Easy & Affordable Closet Solutions

| The Bee Life

As National Clean Your Closet Week concludes, I pulled together easy and affordable closet solutions to help get your closet organized — as recently seen on New Day Cleveland with Brass & Bubbles, my home organization company. This is also a great way to plan a phased approach to buffering and organizing your closet to feel like your own personal boutique.

From Chaotic to CONTROLLED

Mismatched plastic hangers, clothes falling off, long sleeve mixed with short sleeve and green next to red, this is the reality of a closet that has never been properly set up with a sustainable system — it also might take you 10x longer to find the piece you’re looking for in the morning, leaving the clothes that didn’t make the cut unfolded and piled up on the floor underneath. Here are a few affordable organization solutions that can help, although not every space is the same — adding in structure and these simple systems is a good start.

Of course, the benefit of hiring Brass & Bubbles to help, is that we will work through this for you, and then with you, set it up, buffer your wardrobe, and bringing in the missing pieces for a space you won’t want to mess up again!

Switching out your hangers can be a gradual progress, but these Costco Black Flocked Hangers at just $35 for 100 is a great deal (even on sale until 3/31/24). If you were to shop on Amazon or Target you would be spending double or triple that for the same amount of hangers. Adding Dividers is another way to keep you and your newly organized space accountable and on track.
Shop my White Hangers on Rack.

Empty Closet? If you just have a clothing hanger bar with empty space underneath, take some measurements to see if a cube solution could be integrated for additional zones and containment. We love these for jeans, sweaters, sweatshirts, and sweatpants. They’re also great to make a little boutique display with your favorite hand bags! Pictured are 11″ cubes for just $35. We also love 13″ cubes as they are a bit bigger and another great option, but a little bit more.

The grey bins are also great pieces to integrate into your closet to help store and rotate out seasonal pieces or more clothes. The open felt baskets ($20 ea.) could also sub out on the floor with sweatshirts or sweatpants, the goal is to create zones and contain! The fabric bins with lids ($8 ea.) are also great for seasonal pieces, I use them to store my shorts and golf gear. Both of these come in different sizes, so measure to see what is the best fit for your space!

The B&B Process

Brass & Bubbles starts with a free over-the-phone consultation, to learn your pain points and goals of your space — we will then take some time to quote your project and source any additional solutions (if needed) that we would recommend for your space and send over your customized plan! Depending on the size of the project, we can usually transform and organize a space within 1-3 days, and we can do this while you work so that you don’t even miss a beat in your day-to-day schedule.

We’ve helped a variety of families from couples to new parents, to families of five and seven! The main reasons our clients reach out for us to help is that they don’t have time, are overwhelmed, or have tried to organize their space themselves but it just isn’t working. The reason our clients hire us for a second and third project, is because the systems and spaces we’ve organized for them have been sustainable and changed the way they function in their daily lives, from primary suites to kitchen pantries, laundry rooms, and garages.

Being on live TV was definitely a new experience, it was very nerving leading up to the big day — and my setup was definitely a lot, clearing out most of my own personal closet! Thankfully I had my squad with me for helping load, set-up, grab content, unload, and then celebrate afterwards with. It was so quick, I wish I could go for round 2!

Watch our full segment on New Day Cleveland here!
Need help organizing and located in NEO? Set-up a free consultation with us!

DIY – Rattan Side table Upcycle

| The Bee Life

Embarrassingly enough, this upcycle has been 11 months in the making — eeek! Part of it was sheer shelf doubt and being intimidated about using and installing rattan for the first time. On top of that, I did not find too many other DIYs for installing rattan in the way I was going to use it, another stumper, so there was a lot of thinking and planning. Did I mention, I was intimated about installing rattan? Luckily, I finally got over that because, ultimately, I love how this piece came out!

This upcycle was pretty low budget, as I utilized 90% of materials I already owned from previous projects (like my Sideboard Glow Up) — but I’ve linked everything below if you’re a first timer a furniture flip.

Makeover Supplies:
– Rattan (17″ x 3.3′)
– Wood Filler
– Hand Sander
– Liquid Nails
– Wallpaper
– Magnolia Chalk Paint & Wax Sealer
– Round Felt Furniture Pads

My Total Cost: $46 (liquid nails + rattan)

For an 11-month project, this was fairly simple as it was just a paint job and switching out the side panels. One added touch to get rid of some of the gaudy was filling in the detail on the bottom front with wood filler which instantly elevated the piece. I had left over chalk paint and had already worked through the kinks of using Chalk Paint, so I knew what to expect when it came to painting with it — although I still did not LOVE working with chalk paint, I at least knew what to expect. The wax seal definitely helps protect any surfaces that are going to be high-traffic.

Let’s talk about the rattan. Removing the original metal was pretty easy, I just cut it out with wire cutters. The rattan I purchased does recommend soaking prior to use, so I did soak the roll before cutting and installing into the sides of my table. Disclaimer, I don’t think this was the easiest furniture piece to install rattan on and my method definitely wasn’t perfect, but it worked. This table had a framed alcove for the rattan to fit into, so my goal was to utilize some liquid nails to glue into the framed alcove. This was messy and not ideal. I ended up utilizing some dowels with painters tape to keep the rattan in place while everything dried — that definitely helped! Again, this wasn’t perfect, but I didn’t have another way to keep in place, nailing wouldn’t have worked, so I also made sure to try to get as much of the rattan stuffed into the framed alcove as possible for added support.

The final finishing touch was adding in the wallpaper — I had some scraps from the Sideboard makeover that I had planned to use, but then my mother-in-law gave me some wallpaper scraps, which fit this piece so well, so it was a no-brainer to utilize those! I added this to the inside back and then a few pieces on the inside top, just for an added touch. 🤩

This is the perfect little plant stand/side table with space for a little accent decor (thrifted books & a vintage picture of my great-uncle) while still showing off the pop of wallpaper and the classic rattan sides. And I love how it ties into the sideboard and can be used in different spaces around our home as we change things over the seasons. Would you want this piece in your home?

See More of Bee’s Before & Afters: Sideboard Glow Up, Moody Side Entry, & Glam Front Entry

Celebrating Six Years Married.

| The Bee Life

This past weekend we celebrated six years married! This past year held its own new challenges and memories, as I took on a career change which has definitely been an adjustment on multiple aspects for the both of us and our partnership.

We’ve been working and trying to learn how to cut back, which has mainly been financial, but has affected many different aspects of life. One biggie was no vacations this year, which hurts my soul, but honestly, it just wasn’t in the budget. It’s meant cutting back on gifts, general purchases, home projects, and going out to eat. It will mean a very lean Christmas, which in the grand scheme of things is and should be just a blimp in the radar.

Finances are a big topic, it’s stressful, and can definitely affect relationships in a negative way. Luckily, B and I have always been very transparent about money, our shortcomings, and our vices — and know when to speak up for help, accountability, or share when we’re feeling stressed and strained. I wish we had it all figured out by now, but it’s still a work in progress that we’re continuing to navigate together!

We were also tested in the “in sickness and in health” part of our vows this year — which I must admit was tough for me! After having a sinus/head cold, B ended up getting sick and then getting me sick again — so I feel like I’ve been sick the entire month of November, oh wait, I have been. That alone as been super frustrating, on top of dealing with my own sick-xiety that has been a struggle these last few years. It wasn’t pretty for a few days, but we came together and worked through it. ❤️

In these last few years, we’ve conquered transitioning to working from home 24/7 together, healthy lifestyle changes, and a major home renovation — so there is no doubt that we will conquer and overcome this current one. Looking forward to more sunnier days ahead, that are filled with laughter, hugs, travel, and everything in between.

P.S. If you’re following along, B knocked it out of the ballpark with his traditional 6-year wedding anniversary gift — it was a set of iron dice in a custom wooden box and a good plaque that said “To my Yahtzee partner for life” — LIKE ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?!

Before & After: Moody Side Entry

| The Bee Life

One of our first spaces we made over in our home was our side entry. Ironically we didn’t use the space much besides going downstairs and rarely used it as a point of entry… until our kitchen renovation. By using it more, our needs for this space changed and it just felt like it was time for a refresh — we wanted to do something a little more bold compared to the rest of the house, we were especially inspired after our glam front entry makeover.

To get this project started and start making decisions, we started curating inspiration and creating a mood board for the space which included a mix of function and design. For shoes, we utilized an 11″ cube storage solution, which also became sort of a dumping ground within each of the bins. Also the shelf and hooks were crammed and small — it all made the space feel tight for an already smaller entry. We weighed the pro’s and con’s and had to lower the wishlist that would be a bit friendlier on the wallet and timeline.

What We Did:
– New paneling on lower half of stairs for a cohesive look – this included wood filler, sanding, caulking, priming & painting.
– We made a custom shelf that was wider with boarder trim that we raised much higher
– Electrical Update: The original light fixture had an exposed wire along the ceiling, so we worked with an electrician friend, cut open the ceiling and the wall to reroute the wiring & ended up installing a new fixture
– We did a lot of painting, which included priming, two different blue colors for our two-tone look, and even painted the ceiling
– New stair runners
– All new organization solutions for the space

BEFORE

Let’s talk budget

As I mentioned, we definitely scaled back some of the plans to try to be more budget friendly – but this project still added up quickly with the wood updates and all of the paint. We ended up priming everything, painting the darker blue and then the light blue, AND THEN the ceiling (which luckily we already had ceiling paint). Lot’s of painting and a lot of time with the wood. Electrical updates are expensive too especially when wire is involved, but this was a nonnegotiable for our project since we wanted to get rid of the wire running along the ceiling! When it comes to doing your own home projects, definitely weigh the pros and cons that make an impact for you and your space. Sometimes that is time and we are willing to spend more to outsource and get it done quicker, than if we were going to do it — and others it’s spending a little more to change something that has always bugged you.

Project Breakdown:
– Paint & Wood: $270
– Decor & Accessories: $250
– Electrical: $140
– 35+ hours of work

TOTAL: $660

My main goal for this space was to be more intentional with built-in finishes, like our custom shelf and wide border trim. I also really wanted to make this a statement like our front entry… wallpaper was honestly a pain for the front entry and super expensive, so that got crossed off the list — causing me to be a bit more creative with the impact. I’ve always loved rooms that are all one color, including the trim, accessories, etc. so I grabbed some paint samples and put some on the walls to see what B and I liked.


It’s amazing to me that by painting this small space a dark color and making a few other design tweaks, this space could feel even bigger than the white and grey space we had before! The custom shelf being raised with the hooks being spaces out is also another reason why this space feels big. Painting the door was another last minute decision that I’m so glad we did, because it really just creates and makes this space complete. I pulled in lighter wood and orange accents to really compliment the blues. We also painted the light switch cover, railing the wall color for a full take over.

Eliminating the cube for our shoes has also been really great, the basket holds my shoes and we switch out seasonal to our front hall closet to what we need here. The same goes for those wooden bins on the shelf, we switch out seasonal items to just what we need, so that we don’t have a catch all — it’s worked out so great and has been easy to maintain. We also have some extra hooks going down into the basement for additional storage and overflow as needed for seasonal/Moz’s items/hats or for guests!

We’ve been living in this space for awhile, I definitely want to hang up some more photos, I considered doing the frames the same color or doing all gold frames for a speak-easy type feel and mix in some vintage and images of things we love for an eclectic feel — still trying to figure out exactly what that might be.


Shop our finishes: brass hooks, wooden bins, shoe basket with lid, accent rug

Life Lately – July 2023

| The Bee Life

It’s been over 100 days since I left my full-time, salaried job of 6 years, and said goodbye to the corporate marketing world after 11 years. Why? I started my own company! It was also just time, and in the past nearly 4 months, I’ve never regretted what I “walked away” from… and I don’t think I will.

I think it was within the first 2 weeks after leaving that I didn’t have the insatiable urge to want to drink on a weeknight… or at all really. I remember it would be Monday and I would just be ready to have a drink to relax and erase a little bit of the hectic workday. The other thing I noticed almost immediately was that I wanted to get out of bed in the mornings. I used to wait until 10 minutes before the workday to crawl out of bed and try to look presentable (if I cared) to settle in for 8 hours sitting in front of my computer/phone. It was crazy to realize how I normalized these two things as just part of life, but truly, they were a product of being unhappy.


As I mentioned, I started a company — and finally took a leap of faith in myself, one that I’ve been talking about for a VERY long time… especially to those closest to me, and that was working for me. Brass & Bubbles is my home organization company that was born out of a lot of soul-searching, pinpointing what truly makes me happy and leaning into something I am good at; which is helping people get organized, declutter spaces and make them beautiful and functional again. While I continue to grow B&B, I’ve also picked up a part time job at a local spot, walk dogs, and freelance for social media. Sure, my income isn’t steady or reliable, but I’m learning to adjust, cut back, and ultimately realize that what I had wasn’t it.

I’m so lucky to have a supportive husband, parents, family, and friends (even when a few of them look slightly concerned) who have been rooting me on from the very beginning and ever since.

Here’s to following your dreams, and finding your true happy! 🥂

Six-Year Wedding Anniversary Gift Guide

| The Bee Life

It’s that time of the year again, (each year I’m trying to get it earlier for all those 2017 newlyweds out there 😘), the time to decide whether you’re going to go traditional, modern, or none of the above for your wedding anniversary gift, and of course sharing a gift guide for both! The traditional gift for year six is candy or iron and the modern gift is wood… which if you’re following along was the traditional five year anniversary gift.

“The youthful appeal of candy is a hint at the sweetness of your days of dating and a reminder to continue carrying that into your marriage.”

“While iron, with all of its strength, attests to the rock-solid marriage that you have built.” 

– BRIDES

Traditional: Candy

I don’t think you should put all your eggs in the traditional candy basket… why? Because this is a gift that will be consumed… and would be a nice compliment to your traditional iron gift, here are some more affordable candy options to add to your iron gifts.

Local Candy Shop: We have a lot of delicious local chocolatiers in the Cleveland area, so for us finding a candy option while supporting local won’t be hard! Most places offer shipping if they’re a little out of your area. Even if you’re not local but want to check out our spot, Sweet Designs Chocolatier provides shipping! Another idea is finding a local candy shop that you’ve vacationed to before and getting that shipped as a fun reminder from a trip while still doing something personal.

Another really unique chocolate place that provides shipping is Compartés in Los Angeles, which was also featured on the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills for any of my housewives/bravo lovers out there. Their chocolate looks incredible and is definitely unique and sure to make a statement!

Custom Candies: Although I love and try to support small business, you can always go the big corp route and get custom M&Ms, they have a lot of really fun and semi-affordable options in their anniversary section. I love the champagne bottle filled with custom M&Ms, I don’t think I would want to open it though and just keep as decor!

Candy for Sixth Wedding Anniversary Gift Ideas

Traditional: Iron

If you are a reader of my anniversary gift guides, you know I love going to Etsy for unique gifts, while also supporting small businesses. When sourcing traditional iron gifts, it seemed to get pretty repetitive quick with a narrow selection, so here are my top favorite ideas.

Engraved Horseshoe: This small business, Lucky American Designs, located in Florida has a lot of great customizable iron gift options, but I love the horseshoe specifically for the sixth anniversary the most, especially for the $30 price point, you can’t beat that. I also realize horseshoes are probably not everyone’s taste… I have always had a horseshoe in my window (for no specific reason), but they’re supposed to be U shape up in order to bring good luck in. They also have copper and bronze options for other anniversary milestones!

Golf Club Irons: If your spouse is a golfer like mine, something iron related with golf clubs is a fun options, but can add up quick if you’re actually buying new irons. BUT, there are some other fun spins on this like an iron head bottle opener, a clock made out of iron heads, or even a coat/hat hook made with irons!

Iron Working Class: Another idea that is interactive and an experience (which B and I love to do instead of physical gifts from time to time) is finding an iron working class nearby, this also supports a local small business! We were able to find a few in our area, but they aren’t booking out into the fall yet, so I’ll be keeping an eye out. If you find one that isn’t too far, you could make more of a day date out of it too!

Cast Iron Skillet: Another fun and useful gift is getting a cast iron skillet to commemorate your 6th wedding anniversary! These can be a bit expensive, especially for a good one, but are so awesome to cook with and only get better as you continue to season and cook with them. I’ve sourced two brands that are both made in the USA: Lancaster Cast Iron and Stargazer.

Iron gift options for sixth wedding anniversary


If you’re looking to do something different, custom, or an experience — here is your friendly reminder to plan ahead!! Custom orders take a little extra time, so depending on when your anniversary is plan for at least a month if not more to get those ordered. Our anniversary is in November, just when holiday shopping hits, so planning ahead helps on the wallet and avoiding delays.

Cheers to Six Wedded Years & Happy Shopping! 🥂

Celebrating a different anniversary milestone? Read Bee Life Blog’s Two Year Gift Guide, Three Year Gift Guide, Fourth Year Gift Guide & Fifth Year Gift Guide.

The Ultimate Christmas in July Party

| The Bee Life

For as long as I can remember I’ve wanted to throw a Christmas in July Party. Since we became homeowners, an annual Christmas, holiday party became a tradition and something our friends always asked and were excited about — since our annual parties have been canceled, it felt like the perfect year to finally throw a Christmas in July party. Here is how you can plan your own Christmas in July Party; first things first, get a date set in advance if you have super busy friends!

Pro-Tip: Pin this post for your party planning next Summer!

Pick Your Theme🎄

This might be harder than you think, at least it was for me! I was thinking Red, White & Blue Christmas theme (cause you know, 4th of July) – then I was thinking Hawaiian-esq, flamingos, pool Christmas (think Mele Kalikimaka as your inspo). But then, I was thinking just straight up Christmas in July, faux Christmas tree, red, green, plaid, snowflakes, traditional dishware – so that was the direction I went with a touch of our favorite Christmas movies as added inspiration for decor and food: Home Alone and Elf.
– Home Alone inspired decor/food: Cheese pizza, candy/ice cream sundae bar, framed picture of Buzz’s girlfriend, Pepsi, Little Nino’s Pizza.
– Elf inspired decor/food: Candy, snowflakes, candy cane swirl,

Food & Bevies 🎅

Once you have a theme, figuring out your food and beverages is a bit easier! We also hosted a smaller crowd, so I wanted to keep it simpler and easy so we weren’t doing too much work. We ordered pizza’s, made some pigs in a blanket, a Christmas-tree shaped charcuterie board and then your standard snacky foodies with a candy bar, ice cream treats and Christmas in July themed sugar cookies by the talented Sweet Geebs.

We of course had a fridge stocked with all sorts of bevies from local beers to seltzers – but we also made a handcrafted cocktail that I knew our guest list would be all over (and they were!) which was a Spicy Jalapeño and Lime Tequila cocktail that B has perfected this summer.

Decor & More ❄️

This might be my favorite part of parties – creating a moment, evoking a feeling and overall vibe for the party. My biggest issue was trying not to spend too much money – but also trying to keep it easy. I ended up compromising and ended up DIY-ing more than I planned, headed to the Dollar Store and bought a few high-impact pieces. Another tough part about a Christmas in July Party is you’re starting basically from scratch – Christmas parties in December are easy because the decor is already taken care of! I wanted to transform our garage into Christmas so I focused on a green and red backdrop with hand-cut coffee filter snowflakes with clear string I already had. Making and hanging these was a pain in the butt, but very fun. We also had lights strung in the garage which helped add a little extra twinkle.

Don’t forget to encourage your guests to dress festive! B and I got matching McAllister Home Security shirts and I pulled out some big red bow-beaded earrings for an easy look! We also had a blistering hot day, luckily it was overcast so a pool would’ve been a great addition to our Christmas in July party… but alas we don’t have one! Finally, just remember to have fun and Merry Christmas in July ya filthy animal! 🎅🎄❄️



Shop my Decor: Green & Red Foil Curtains and Merry Christmas Ya Filthy Animal Banner

2022 Reflections

| The Bee Life

2022 was a weird year. When I was first asked a word to describe it ‘subpar’ was my response – ironically that was B’s word too… at least we’re on the same page. 🙃

This past year everyone was right back into it, whereas in 2021 people still seemed to hesitate in regards to the virus, 2022 was like all bets were off. It also felt like a lot of our core people in 2020 and 2021 had a lot of other plans and we weren’t a part of them… which was proven as I was sorting through pictures trying to find highlights from each month, that is totally fine, but it just felt a little lonelier and a conversation B and I both had and noticed throughout the course of the year. Not the worst thing, just something we noticed – and that’s just part of life.

We were lucky enough to take a few trips from Palm Springs in March to a getaway at the Cabin in the Woods x2 to Miami and even Colonial Williamsburg — I even made my way to St. Louis at the end of January! We definitely had many new adventures together, which is something I always love and cherish. In addition to our travels, we made and did our own little Summer bucket list which mostly consisted of dining out around our city at places we’ve never been or haven’t been in forever. B and I also enjoyed a lot of charcuterie boards, sushi nights, and evenings on our patio at home watching TV and playing Yahtzee. Another highlight for 2022 was that B and I attended our first and our second concerts in our 11 years together! What concerts you may ask? Elton John and Lady Gaga… pretty epic.

Another monumental highlight of 2022 was we finished our kitchen renovation! We finished in April and have been loving it ever since, we’ve hosted a few times and of course, had our own dance parties and cooking nights to ourselves. Our dining nook is also a new spot for us to sit and enjoy dinner together and recount our days and talk about the latest — even though we spend most of them together!

This year also involved a lot of personal growth, a lot of blah, and of course some stress — I found my voice in areas of my life that it (if you can believe it) hasn’t been so loud. I’m not completely sure what 2023 has to hold, I have a few things in mind, but for some reason, this year seems more unknown and eerie than others, but not necessarily in a good or bad way. Maybe this is just how life is for a while? Mediocre?

So long, 2022 – let’s see what 2023 is all about!

Merry Christmas – 2022

| The Bee Life

Merry Christmas from our new kitchen! Last Christmas we had a big open room, and now we have a beautiful space that we can cook in, decorate and just live in.

This Christmas season has reminded us that as much as you have planned, life and God sometimes have other plans for you that are beyond your control. Some of those things are sad, some of those things are annoying and sometimes those things can be good! And sometimes, those things remind us to slow down, hug a little longer, and relax.

As 2022 wraps up, I hope you can soak in a little more Christmas magic and that these last few days are relaxing, productive, and fulfilling to end the year on a good note.


From B, Moz & Me – Merry Christmas!