A Peek Into My Real-Life Morning Routine

A Peek Into My Real-Life Morning Routine | dreamgreendiy.com

I think one of the things you’ll hear most work-from-home professionals say is that managing a consistent schedule and morning routine is one of the hardest parts of the gig. When you don’t have someone looking over your shoulder to make sure you’re sitting at your desk by a certain hour of the morning, it’s easy to let that alarm slide.

I know I’ve fallen prey to embracing a late start simply because I can, but it’s definitely not the best way to go about things. Not only does it encourage a lazy attitude, but it also kills precious minutes in the day. Since I’m the only one my business answers to, that could be the difference between a paycheck or nada.

A Peek Into My Real-Life Morning Routine | dreamgreendiy.com

A Peek Into My Real-Life Morning Routine | dreamgreendiy.com

So, this season I’m working extra hard to make myself feel more answerable to the “boss” version of Carrie. I’ve started waking up with an alarm again, and I try to stick to the same morning routine each and every day.

Now that I’ve recommitted to this type of mentality, I’m finding that I have more freedom to take much-needed breaks throughout the day, and I’m also able to cross much more off my to-do list. Sleeping in an extra 30 minutes to an hour is just not worth the loss of those precious productive moments in my day.

In case you’ve ever wondered what a work-from-home morning might look like, I spent some time last week documenting my wake-up routine, and you can see it in all of its photographed and filmed glory above and below.

Brand New Brass Hardware In ur Mid-Century Kitchen | dreamgreendiy.com

A Peek Into My Real-Life Morning Routine | dreamgreendiy.com

It all tends to start with my “alarm” (i.e. Tonks the cat), and then progresses on to a little bit of phone time before moving on to tidying up and choosing what to wear that day. I’m a morning shower-er, so next up is a quick wash, and then I “put my face on” and do my hair. Even if I end up wearing leggings and a T-shirt throughout my work day, I always make it a point to wash my hair and put on makeup. Those simple tasks make me feel so much more awake and ready to tackle my to-do list with energy.

After that, it’s time for a hearty breakfast of toast with an egg (plus a big cup of coffee, of course) before I plop down to get right to work on my computer.

A Peek Into My Real-Life Morning Routine | dreamgreendiy.com

A Peek Into My Real-Life Morning Routine | dreamgreendiy.com

Click “Play” on the video above to see my morning routine in action! I’d love to know how you prep yourself for your own work day (whether you work from home or in a traditional office), so tell us your step-by-step schedule in the comments below. Have a great weekend, guys!

A Peek Into My Real-Life Morning Routine | dreamgreendiy.com

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Top 10 Faux Plant Resources For Home Decor

Top 10 Faux Plant Resources For Home Decor | dreamgreendiy.com

A couple of weeks ago, a reader of the blog got in touch to ask a simple question: where do we get all of our faux plants?! It’s a simple question, sure, but definitely warrants an entire post because, MAN, do I love my faux plants.

Let me start by laying down the law and saying that there is absolutely nothing wrong with fake plants. It’s almost difficult to put into words the calming effect of walking into a room and spotting greenery on practically every surface. That said, I’m not the best at keeping real greenery alive. So, over the years, I’ve collected an armload of  faux plants that I have scattered amongst our live plants. I know that, to some, “faux” is a major faux pas, but I’m here to tell my fellow crap gardeners this: you do you.

Top 10 Faux Plant Resources For Home Decor | dreamgreendiy.com

Top 10 Faux Plant Resources For Home Decor | dreamgreendiy.com

The aforementioned follower who brought up this lively topic had another good reason for doing so (aside from asking for resources). She was curious to know where we picked up our faux plants because she, too, has pets in the house who tend to snack on live plants. We have struggled with the same issue for years, so that’s a major reason why I started my own collection of faux plants. The silk variety offer zero appeal to our curious kitties, and could be the solution you’ve been looking for in your own homes.

Top 10 Faux Plant Resources For Home Decor | dreamgreendiy.com

Top 10 Faux Plant Resources For Home Decor | dreamgreendiy.com

My Top 10 Faux Plant Resources

  1. Target: This is my main go-to for purchasing fake plants. As in, every single photo in this post features at least one silky plant from Target. They’re inexpensive and easily accessible. I’m particularly smitten with their cacti options right now.
  2. IKEA: Although IKEA’s selection of fake plants isn’t quite as “believable” as Target’s, I’ve got a small collection of their potted fake grass that I pepper throughout our house. You can see an example potted off to the far left on the lower cabinet in the photo above.
  3. Michael’s: This Big Box craft store always has a wide variety of faux plants to choose from. Most of the time I tend to avoid their pre-potted silk plants though because they tend to look a little chintzy. My tip is to buy the loose fake greenery, and then “plant” them in a real ceramic pot for a more realistic look. In fact, I’ve even used real dirt for an extra believable finish!
  4. Jo-Ann: The décor aisles of this fabric chain usually has a similar faux plant selection to Michael’s, so see above for my tips on shopping Jo-Ann.
  5. World Market: This brand almost always carries the sweetest mini potted succulents, and unlike Michael’s, their pots tend to be stylish enough right off the shelves.
  6. Wal-Mart: Another unexpected place to find decent-looking fake plants is Wal-Mart. I was in a pinch right before our sunroom photoshoot last year, but managed to create a last-minute boho style centerpiece using a pretty patterned bowl and loose silk succulent stems from Wal-Mart. See the final look pictured here—I still have the centerpiece out to this day, and it looks as fresh as ever!
  7. Amazon: If you don’t have time to shop in person, check out the online options at Amazon. I’ve got my eye on this pair of faux hanging plants, although I think I’d pop them into my own hanging planters to give them a more high end look.
  8. Wayfair: Here’s another online retailer that carries a massive variety of faux plants. Pay special attention to their faux flower arrangements (like this one). They’re a little on the pricey side, but could be handy for last-minute buffet table décor.
  9. Overstock: I did a roundup of faux plants worthy of a double take late last year, and a lot of my picks came from Overstock.
  10. YOU: Why not try making your own faux plants? I love this tutorial for DIY paper plants via The House That Lars Built, and you can learn to make your own felt Billy Balls (as seen pictured above on our mantel) right here in this ancient Dream Green DIY post or visit website.

Top 10 Faux Plant Resources For Home Decor | dreamgreendiy.com

Top 10 Faux Plant Resources For Home Decor | dreamgreendiy.com

Top 10 Faux Plant Resources For Home Decor | dreamgreendiy.com

To be quite honest with you, I didn’t think I’d be able to come up with an even 10 resources for faux plants. When building this post out, I just typed the heading with a “10” by way of a challenge. Turns out that I have more resources than I thought though, because it was easy to come up with all 10. At any rate, I hope this helps answer your question, Stephanie, and that you find lots of pretty silk plants to add to your home this season!

Top 10 Faux Plant Resources For Home Decor | dreamgreendiy.com

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