Shows to Binge-Watch During Your Quarantine

Feature Photo: NBC

With everything currently happening in the world, you might be one of many currently isolating or in quarantine. So what do you do to fill your time?

Streaming services like Netflix, Amazon Prime and Disney+ are doing pretty great right now in keeping our minds distracted during our lockdowns. A Nielsen study even found that they’ll see an increase in streaming services during the next few weeks.

With the world seemingly gone into disarray, sometimes you just need a “comfort show” to make sense of it all. Now is a better time than ever to start on a new show — you’ve got all of this time to binge, after all. Here are my go-to shows to binge.

Schitt’s Creek

It’s a tale we’ve heard before: a rich and affluent family’s life is turned upside down and they’re forced to start over in a small, middle-of-nowhere town. But what makes Schitt’s Creek such a great watch is how pure and human the show is.

Created by father-son duo, Eugene Levy and Dan Levy, the show hits you with a variety of lovable and funny characters and storylines that leave you laughing at every episode. But it also has amazing moments of love (prominently featuring a refreshing LGBT couple) and family.

The show just wrapped up it’s sixth and final season but you can binge the first five on Netflix.

The Office

It may be an unpopular opinion to some but I actually prefer the US version of The Office than the UK version. And yes, putting The Office on a binge-list seems too easy but there’s a reason this show has been popular even past it’s run on primetime. If anyone can help me get through these trying times, it’s Michael Scott.

You can catch all nine seasons on Netflix.

The Good Place

Fans of The Office, Brooklyn 99 and Parks and Rec will definitely enjoy The Good Place — it comes from the mind of Michael Shur, after all!

The show takes a comedic spin on the question: “What happens when you die?” It’s upbeat, heartwarming and incredibly smart. The show features a stellar and diverse cast and pokes fun at anything and everything without being offensive.

The show wrapped it’s fourth and final season but you can watch the first three on Netflix.

What are you go-to binge shows? Share them with me!

Review: Saje Wool Dryer Balls

Feature Photo: Saje

I’ve been pretty vocal about my low-waste journey so far, even going as far as writing a blog about my experience.

One part of that experience is using more eco-friendly products and that’s where wool dryer balls come in.

I got these Saje Wool Dryer Balls as a Christmas gift last year and it was probably the first time I was excited to do laundry.

In the package, I got three wool dryer balls about the shape of a tennis ball and one bottle of Tranquility Diffuser Blend essential oil. The packaging was super cute and everything was made from sustainable or recycled products. The bag that held the laundry balls is recycled from a pineapple while the balls themselves come from a conscious supplier in New Zealand.

These wool dryer balls make a great eco-friendly option to dryer sheets and they do carry a lot of benefits. They are said to reduce drying time and static cling! If you still want a fresh laundry smell, that’s where the essential oils come in but you don’t even really need to use them.

They’re also really easy to use:

1. Add your laundry into your dryer as normal.
2. Add 5-7 drops of the essential oil to the dryer balls. This step is completely optional and you can always add as much of the essential oil that works for you but 5-7 drops on each dryer ball aren’t as strong as I thought it would be!
3. Toss the dryer balls into the dryer and begin your cycle.

Once you’re done, you can store the dryer in a well-ventilated area to use again in the future.

At first, I didn’t notice much of a difference but as I got to use them more and more, I felt that my clothes were noticeably softer. It also made items like towels and sheets feel refreshed and new. I was worried about the smell of the essential oils lingering but they didn’t!

The Saje Wool Dryer Balls are available on their site to purchase but there are other brands that you can try out as well that might be more cost-friendly for you.

If you’ve tried the Saje Wool Dryer Balls or even another brand, share your experiences with me!

Tips to Making the Most of Working From Home

Working from home seems like an ideal situation. You get to sleep in, you don’t have to worry about traffic and best of all, you don’t even have to wear pants.

But if you’ve been doing it for years or you’ve only started doing it recently, it’s not as easy and fun as people may think.

Especially with the current climate, working from home can take a toll on your mental health. There’s a loss of time and a lot of feelings of isolation. While it’s still taking a while for me to adjust to my new normal, here are some tips I want to share about making the most of working from home.

Get Dressed in the Morning
You don’t have to dress to the nines, but you’d be surprised the world of difference getting dressed up in the morning makes. When you dress up to get ready to work, you feel a lot more productive and ready to start your day. Plus, you’ll be the best-looking person in your Zoom conference.

Schedule Breaks
When you work from home, it’s easy to lose track of time. Try setting alarms every now and then to remind yourself to move around. If you’re likely to forget to eat, set an alarm and away time from your keyboard to take your lunch.

Create an Actual Workspace
Working from your couch or your bed can only be enjoyable for so long. When you set up an actual workspace, it makes your brain shift and think that it’s in an entirely new environment. When you’re sitting in an actual workspace, you feel a lot more productive and ready to go. If you can’t create a workspace for yourself, try to shift between areas around your house to change the environment up a bit.

Set Boundaries With Your Work Life and Home Life
As much as you can, avoid scheduling calls back to back. This will allow your mind and body to rest and recharge, even for a bit, before you tackle your next task. Just because you’re working from home, doesn’t mean you’re always available to run errands, watch a sick kid, or wait for the electrician. Make sure to set boundaries with your kids, partner or roommates to respect your time while you’re online.

Do Things You Enjoy
Starting a new hobby or doing an activity that helps you get out of your seat after your workday can help you get excited that you have something to look forward to after a long day. Go out for a walk or run, take up cross-stitch — find something to keep your mind busy and active without feeling like you’re working.

These are some of the things that have helped me but I realize that there isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution. The biggest takeaway is to make adjustments to get yourself in a comfortable position. Remember to take breaks, stay connected to your loved ones, create a new routine, pace yourself, get plenty of rest and take it easy on yourself.

Movie Review: The Invisible Man

Director: Leigh Whannell

Starring: Elisabeth Moss, Oliver Jackson-Cohen

The Invisible Man is not your average horror movie and that’s a good thing. Loosely based off H.G. Wells’ 1897 novel, this modern-day remake is fresh, exciting and incredibly thrilling.

The titular character takes a backseat in this movie, instead choosing to focus on the female lead, Cecilia. From the start of the movie, you can sense her desire to leave the abusive relationship. After narrowly escaping, Cecilia takes shelter in the home of a childhood friend. Two weeks later, Cecilia finally feels release as she learns that her former partner is dead.

As she begins to pick up pieces of her life, that’s when she starts to experience strange occurrences. Even from the start of the movie, the audience can feel her frustration as individuals around her refuse to believe her. For those who’ve been in abusive relationships in the past, this can feel all too real.

The Invisible Man feeds on the fear of what people can’t see. The film creates a sense of paranoia to those watching and the use of the film’s score only helps to heighten the tension even further. It puts us right in a spot where we don’t want to be, the feeling of vulnerability and the thought of seeing things that no one else can.

My Low Waste Journey So Far

Header photo credit: Home Revolution

I don’t know who needs to hear this but, climate change is REAL.

One way I’ve been making an effort to change is by switching to a low-to-zero waste lifestyle. I’m not living a full zero waste lifestyle yet and I’ve come to terms with the fact that it won’t happen overnight, and that’s totally okay.

Here are some things to keep in mind and some small ways you can start your own eco-journey.

Look At Your Waste

The easiest place to start is in your own trash can. Do you see a lot of Starbucks cups or fast food receipts? By looking at your own carbon footprint, you’re able to get a good sense of how much waste you’re putting out. From there, you can start the next step.

Where Will You Start

Your eco-journey can start small. If you find yourself eating out a lot, consider meal preps to start off your week. If coffee cups are your Kryptonite, keep a reusable mug handy with you at all times.

Use What You Have

When I told my friends I was starting my eco-journey, they were really happy and supportive. So supportive that on my birthday and on Christmas, I got a TON of reusable straws and water bottles. While my friends mean well, it actually creates more clutter at home. The best thing to do is to use what you already have. Everyone has Tupperware containers that they can easily bring to work or school and you’ve probably already got an old bottle lying around too.

“Use What You Have” is also a great mentality for items like makeup. You don’t need that new lipstick when you know you’ve already got five tubes of it at home. Use your products until it’s all gone and find a way to properly recycle/upcycle them before you start all over again.

Everyone has to start somewhere and everyone has a different process. The most important thing is that you started and hopefully this can inspire your friends to start their own eco-journeys as well.