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FAST 5

How to create the ideal learning space

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create a virtual classroom that lasts

Homeschooling isn’t going anywhere (sigh). Don’t panic - our quick and easy tips will set up a space that goes the distance (one less thing to worry about, right?!)

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School’s in session! Our Fast 5 tips will help you get the best out of your kids’ learning space. Trust us, the right workspace will transform the way your child learns (and the way you teach – bet you never thought you’d see that one on your resume!). Take notes!

 
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Embrace a space

Some may believe the three most important factors in determining the desirability of any real estate are location, location, location. But it’s 2020 and times have changed. You really can make any space in your home work. Find an area with little to no distractions, plenty of natural light (a desk lamp will do too), strong wi-fi and easy access to outlets. Final challenge? Ditch the clutter. If that feels like a challenge for you, we have just the caddy for the job (add these inserts to keep supplies neat). It’s pretty, portable and you can personalize it. Plus it’s perfect if your kitchen or dining room table have been doing double-duty and there’s a quick shift change after the final school bell.


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Stick to the schedule

Going paperless when it comes to your bills may be en vogue but paper is priceless and calendar is king when it comes to the school schedule. Sticking to a schedule is our secret for maintaining sanity and we treat it as sacred. Lately it can be near impossible to have a screen-free day which makes us love our School Schedule Printable even more. Remember to program time for play breaks and brain breaks because all work and no play makes everyone dull. Building healthy rituals into the calendar promotes that ‘going to school’ and ‘leaving school’ atmosphere. Print it, plan it and post it - where all can see. Can you say, “same page!”.


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Choose quality over quantity

The global pandemic may have us hoarding toilet paper but this should not be the approach taken for surviving remote learning. Instead focus on quality over quantity. Your home does not need to look like the inside of Staples and you do not need endless supplies. Focus on creating a grab-and-go system for the students in your life. Then easily maintain your system by having a refill structure in place. Our top high quality grab-and-go goodies also look beautiful displayed in your home making for a very easy clean-up. We love Stockmar crayons , Faber watercolors, sharpened Prisma colored pencils and heavy weight drawing paper.


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Tame the art

Covid may have hidden our smiles and made hugs a thing of the past but it hasn’t damped the creative spirit. Artistic ability, square footage and birth order usually play into the display, file, garbage pile decision-making process. We fully support (without judgement) whichever decision is right for you.

Display. We adore this meaningful, one-of-a-kind coffee table book by Printworks. Each page is framed and ready to be filled with doodles by your little Picasso. Bring life to your tabletop or bookshelf all while controlling the clutter and celebrating your child.

File. All hail the beautiful, simple and chic Archive Art Box. A great storage solution for art and completed homework. Easy to label, easy to store and easy to manage when you reach capacity and want to review.

Garbage Pile. This is perhaps the toughest choice because of the embedded guilt. We recommend the 21st Century alternative Artkive, a company that transforms your child’s art into a book. You keep the book and toss the original. All without the guilt.


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Stay flexible

Maison Haven loves nothing more than creating an organizing oasis, but quarantine has taught us that flexibility is a must for survival. Navigating unchartered waters takes grace and ease (mixed with a little humility, coffee and wine). It’s helpful to remember change is the only constant. Your child’s needs will shift throughout the year and with that so will you’re the organizational and storage systems you created. With this fluidity in mind, we are pleased to introduce you our favorite multi-talented products ready to show up for you.

We love these magazine holders. Sturdy, sophisticated and understated, they look good in any room and the metal label holder makes it extremely easy to label with a child’s name, a school subject or theme depending upon the need. Now it’s all in one place within arm’s reach.

There is nothing lazy about the Acrylic Turntable. With removeable dividers, it’s great for storing both craft and desk supplies, displaying mini projects and holding study snacks.

No back to (home)school is complete without super sticky post-it. Use the built in easel or stick it on a table or wall without damaging the surface. Perfect for teaching moments and math problems now and once school’s out use it for family game night, to-do lists or chore charts.


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…become a Haven Insider and take a deep dive into our FREE Home Classroom 101 course. Daily prompts, insider tips, free printables and all our favorite products. See you there!


How to pack like a pro

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How to pack like a pro

Image credit: Hey Sunny Jess

Image credit: Hey Sunny Jess

 

So, it turns out summer vacation, Covid-style, is proving tricky to navigate. Five months into the global pandemic and we’re scrabbling to keep up with shifting guidelines, state quarantines and international travel restrictions. But one thing’s for sure: the spirit of vacation lives on. Whether you’re opting for a staycation or dipping your toe in international waters, our Fast 5 packing guide will take the sting out of the prep work (which is one less thing to worry about, right?!)

 
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Visualize & plan

Overpacking is the most common mistake people make, so adopt our golden rule: pack outfits, not things. Our clothes go straight from a color-coded closet onto a color-coded rail, which makes it much easier to create a cohesive capsule wardrobe. The best way to ensure you only take what you need? Use a packing list. It encourages you to plan out your vacation must-brings before you start filling your suitcase. Really think through your trip. Hot vs cold? Car vs plane? House vs hotel? Oh, and don’t leave packing to the last minute. Enjoy the process of pulling together your dream outfits - it’s all part of the fun.


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Pull & edit

Armed with your packing list, pull out your clothes by category. Workout, beach, loungewear, dresses etc. Then separate into outfits and lay them on your bed or floor so you get the overview. This will allow you to curate your ideal vacation wardrobe without sacrificing style or space (and avoids the ‘oops I’ve packed 15 white tees’ mistake). Be ruthless. If you’re struggling, follow the 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 approach. For a weeklong trip, pack five tops, four dresses, three bottoms, two pairs of shoes and one hat. Feeling overwhelmed? Focus on quality over quantity. And, for goodness sake, only pack items that make you feel like a million bucks. This is your vacay!


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Organize & pack

We have a fool-proof system when it comes to packing a suitcase (obviously). Always start with your shoes. Stash them in dust-bags and lay them at the bottom of the suitcase as flat as possible, ready to pack clothes on top. With slides and sandals, slot one inside the other to maximize the space. Some people roll but we love to lay clothes as flat as possible. And, remember, delicate fabrics go on top, right at the last minute. When it comes to underwear, keep it simple. A set for each day, plus a couple of extras just in case. Taking a sun hat? Fill the crown with smaller items like underwear or swimwear to maintain the shape. And we swear by packing cubes, too. They’re great for organizing and compressing clothes. Our final pack hack? Place your dresses in the suitcase on slim hangers so they’re ready to hang the moment you arrive. Trust us, the joy of opening your suitcase and being able to unpack at lightning speed is addictive.


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Travel-sized & double duty

Don’t take a vacation from looking your best because the TSA guidelines were created by a man with no skincare regime. If your best-loved products aren’t available in travel size, try refillable travel-sized bottles. Worried about space? Focus on multi-purpose products. Our double-duty favorites include BB Cream (even your complexion + add shimmer to your legs and collarbone), lip balm (hydrate your lip + tame your tresses + soften your cuticles) and micellar water (remove makeup + balance your skin). Pare down your make-up kit with a dual lip-cheek stain and a bronzer/highlighter that can double as an eyeshadow. Pack your clear case in the top left (the bottom when the suitcase is standing) to ensure ease of access and afford the most protection from any unfortunate cabin pressure spillage.


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Relax & let loose

Even the perfect pack can result in creases! To ensure a wrinkle-free getaway, we recommend traveling with our favorite trusty side-kick, a portable and lightweight steamer. It will have you looking super-fresh no matter how long the journey. Pro tip: we always pack a gorgeous fabric spray to ensure we get at least two wears out of dry-clean-only garments. Oh, one final thing. Add a couple of drops of essential oils to a cotton pad and stash in your suitcase. That way, your clothes come out smelling divine the other end. Bon voyage!


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Organize Your Workout Gear Like a Pro

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Organize your workout gear like a pro

These quick wins are guaranteed to transform your fitness zone fast!

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We’re thrilled to introduce you to our new Fast 5 series. Whichever zone we’re tackling, we’ll distill our technique into five fast steps that will deliver maximum results in the minimum time. Let’s kick off with every closet’s nemesis: workout gear. As our obsession with chic athleisure grows, so do the piles in our closets. But that changes today. Read on for our Fast 5.

 
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Edit

Pull e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g out. Tops, leggings, sports bras, socks, sweatshirts, you name it, it goes on the bed. Turn up the music and go to town. Sort into categories and ditch anything you no longer wear, or doesn’t make you feel a million bucks (life’s too short). Organize by clothing type (leggings, tanks, sports bras etc), or by sport (yoga, running, spinning etc).


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Pick a zone

Assess your closet with fresh eyes. Where can you create a dedicated Workout Zone? Can you reclaim a couple of drawers? Bingo. Excess hanging space? There’s your answer. And if you’re short on space, don’t panic. Grab some matching baskets and use them like drawers. Wherever you land, make sure your workout gear is in one place.


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Space it out

Even in the largest closets we tackle, we never waste space. If you’re organizing into baskets or drawers, then file-fold (to see our fitness file-folding tutorial, click here). You’d be amazed how much more you can fit. Add adjustable drawer organizers to customize the layout. Hanging? Uniform hangers take your closet from wah-wah to wow. For teeny spaces, a 4-tier hanger makes use of the height.


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Label

Now you have a functioning Workout Zone, let’s maintain the system. The easiest way to do this is to label. Add bin clips to baskets and rod dividers to hanging rails. Pro tip: stick a discreet label to the lip of each drawer to highlight what each row contains.


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Style it up

Yup, you heard us. Our mantra is: a space that looks beautiful is more likely to stay that way. So color-code your drawers or hanging rails. Start with the dark colors and progress to light. Make a feature of your yoga mats. Throw your favorite baseball caps onto a shelf and style them up. Make a visual statement!


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Refresh Your Home

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Refresh your home

Sick of staring at the same four walls? Follow our easy upgrades and show your home some love (no power tool required!)

Image: Eye Swoon

Image: Eye Swoon

 

Something about lockdown has us nesting. On steroids. First it was the spice cupboard, then it was the bookshelves. By now, we know every square inch of our home and are itching to rejig and refresh. The good news? It’s totally normal. Quarantine is forcing us to consider our surroundings in ways we haven’t before. What if we told you there were a few simple steps you could take to rekindle the magic? Teeny-tiny steps that build incrementally and make your home feel new again. Read on for our fast five.

 
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Fire up flower power

There’s a reason why every house tour you’ve ever clicked on features fresh flowers in every photograph! Flowers brighten any space. We are huge fans of single-flower bouquets (preferably all-white) but go with your gut. Subscriptions are the ultimate indulgence but homegrown flowers lift the soul and won’t break the bank. Neither will a simple houseplant. Also - shhhhh - it’s ok to fake it. Faux flowers last forever and are perfect for people who have a tendency to kill their plants (um, us).


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Restyle your bedding

It’s where you start and end your day so your bed should make you feel like a million bucks. Plus getting a good night’s sleep in today’s environment is more important than ever. We heart Parachute’s linen sheets for an extra-luxurious feel (and their Cloud cotton quilt is to die for). Keep the colorway simple - think white, stone or blush. Heaven!


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Switch up your art

This is a quick fix but an effective one. One or two new pieces (they don’t have to break the bank) go a long way to freshening up a space. We LOVE a gallery wall. If you’re nervous about committing (and we hear you), we recommend these fantastic gallery wall shelves. You can mix and match your art without ever having to hammer in a picture hook. Perfect for the easily bored/inspired…!


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Signature scent

Don’t wait for a special occasion to fill your home with fragrance. Whether you’re Team Candle or Team Diffuser, the secret is to use just the right amount of scent so the overall effect isn’t cloying. It’s no secret that we are obsessed with Vitruvi’s stone diffuser (we both have the white one). Love candles? We collaborated with cool-girl brand Taja Collection on a chic citrus-scented candle. It refreshes, soothes, and smells clean all at once. Yum!


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Transform a corner

Reworking your whole house feels overwhelming? So start small and make over a corner. Love the view from your bedroom window? Find a way to make the most of it. Add an upholstered bench or a window seat. Lusting after a reading nook? A floor lamp + a side table for your coffee mug + a luxe blanket et voila! Pick a spot that makes you feel calm and centered and build from there.


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