- Do a deep clean day once a month. For people with children try to have a relative watch the kiddos so you can focus on deep cleaning with the products needed. Take advantage of a rainy day to do the deep cleaning too! 


My Cleaning Products:
Here's a photo of the cleaning products I use when cleaning. DISCLAIMER: These products are the ones I select and use. They fit my personal lifestyle and I’m not pressuring anyone to purchase these. 
For cleaning tools, I use the rubber gloves I have shown below (purchased at Dollar Tree!), A few brushes and sponges (from Dollar Tree as well) and some paper towels (We get whatever is on special) and/or some reusable towels.

Places to Visit: Bellingrath Gardens


Recently Bryce, Holly and I went on a small day trip to the Bellingrath Gardens in Mobile, Alabama. Let me tell you, this is truly a hidden gem. On 65 acres of land with tons of different and very unique gardens to walk through (something beautiful is blooming all year), a gorgeous home that you can tour to see the countless porcelain collection Mrs. Bellingrath collected, and even visit the small chapel right next door. Don’t forget to have lunch at the Cafe! 
I don’t want to give away all the information of this house but there’s many features that was built for this house that made it "ahead of its time". Also many of the people who still works here met Mr. Bellingrath before he passed away (so they have lots of information about the family and what they enjoyed doing). There’s a large collection of Coke-A-Cola memorabilia since Mr. Bellingrath was one of the first to bottle Coke-A-Cola (this is where a majority of his wealth came from).
Best of all, the Gardens play host to beautiful Christmas lights if you’re in the area during the winter months. Below you’ll see some photos we snapped during our tour.
I definitely recommend visiting this hidden gem if you’re a fan of architecture, history, and the magic a secret garden can bring.

 - Brittney 





Get the MOST out of your Lush Cosmetics Experience


Like most people, I love treating myself with some skincare/bath items and a store I can’t avoid is LUSH Cosmetics. First of all, the smell! Ya’ll complained about smelling Abercrombie and Fitch a mile away, oh LUSH has that same effect. And like most, I notice the prices of these bath bombs and bubble bars... These things aren’t cheap! 

Today I’m giving out my tips on getting the MOST out of your Lush! So you too can enjoy LUSH the way I do.

1: Check the web-shop beforehand
This tip is major. If you walk into a LUSH without an idea on what you want - the associates will take you for a spin and your shopping basket will be packed to the top. What I do is browse the site to see what is new, the prices, and create a list on what I really want and what I just want to ‘look’ at.

2: Pick a side and shop in a circle
If you run around in circles the associates quick thinking is “oh she’s lost. Let me guide her to products” and that is where you can feel pressured or overwhelmed. Pick one side (left or right) and work your way around until you make a full circle of the store.

3: If you need help, ask the associates 
These workers are TRAINED to know everything about every product. So if you are confused or curious about a product - ask.

4: Wanna facial? Foot Treatment? Hand Treatment? Makeup routine? Get one on demand!
The staff is trained to do any type of in-house spa treatment free of charge! They do appreciate if you are purchasing something (it can be an item they used or something else) but do indulge on some spa time if you wish!





5: They are always down to give GENEROUS free samples!
See a soap bar you want to try? Or a face wash? Maybe a lotion? They're always down to give you a product to sample. Just ask. I noticed if you have good vibes and conversations with the associate they’ll give multiple samples (I left once with 5 samples!).

6: Don’t be fooled by the gift sets
Remember when I said visit the web-shop first? Compare prices on buying the products separately VERSUS a gift set. The year round gift sets are a better deal than buying the products separately. But the Holiday gift sets are MORE EXPENSIVE than buying each item separately. 
I was told this by an actual associate at my local Lush. 
7: Once you’re home, break up the bars
You heard me right! Those giant bubble bars can be cut up into 3, 4, even 6 pieces to create multiple baths! Lush associates will tell you to just crumble a chunk off; but I prefer cutting mine. 

My TIP - get a sharp metal knife, cutting board, and carefully cut slices to the size you wish. Put the pieces into zip bags for easy and dry storage.

8: Bathbombs can be chopped into 2 pieces
Be VERY VERY careful but you can separate bath bombs. My biggest tip if you want to separate your bath bombs is select bath bombs in store that are already separating or have a drastic crack in the middle. Take a butter knife and carefully separate the two. *You can also find videos on Youtube for guidance!*

So there's a few of my tips to get the most out of your LUSH visit. If you have any questions please ask me! And as always follow the instagram for daily posts on fashion, beauty and lifestyle!

-Brittney 

Marshalls or TJMaxx - Which has the better selection?




Today I’m comparing my 2 favorite stores: TJMaxx and Marshalls. Both are owned by the same main hub but you’ll be surprised that each store carries different selections and price points. Below you will see my choices on which has the better selection. But first, if you’re not following the instagram please click this link and follow me!



Purses - TjMaxx
Every TJ I have went to had tons and tons of purses. They have such a large selection of luggage too. Marshalls on the other hand, I always felt like there was less to pick from.

Jewelry - TjMaxx
The jewelry bar at all the Tj’s I’ve been to is amazing. From designer jewelry to cheap thrills. The Marshalls I’ve been to actually don’t have any jewelry.

Makeup/Beauty/Skincare/Haircare - TjMaxx
If you want the best prices and the most selection I alway feel TjMaxx has more to offer than Marshalls. I do feel Marshalls carries a lot more soaps and body care items.

Shoes - Marshalls
Literally love getting shoes from Marshalls because they carry higher quality brands and all the shoes come with their original boxes.

Kids/Baby Goods (including toys) - Both
Both stores seem to have an equal stock of kids/baby goods. I do feel Marshalls is higher in cost on items but Tjmaxx seems to be more picked over. I sometimes call to see if they added more baby items out and go right when they open.

Women’s Clothing - Both
I always find a good amount at both stores. Marshalls seems to carry more higher quality goods but their price tags are ALWAYS a bit higher. I have seen the same items at both stores and seen a 2-5$ price difference.

Men’s Clothing - TjMaxx
The mens racks always seem to be more stocked and have large selections. I enjoy getting my husband his dress socks from Tj’s. But I do flock to Marshalls to get him more dress shirts (like I said before, I noticed Marshalls carry higher quality brands).

Home Items (from pots, food, decor, pictures etc) -  Both
Okay, well if you are getting home items go to their sister store HomeGoods but if you can’t make it there either of these stores will do! Their prices are amazing and the selection is great. I’ve even found Lilly Pulitzer home items at both Tj’s and Marshalls before!

Stationary Items - TjMaxx
I literally always buy my wrapping goods and cards from Tjmaxx. They have such a great selection I feel you can never ever go wrong.  My local Marshalls never carries stationary goods but I have heard of some that have a lot.

Results on which had the better selection-
Out of both stores I feel TjMaxx does win for having the best prices (lowest cost) and larger selections. My personal opinion is Marshalls is a step higher and their prices reflect that. I always feel Marshalls carries higher qualities and like I said, the shoes still have their original boxes; unlike TjMaxx (which shoes are without boxes and normally have marker marks on the bottoms).

TIPS: Always visit these stores during ’slow hours’ if you want quick checkout. Peak hours you’ll wait in longer lines. If you’re able to visit both stores to compare prices definitely do so! I have found things at one store and the other store had the exact same item but 2-5$ cheaper. 
Don’t forget to follow the instagram for daily posts on fashion, beauty and lifestyle!

- Brittney

Happy Valentines Day! Blog is back up and running!

Hello everyone!
Wow it's been forever since I’ve been on the blog. Let me please explain what happened.

Personally, I enjoy taking the beginning of the year to reflect on my past year - especially when it comes to a blog/social media account and the content I create - I spent all of January looking to see where I felt the most happiest in my work and where I felt I wasn’t truly myself. If I had a stronger blog/social media presence I would’ve still posted things daily on the Instagram; but not roll out any major content. Luckily my presence is still small so I just muted myself from the world while I worked. 

Now, I know it's February. So I stated January I evaluated my work then why oh why did most of February the blog go MIA?
That was because of some issues in my home-life. I don’t want to get into too much details and well, bore you all - But I had a chore list of health appointments, Holly had her major allergy specialist appointment that was rescheduled, and we have currently moved back to our old home in Fort Walton while Bryce continues to live in the Condo AND we’re still looking for our forever home. We’re also trying to plan out 2019 and decide if at some point this year we will try for a second child. So lots and lots of home-life issues!


What content you will see in 2019!
I’ll be real, I love the fashion/style. But I really enjoy makeup and skincare as well. If you know me, you know I do travel a bit and I have an ever changing lifestyle with Holly and I gain new tips and tricks. So I promise you will still see those topics on my page.

I hope you all are excited to have me back.
I’m very excited to show you all the projects I’ve been working on and I hope you will join me on my style-beauty-lifestyle instagram: @brittneymillsblog click here for the link! Please follow my instagram for daily posts!!
The Instagram won’t just have daily posts but will give updates on the weekly blog posts and future giveaways!

With love,
Brittney

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