A Girl's Guide To Living With a Guy

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At some point in your life or relationship you might find yourself living with a guy. It's definitely a big adjustment since living on your own means you've taken advantage of all of your living space for all of your stuff. Living with another person, male or not, means making some sacrifices. We decided to come up with a list of things you can do to make living with a guy a little bit easier.

1. Clean out your closet. It's time to donate half of your wardrobe, girlfriend! We know, we know, having the same shirt in 10 different colors is so necessary, but not if it means that it will take up more space in the closet that you'll be sharing with the boy moving in. Consider this an act of charity as you can send your clothes in as a donation and attempt to write it off in your taxes. Guys need closet space too.
2. Put things in storage. If you have storage or can afford to pay for storage monthly, free up space by putting your big items that you don't need immediate access to into a storage unit. This will make parting with your things easier because instead of throwing the items away or donating them, you're putting them into a different space. This portable closet is also great for you to have in your storage for clothes and shoes that you don't need access to for a third or half of the year!
3. Buy shelving at Target or IKEA. Target and IKEA have great accessories to help you keep your things organized separately. Consider shelving, shoe racks, and drawers that can allow for great separation of each person's items. One shelf can be your stuff, the other his. Here is a link to one of our favorite bathroom shelves from Target: Home Bathroom Space Saver. Here is another link to great fabric storage cubes you can use for separating your stuff on shelves: Fabric Cubes. 
4. Consider neutral color shades. We don't know many men willing to live in a pink themed bathroom or with a pink and leopard living room theme (haha) so consider neutral shades in those common areas. Again, Target is the best place to find some earthy and neutral tones for just about any home accessory. 
5. Practice patience. When he leaves the toilet seat cover up--be patient. If you find pee on the toilet seat--be patient. If he squeezes toothpaste from the middle of the toothpaste bottle (don't you hate when people do that?!)--be patient. Bottom line is, change and adapting to people's preferences takes time. Just consider that you have spent x amount of years evolving into who you are and they have spent x amount of time evolving into who they are. When you both come together, there are going to be many things you'll have to compromise to make living together effective.

Good luck!!

Glam Up Your Pad

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Home is where the heart is!  It's where we relax, kick back, and snuggle up.  We could browse through beautiful pictures of home decor on Pinterest for hours on end (check out our pinboard here) but sometimes it's hard to make those images into a reality.  We've put together a few of our favorite helpful tips on how to be your own interior decorator, on a real-life budget!

1. Shop smart.  
Ikea is great for cost effective items (we love this area rug), but also think outside the box when it comes to larger furniture pieces.  After all, you don't need to have the same dresser as all of your friends!  If you do a little searching, you can still stick to your price range and find good quality items.  We love World Market & HomeGoods.  They both have plenty of stylish finds that are both well made & affordable.

2. Add A Rug.
Buy big!  Don't make the mistake of buying an area rug that's too small.  Know your room dimensions, and buy a larger rug that can fit in the space needed.  Bigger rugs help to create the optical illusion of a bigger space!

3. Illuminate.
The right lighting adds cozy ambiance.  Add a soft glow with lamps placed strategically around a room, illuminating any dark corners or spaces.  Choose a 3-way bulb for all lamps, so you have the option of brightness level.  Use either all Soft White bulbs or all Reveal bulbs (which give off a more "blue" glow)-- but try to not combine the two.  Keep the lightbulb color consistent throughout when possible, and the lighting will "blend" together to brighten up your space.

4. Fresh Paint.
Nothing changes a room quite like a new paint job.  When choosing a paint swatch, look at it in natural lighting 3 different times: morning, afternoon, and night.  Tape your swatch on the unpainted wall, and check on it throughout the day.  You'll notice that different times of day will bring out different hues in a paint color.  For example, Co-Founder Ali once had dark grey walls in her house.  In the morning light, the grey had a blue undertone.  In the afternoon, the glow from the sun brought out shades of purple and mauve.  It was beautiful all day long!  For more on paint, check out this article from Elle Decor on Color Picks From the Pros.

5. Get Artsy.
Artwork hanging on the walls is a great way to show your personality.  Hanging up art can sometimes be forgotten or an afterthought... don't forget to dress up those walls!  Find pieces that speak to you, and make you feel happy.  When in doubt, choose something abstract & colorful, or a classic black and white photograph.  Don't be afraid of larger pieces, and experiment with creating your own "gallery wall" of favorite works.  We love Society6 for art prints, and Ikea is great for affordable frames!  Ali also fell in love with these perfume bottle prints from Z'Gallerie for her gallery wall.  Helpful hint for gallery walls: all of the pieces should line up at the same height straight across the bottom (or close to it) for a clean look.  Check out this great "how to" on gallery walls from Z'Gallerie.

6. Go Green.
A simple houseplant or fresh flowers (even of the faux variety) can do wonders to warm up your space.  Succulents are a chic and low maintenance option, that need only sunlight and very little water to stay healthy.  If you're going faux, just make sure that whatever you pick looks as real as possible.  If neon blue roses don't exist in real life, chances are the faux version isn't going to look too real either.  Silk orchid plants with white flowers are a great choice, and usually look pretty close to the real deal!

7. Accessorize.
Not a fan of your couch, but buying a new one isn't in the budget?  Add accessories!  Try out pillows and throw blankets in fun patterns and colors.  Instead of the usual 4"x6" picture frame, try enlarging a favorite photo to an 8"x10" size with a big new frame.  Think beyond the picture frame... coffee table books, sculptures, decorative boxes, and geodes all make for decorative pieces with personality.

8. Mirror On The Wall.
Small space?  Simple solution... add mirrors!  They create depth and the illusion of a larger area.  HomeGoods is our favorite spot for finding pretty mirrors at a reasonable price.

9. Invest Wisely.
Think "long term relationship" with your big ticket furniture.  If you're making a large purchase, choose something timeless.  Pick a neutral color, a classic shape.  We found some beds from Z'Gallerie that we just love (here & here) that are sophisticated, and that you'll enjoy for years to come.

10. Eclectic Feel.
Want something funky?  Go cheap!  Hunt for treasures with "good bones" at your local Goodwill or vintage market.  Garage sales can have gems too.  See beyond the color it's in now, and envision it as a whole new piece.  Antique brass iron bed + turquoise spray paint= bohemian bedroom dreamland.  Or, add white spray paint for a shabby chic paradise!  The choice is yours.

What are some of your favorite places to shop for home decor?  Share with us!

Top 12 Best Back to School Home Decor Stores

Picture taken from: Home Goods

Back to school doesn't just mean new clothes and new school supplies, it also means a new room look! Moving into a dorm or settling into a new apartment with your friends/sisters is an exciting experience and we remember those days like it was yesterday. Nothing was more fun than deciding how to decorate our rooms, so we thought we would compile a list of our go-to home decor stores that are super trendy and budget friendly. If you're big on fun home accessories, then ROSS, TJ Maxx, and Marshall's Home Goods store are the perfect places for fine pieces like eccentric table figurines, lamps, and art work. For generous bedding selections JC Penney, Bed, Bath & Beyond and Target are our definite first stops. We have a recent obsession, however, with Kohl's Lauren Conrad Bedding! Think vintage meets girl next door--you'll love it! It is no surprise that IKEA is our favorite furniture store. Whether you need furniture for your living room or bedroom, IKEA has just what you need right down to your silverware (just be prepared to be exhausted...they have multiple levels and selections for days!). IKEA is not the only credible furniture store; Karen has had a lot of luck at Ashley Furniture. They ship to almost anywhere and have a pretty large selection, especially affordable mattresses. If you're on a tighter budget, check out Big Lots for cheaper, yet reasonable every day furniture. For our full list of our favorite home decor stores, check it out below!

1. Target
2. Big Lots
3. Ashley Furniture
4. Ross
5. TJ Maxx
6. JC Penney
7. Bed Bath & Beyond
8. IKEA
9. Home Goods
10. Kohls
11. Dania
12. Walmart

Which one of these is your favorite back-to-school home decor store? Do you have any other home decor stores that didn't make our list? Let us know by leaving a comment below or emailing us at secret@thesororitysecrets.com!