Blog - It's Simply Lindsay

01/15/18

Best birthday gifts for toddlers

This post contains affiliate links – that means at no cost to you, I’ll receive a tiny commission on items purchased through my blog. Thanks for your support!

Whether you’re searching for birthday gifts for your own kids or are attending a birthday party or holiday for kiddos, I have the best birthday gifts for toddlers to make your search easy peasy.

My daughters both have birthdays in January after they’ve been spoiled during Christmas, so even though we don’t go crazy overboard with gifts and “stuff” in general, I was struggling to come up with what to get – but this is a list of our favorites and other parent and kid-approved favorites.

When kids have lots of, or every, toy out there, this budget-friendly list will bring endless fun, education, or entertainment.

Other posts you might like:

12/22/17

How to wash your makeup brushes

I’ve partnered with @JohnsonsBaby for this post.

If you ever use makeup brushes and have wondered if you need to clean them, how often you need to clean them, or if this thought never crossed your mind, you’re in the right place. The answer is YES, you need to clean your makeup brushes and you need to do it regularly – I’ll show you how to wash your makeup brushes simply so it becomes a part of your normal routine.

Think about it – we’re constantly reminded not to touch our faces because of spreading dirt and bacteria, yet I speculate many people rub brushes on their faces daily without washing them. By not cleaning your brushes, you’re allowing skin particles, dust, old product, germs, and bacteria to grow and transfer to your face and to your cosmetics, and the grimy circle of filth continues on and on. Yuck.

I’m in the habit of regularly washing and disinfecting my brushes with three products – water, tea tree oil, and JOHNSON’S® baby shampoo. Since I have kiddos, I always have the baby shampoo anyway, and I like to add in tea tree oil because it naturally disinfects and gets rid of bacteria. The shampoo is gentle, removes makeup residue well, and leaves your bristles conditioned, too. This combination will leave your makeup brushes with a clean, refreshing, delicious smell.

12/15/17

Home gift guide

This post contains affiliate links; that means at no cost to you, I’ll make a small commission. Thanks for your support!

Whether you’re shopping for your own home or for others, this home gift guide has something for everyone. With items matching every style, function, and budget, these products will add beautiful touches to your house and also make great hostess, birthday, or holiday gifts.

I’ve carefully selected my favorite items in these categories:

Copper
Agate
Gold
Planters/plants
Napkin rings
Trays
Marble decor
Blankets

12/1/17

Affordable sibling sharing bedroom tips for little ones

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #nothinglikeahug #CollectiveBias

When my husband and I bought our second home, we loved the charm and character of the 1920’s home with modern upgrades, as someone bought it to flip. However, with two of the bedrooms on the first floor and the other two upstairs, we knew we didn’t want to be separate from our two girls while they’re young, but that was no problem for us – we loved the idea of them sharing a room. In case you’ve wondered if you want your kiddos to room share, check out these affordable sibling sharing bedroom tips.

Note: even if all of our bedrooms were on the same floor, I would still want my girls to share. I loved sharing a room with my sister until we were in middle school, and many of my friends choose to have their kids room share, even different genders, when space is not a concern at all. So if you’re on the fence at all, absolutely go for it. It fosters close bonds, teaches sharing, and even responsibility.

11/27/17

Prepping Your Home For the Holidays

When I think about the holidays growing up, I remember the magic. My mom, notorious for her decorating and hosting skills, never made the holidays feel stressful, whether hosting an elegant dinner for our immediate family on Christmas Eve or 80 people for a Winter White holiday extravaganza.

As an adult, I truly appreciate my mom’s willingness to open her home – because with at-home parties means lots of prep, cleaning, and decorating. I used to stay up with my parents until every last beautiful, delicate champagne glass was hand washed and put away, and even after seeing all the work that went into my family’s plentiful parties, I was not averse to hosting. In fact, the hosting gene runs strong and true in my blood!

But I’m also kind of ~~crazy~~ picky when it comes to opening my home to guests. However, since I do love hosting, I’ve come up with a system to clean and prep before the party. Now that I have kids, I want to continue the traditions my parents set of opening my home to holiday parties while creating a stress-free environment for my girls.

11/24/17

Girls’ holiday dresses

The holiday season is here, and I’ve rounded up my favorite holiday dresses for kids, including the perfect accessories for your little one. All dresses are incredibly affordable, adorable, and can be worn well past the holidays.

I’m a huge fan of classic holiday dresses but also outfits outside of the typical red and green – beautiful blushes, pinks, champagnes, winter whites, and navies don’t scream Christmas, so you’ll get plenty of wear out of them.

You’ll find dresses in the following categories to match your taste:
– lace & tulle
– full skirt
– classy silhouette
– classic holiday
– vintage lace

And of course, I’ve included some beautiful special occasion accessories. Be sure to get use out of these affordable holiday dresses by rewearing them and adding them to your girl’s dress up collection!

You may also like: DIY gift wrap & Best toys for babies and toddlers.