Small Bathroom Organization

I am constantly trying to improve the organization of my tiny bathroom. I certainly don't have much storage in here, but I feel it is so much better than when I started making it over! In the past couple of years I have:
1) Added a new medicine cabinet
2) Added shelves for towels
3) Organized the counter
4) Organized under the sink

I use my bathroom to store a lot of stuff- my beauty products, medicine, toiletries, etc. And for some reason I own a lot of these things :). I know you aren't actually supposed to store a lot of these things in bathrooms, but I have limited storage and I run the fan when I shower so I figure it is all good. However, I have been thinking lately that my makeup probably should be in a case with a lid rather than open to the lovely bathroom air.

I don't own a lot of make up- I tend to buy just a few high end products and do my face the same way every morning. Therefore when I saw this small box at HomeSense for $15 I had to snap it up (on giftcard too- free for me!). It is actually a smaller, black version of the box I got for my nail polish.

I also got this basket for the back of the cupboard door! The frame is a bit large for the door (what is UP with that?) but it neatly stores all my travel cases, which are always in the way under here. And it was only $6! Also from HomeSense.

So there you are- a couple little updates in the bathroom! I hope the HomeSense giftcard fairy stops by for my birthday on Monday because I always seem to find awesome things there. I wouldn't say no to the Canadian Tire giftcard fairy either! Or restaurant fairy, or chapters fairy, or even the new-condo fairy :)

Spring Plants in the Condo!

On Saturday I finally gave up on waiting for nice weather and I went out to buy some plants for the condo. Basically almost all the plants from last year had died and needed replacing. Even the tree-thing is starting to look very bad! I can't wait to get it outside for some fresh air but I feel it is still much too cool.

I only went to Canadian Tire, which had a limited selection, but I was already in the mall and there aren't many plant places in downtown Toronto! I will probably pick up a couple more things as the season goes on, but for now it is really nice to have some fresh greenery around- Or should I say pinkery?

I got a pink flowery plant (campanula) for the yellow planter. For the black planter I replaced the succulents with this little Polka Dot plant. They are supposed to grow like impatiens so I am hoping within a couple months it will fill that pot up!

As for the succulents, two seemed beyond saving, but I kept this little green one in the hopes that it will bounce back. I popped it into it's own little planter  with some new soil and food spike and gave it the prime spot by the window.

Eventually all of these plants will live outside, but the tags said they preferred warmer temperatures so for now they will brighten my condo!

The two new plants cost me about $13 total, and I bought the soil, plant food spikes, and gardening gloves together for only $5 at the dollar store! I refuse to pay a lot of money for DIRT. I am not entering any gardening contest. Dollar store dirt is good enough for me! Plus they sell it in small bags so I don't need to store the leftovers. So all in all this little update cost me under $20.

Yellow There!

The weather in Toronto is slooowly starting to pretend it is spring. We get the odd day of sun, but the wind usually eliminates any joy in it! Oh, and the non-stop rain. That is fun. I thought today I would share some bright, yellow decor to help us get ready for warmer days ahead!

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Now if only that sunny yellow sun would come out and make the outside look as bright as these interiors!

Casey Gets Fit: Week 10

Current Weight: 157 (down 8 lbs overall)
BMI: 24.6

I feel like I have been eating like crazy this week- but I am still down so yay! Maybe it was the 33 freaking kilometers I apparently ran this week that has something to do with it?? My 10K run is in only 6 days so I have been trying to get in lots of running. I have a bit of a shin split on my right leg so I plan on taking it easy from now until my race. I am very excited- races are so much fun :). I am not at worried about completing the run as I am basically running 10km every weekend at this point. I am hoping to get it over in under one hour though. Fingers crossed!!

As for weight, I had been trying to get down to 155 by my 28th birthday- WHICH IS IN ONE WEEK! But that is not going to happen at this rate so now my goal is 155 by the end of May. My next goal after that is 150, which I hope to hit by the end of July when I am going cottaging. But that'll be super hard because ice cream season is fast approaching. I swear I don't even want cake for my birthday. I just want a big melty soft serve cone with sprinkles.

Actually, I have been eating ice cream bars (skinny cow- flippin delish btw) and fudgesicles as dessert a lot recently, but I am saving up that big melty cone until my birthday (and hopefully warmer weather).

Speaking of ice cream- I am going to ICELAND this summer!!! My friend and I booked our flights this weekend and in a couple weeks we hope to settle our plans and accommodations. Have you been?? We are going to be there for a week, which is quickly appearing to be not nearly enough time. I am soooo excited!! Even if all we end of doing is lying in thermal hot springs all day. Who would of thought I would need to be bikini-ready for a country like Iceland? :)

A Gnatsy Problem

I don't know much about bugs, but for some reason my entire neighbourhood gets infested with gnats every spring. On one hand, it is super handy getting a little extra protein intake on my runs (not), but on the other hand, they annoy me! A pillow got blown off a chair onto a balcony floor this week, but I don't want to go out there to get it because I can see the hundreds of gnats just chilling everywhere and I do not want those buggers indoors.

Now, I feel like I can't complain because a lot of units in my building have issues with giant spiders on their balcony. I did the first summer I was here but thankfully they haven't come back (though, if I had a spider I wouldn't have gnats. details).

Still- I did some Googling on how to improve my outdoor gnat situation:
1. Rub fabric softener sheets on furniture
2. Let plants dry out between waterings. I wonder if all the extra rain and the wind has enticed them to my wet, calm balcony
3. Bury a clove of garlic in the soil of plants- I will try this when I get plants!
4. Buy plants to deter insects- there is a whole list here. Lavender might be a nice option
5. Apply lemon oil to the edge of plant pots

It looks like with a few simple tricks I should be able to keep these buggers at bay this summer! I don't have any plants out here yet, so that isn't an issue. All my plants from last summer seem to have died/are dying so I need to pick up some new ones.

Balcony last summer!

PS- I am really excited to buy some plants and then spend some time out here! But it is still sooo cold. Today I went for a run with pants and long sleeves. Unacceptable, Mother Nature.

Wine Tasting Hosted by The Sweet Escape/ Blogger Joggers Invite

When I first started blogging I never stopped to realize the social aspect of it. I've talked about this before, but I love the community of the blogging world and all the amazing people I have met online and in person. After going to BlogPodium last fall (and I am going again this year!) I made the leap from online friends to IRL friends...and that is pretty cool! I have gone to a few blogger meet ups since then and I really feel like I am getting to know some of these women beyond their twitter personalities, which is awesome.

Last Sunday I went to a wine tasting at Melissa's loft from The Sweet Escape. Union Wines generously donated the wine and Linda Modern Thai prepared the food to pair it with! It was pretty fun learning all about wine from Union's co-owner and sommelier Andrew. But it was also fun catching up with the people I have met before and being introduced to new people! There were about 15 local bloggers, which was a great size for mingling.

I'm sorry my photos aren't that great- just brought my phone!

And speaking of blogger meet ups- I have spoken to a couple Toronto bloggers and there has been some interest in starting a blogger running group- which I have named the Blogger Joggers. It will be totally low-key and beginner level but I would love to arrange a run later this month (I heard a rumor that we are already in May, but the weather says otherwise, so we shall see). Maybe 3-5km? If you are interested, please let me know!! If you are not a runner, don't worry- this is for fun! There will be mucho walking breaks. Maybe a patio at the end? Or cupcakes.