Whitney Leigh Morris 1/11/18 Whitney Leigh Morris 1/11/18

Reusable Bags

Reusable shopping bags are everywhere these days. You're given polypropylene totes in checkout lines, you receive canvas slings for swag at events, and many makers and retailers use drawstring sacks when wrapping their online orders. While it's wonderful that we're no longer requiring and disposing of endless plastic bags, it can be a bit tricky for those of us living in a small space to find a practical place to keep the bulkier, reusable totes. Since these items come into play nearly every day, I thought the topic warranted a post. Here's how I deal with reusable bags and food wraps at the Cottage. Below, I've provided information on the styles I love, were I store them, and how I go about giving some away.

I have three groupings of reusable bags at the cottage, and I organize each category differently, based on their sizes and how I use them:

Market Baskets - I use these for the bulky or heavier duty items-- laundry detergent, beverage cans, oversized branches, beach towels, weekender bags, etc. These stay on display via a coatrack, either inside or on the stoop, depending on the weather. I also hang them on the walls as functional decor from time to time.

Canvas / String Shopping Bags - I have these in multiple sizes, and I use them for everyday groceries and errands. Canvas Shopping Bags - I keep these folded up in a wire, wall-mounted bin. Another bundle of bags stays in the car, and we keep a few in the base West's stroller.

Reusable Bee's Wrap + Sacks - I use these as often as possible in lieu of plastic wrap. They're ideal for sandwiches, baguettes, loaves of bread, and for preserving the freshness of almost anything other than meats. I roll these up when they're not in use and place them in a wire mesh vertical file/folder basket mounted magnetically to the side of the fridge. (Such baskets work well affixed to the inside of kitchen cabinet doors, too.)

EXISTING PLASTIC BAGS - Organizing existing plastic bags in easy-to-reach spots requires minimal time and cost if you simply repurpose select household items. For example, you can always recycle a used tissue box or canning jar to keep shopping or pet bags at the ready:

When (and How) to Give Reusable Bags Away - First off, I love the 4 or 6-compartment wine bags from the grocery store. As my mom pointed out, they're a handy way to safely store (and tote) sandals and flats. For this reason, they are usually the only "freebie" bags that I keep.

The SWAG and retail totes never stay in the Cottage for long. The minute they're empty, I challenge myself to load them up with donations, or I use them as gift wrap for outgoing presents. This can be an effortless way to keep track of how much you're bringing into your home, vs how much you're clearing out.

Whitney Leigh Morris 6/18/17 Whitney Leigh Morris 6/18/17

Father's Day at the Cottage

This post was sponsored by Baileys.
From the first moment we discussed the possibility of having children together, I knew my husband Adam would be a wonderful father. He has a calm and carefree way about him that encourages everyone around him to be at ease. His presence reminds me to relax and breathe— it’s a rare and valuable trait that’s so helpful in the context of becoming a parent, and raising a child in a busy world.

For Adam’s first Father’s Day as a dad, we agreed to celebrate simply. No presents— we have everything we need already, and tiny homes function better with fewer items anyway. Instead, we’ve opted for a quiet night in Venice.

We have lavender in our garden here at home, plus there were buckets of it at our local Farmer’s Market as well, so we decided to use it in a celebratory Baileys cocktail shake.

We rode around town on our bikes gathering up the other groceries we needed. (West has grown up enough now that we can secure his car seat into the cargo bike, which has been amazing.)

Adam came up with a quick and easy concoction that we threw into the Vitamix after dinner:

   • 2oz Baileys
   • 2oz Bulleit Whiskey
   • 2 Cups Ice
   • 1 Cup Vanilla Bean Ice Cream
   • Topped with Lavender Sprigs

Earlier this weekend, Adam installed a little shelf on our Dutch Door, which is the handiest little add-on for our tiny kitchen. We put it to good use while making our drinks, and while enjoying the porch after West fell asleep for the night.

The ingredients smelled so good that we couldn’t get Sophee to leave them alone while we were preparing the shakes. (In the end, she only knocked over one glass. Given her track record, it could’ve been worse. )

This was a laid-back and delightful way to observe a special occasion together. We wondered: why scream over each other at a restaurant, or go out and contend with LA traffic while a babysitter watches our son? For us, being in our little home with our little family is the perfect way to connect, celebrate and surround ourselves with love.

Whitney Leigh Morris 8/5/16 Whitney Leigh Morris 8/5/16

Market Friday

Today was a particularly successful one for me at the Venice Farmer's Market. Look at this pokeweed! EPIC. (Folks with kids and pets-- be careful if you put this branch in/around your home, as it's toxic. Luckily our pups aren't interested in trying to eat it.) This is my favorite branch to use in the house-- it's full and leafy, yet simple to cut and arrange. Plus it doesn't shed. The subdued plum-rose tone of the vines adds a pop of color without being too noisy for those of us who lean towards neutral tones.

I love to liven up our home with market greenery, as it allows me to change up the look as frequently as I want, without causing clutter, creating waste or costing much money. These branches were $10 total, and will last for at least a week.

I also stocked up on fresh produce for the weekend. At nearly 31 weeks pregnant, the baby and I are craving citrus, watermelon and peaches these days. There was no need to buy berries-- as you can see, we have PLENTY of grapes growing in our tiny garden right now!

Whitney Leigh Morris 7/8/16 Whitney Leigh Morris 7/8/16

Basics Don't Have to be Boring

I'm obviously a fan of keeping things simple. From color palettes to every-day goods and clothing, "the basics" help me save space and money, without sacrificing versatility or creative expression. Here's how.

DECOR - In small spaces, I've found that it's usually best to functionally decorate with neutral + white tones. They reflect light and allow a space to feel bigger than it truly is. Once you have the key items in place (in your cohesive color palette), liven things up and keep yourself from getting bored with your surroundings by using throws and market florals. You don't have to buy an entirely new coffee table to switch up the look and feel of your small living room-- just clip some fresh greenery from around the neighborhood and swap out your pillow covers and/or throw blankets on your sofa, and voila! It's amazing what a difference this can make, and all for a very low cost. (There are dozens of examples of this on my Instagram account.) Donate your old blankets to a local non-profit or a disaster relief organization-- they can always use the goods, and you won't need to find a place to store your old stuff.

This basic approach has helped me learn how to stop searching for "the next thing" and just be happy with what I have here at home. I've accumulated fewer belongings, and have found a wonderful level of contentment in the present. It's also why I'm so obsessed with my Friday morning market missions-- they've become a creative outlet / little weekly art project that helps me refresh and continually enjoy our tiny home:

WARDROBE - Applying the same technique to my wardrobe has made sharing a (small) closet with Adam an easy task (images & info on our clothing storage here). By sticking to the basics and using a few bright accessories to layer and liven up my look, I never get tired of my clothing-- and I don't have to routinely buy new articles that I'll then have to store. (Did you read the wonderful write-up in The New York Times by Carl Richards about this cyclical issue? I highly recommend it: "New Rule: All Purchases Subject to a 7-Day Mental Quarantine")

I will admit, one of the things that I really DO need storage for is my collection of market baskets, all of which I use on a weekly basis for the aforementioned purposes, and for carting botanicals to-and-from photo shoots. Luckily I found this vintage basket rack on Everything But The House, and I love it. It's simple, pretty, practical, and it brings me joy every day when I see it. (Sophee chewed through the plant that was there for the past 5 years anyway, so it was time to find a beautiful and useful replacement piece.)

So I challenge you to liven things up in your home & closet by paring your belongings down!