July 2021 - The Pink Chickadee

Pantry Organization for Under $25

In my college apartment, the best version of a pantry that I had was my bar cart right beside the ledge at the end of my kitchen space. Now, in my post-grad apartment, I have been lucky enough to get a tiny pantry of my own! Starting out, I knew that I did not want to spend a lot of money on organizing my pantry. But, Pinterest would have told me otherwise – haha! Influencers such as loyal Dollar Tree lover Kathryn of Do It On a Dime have presented ways to organize and still have a gorgeous pantry while keeping it on a budget. So, taking inspiration from others and channeling my own personal home decor style, I uncovered my own pantry organization and did it affordably, too!

As always, I will share where I purchased each product used in my own pantry to organize it and links if applicable. I will not be sharing the grocery items that are in my pantry. If I do not share the exact product, then I will share a similar one or where to buy it for yourself.

*Disclaimer: Please note that this post contains affiliate links, which means that if you purchase through one of my links, then I will receive a small commission. This commission is at no extra cost to you. Additionally, this post is not sponsored, and all opinions are my own.*

My Pantry

Where I Shopped

Over the door rack: The Dollar Tree
Polka Dotted Apron: Kate Spade Home
Navy & White Apron: My Grandma’s
White Apron: A Childhood Design
Pink Wired Can: Family Piece
White Plastic Milk Bin: Walmart
Pink Plastic Milk Bin: Target
Teal Tray: The Dollar Tree
Teal Ice Bucket: The Dollar Tree
Seashell Jars (3): Family Piece
Hot Pink Locker Bins (4): The Dollar Tree
Aqua & White Chevron Cubbies: Amazon (different style here!)
Clear White Storage Containers: Family Piece (similar 4-set here!)
“Crunchy” Canister: Rae Dunn
“Treats” Canister: Rae Dunn
Pig Bag Clippers: The Christmas Tree Shops

I am oh so excited about my pantry AND how little money I spent on it! Hopefully, y’all can find some affordable ways to stay organized in your own home and pantry, too.

XOXO – Katie <3

July 31, 2021December 29, 2025

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The Historic Mansion Nestled in Georgetown

Imagine having a huge backyard and a huge house in the heart of Washington, DC. Well, then Tudor Place is most definitely that rare Washington, DC dream! Growing up, my Mom and I used to visit a lot of places that were rather deemed as off the beaten path. Some of these destinations include Krakow, Poland; Sunapee, New Hampshire, Sofia, Bulgaria; Rila, Bulgaria; and East Grand Lake, Maine. I have learned to truly love exploring some of the lesser known gems as I went off to college and started to travel on my own. That being said, I *of course* had to look for some not as well-known gems in my brand-new hometown of Washington, DC! More specifically, I will be sharing my recent experiences at Tudor Place in Washington, DC.

About Tudor Place

Tudor Place is located in the heart of the oh so adorable, historic, and iconic Georgetown neighborhood – also home to Georgetown University. It was the home of the Peter family from 1805-1983. The home’s first owners were Martha Custis Peter – the daughter of the first First Lady Martha Washington and step-daughter to the first President George Washington – and her husband Thomas Peter. One of the neat aspects of Tudor Place is that it has witnessed a lot of events which shaped the United States and its history: the burning of Washington, DC in 1814, slavery, the Civil War, World War 1, World War 11, and the Cold War. In fact, Tudor Place was used as a Boarding House for Union Soldiers during the Civil War. At the same time, Tudor Place has seen several advancements within technology around the United States and the globe, such as the the typewriter, telephone, lightbulb, and so much more. Since its ending of being a residential home for the Peter family, Tudor Place has become a historic site focused on preservation, education, rejuvenation, and community engagement (all relevant information from the “Our Story” page).

Currently, Tudor Place offers at minimal seasonal free admission to all guests who reserve in advance online to visit. This historical house also hosts events and weddings amongst speaker events and other things, too.

My Experience at Tudor Place

I booked Tudor Place tickets initially for my friend Wyatt and I a month prior to. Unfortunately, I had an event conflict so I had to reschedule my visit. Luckily, the Tudor Place staff were all super sweet and easy to work with and happily willing to reschedule it for us. In other to access Tudor Place, the Washington, DC Metro is a bit further out. However, there are buses that go into and out of the Georgetown neighborhood from Virginia, Maryland, and all over the District of Columbia. Tudor Place also offers parking nearby for all guests and visitors who choose to drive there. Wyatt and I chose to drive in. Upon arriving at Tudor Place, we both both surprised that Tudor Place was located in Georgetown. On a typical day, Georgetown is uber packed with tourists and residents alike. However, we drove a bit outside of the crowds all around the stunningly beautiful cobblestone streets and historic homes to the more quaint part of the neighborhood. All of a sudden, we arrived at Tudor Place, followed the signs for parking, and walked up to the historical home. We were in awe of home quaint and sweet this place truly was!

When arriving, everyone must check in with the welcome center. One very interesting aspect of Tudor Place is tickets. Even when booked online, one does not receive their tickets until they check in through showing their reservation confirmation. The tickets are, in fact, a name tag that must be signed by a staff member on site with the date of your visit upon check in.

Once you check in, Tudor Place tours are self-guided, but they also have an audio guide option that they have upon request at the welcome center. The self-guided tours can be done at your own pace, which is great. It didn’t take Wyatt and I super long to explore the entire Tudor Place that is free to see on tour. We both found it interesting that there were a lot of technological advancements within Tudor Place from when it was first a home in the early 1800’s. Once we toured the Tudor Place interiors, we strolled around the beautiful stunning gardens. The gardens are self-paced too with a map to guide you. All around the gardens, staff members are happily willing to help. Wyatt and I each found the staff members to be extremely friendly and helpful, too. In comparison to Mount Vernon, Tudor Place is most definitely small but it is mighty and has some amazing history to it as well.

Overall, Wyatt and I had an amazing time at Tudor Place. Since living in Washington, DC for almost two decades, Wyatt was shocked and wished he knew about Tudor Place much sooner than we did when going just recently. I was definitely impressed with the utter beauty and rich history that Tudor Place had to offer and I hope to go again, soon and to the nearby and comparable Dumbarton Oaks.

XOXO – Katie <3

July 29, 2021December 29, 2025

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The Luxurious Customized Tote that I Love

For many years now, I had been majorly fangirling over the Barrington Gifts merchandise. More specifically, the Barrington Gifts tote bags. But, I could not justify their hefty price tags until this summer when I *yes, finally* decided to take the plunge and purchase one of their coveted totes for myself as a graduation gift! Today, I am going to be sharing my thoughts on the Barrington Gifts St. Anne Tote and reviewing it, in case you’re interested in buying one for yourself.

***Disclaimer: Please note that this post is in no way sponsored by Barrington Gifts. All thoughts and opinions are my own.***

Barrington Gifts St. Anne Tote Review

Just for a bit of background information, Barrington Gifts provides personalized craftsmanship, innovative designs, and every product is made from luxury materials and has done so for 25+ years. Every product on the Barrington Gifts site is personalized and customized to the consumer’s liking. Let me just tell y’all, I LOVED getting to use the site’s customizer to customize my tote. The best part?! Every product is customized using their customizer AND their products are made at an affordable cost to the consumer, especially for what you’re getting! Along with tote bags, Barrington Gifts carries duffel bags, wallets, travel accessories, and men’s accessories as well. Now, when I say affordable, I do not mean going into your local Walmart or Target and finding comparable prices on the Barrington Gifts website. But, I mean the affordability for a handbag that includes personalization and extensive luxury craftsmanship. I mean, that customizer though makes it so worth it!

The St. Anne Tote bag comes in a zippered and un-zippered style, either with a monogrammed patch or print on it. Depending on which combination you choose (patch and zippered or print and un-zippered, etc.), will determine how much your tote will cost you. The cost ranges from $170-$200. There is even a Diaper Bag in this style, too, at a similar cost. Personally, I chose to go with the St. Anne Tote without it being zippered.

Now, y’all the customizer is AMAZING! You not only get to pick the color and print of your tote, but you also get to select what color and size/style your monogram is too! You can even add a stripe to your tote with your monogram to make it pop, like I did. Lastly, you get to choose the color of your tote’s leather, which is a super unique asset that I have only seen at luxury brands such as Louis Vuitton with their Neverfull tote. The options are endless!

Upon my tote’s arrival, I got many notices from Fedex that I would need to sign a slip to ensure that it arrived safely to me. I truly admire that Barrington Gifts did this for me and I assume all of their customers along with myself. Knowing that my tote would get to me safely made my feel extremely reassured, especially with the growing number of packages stolen in front of people’s own homes these days.

I have owned my St. Anne Tote for almost two months now, and it has been my most-used bag since receiving it! Not only is the tote still looking brand new despite it going EVERYWHERE with me, but it also gives me an extra boost of confidence. I know I am carrying a luxury bag that is uniquely mine, but that I also purchased at a fraction of the cost. My only regret is that I didn’t buy it zippered. Not to fret though, I will probably purchase another Barrington Gifts Tote in the coming times!

Shop the St. Anne Tote!

XOXO – Katie <3

July 27, 2021December 29, 2025

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Bright & Preppy Office Space

After over 2 months of having this place not fully set up, I can *finally* say that my Office Space is fully set up and ready to go! But, as they say on The Bachelor, wait … there’s more! My Office Space is not only my Office Space, but it is also a lounge area, closet space, makeup space, and, most importantly, it’s practically a Lady Cave. Here we go!!!

As in the past, I would link items where I could. However, this time I will not be since there are A TON of things. Most though have been purchased in the past at places like Ikea, antique stores, Target, Walmart, Home Goods, Lilly Pulitzer, Hobby Lobby, Kate Spade, Rae Dunn, and much more!

Happy Lady Cave is a Happy Lady!!!

XOXO – Katie <3

July 25, 2021December 29, 2025

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Weekly Menu Round-Up: July 26-30

I haven’t done a weekly menu in what feels like AGES!!! However, since my summer vacation is now almost over, it’s time to get back into a weekly menu groove. This week’s menu is all about eating well while maintaining a healthy lifestyle and eating high calorie foods in moderation. Now, let’s get into it.

Meal-Prepped Lunch

This week, I am starting to meal prep lunches for the entire week. To kick off my first week at my new job, I will be having an Italian Couscous Salad (minus the salami) using this recipe from Chelsea’s Messy Apron. As someone who LOVES couscous and caprese salad, this meal prep recipe is such an excitement for me to try!

Meal 1

My first meal of the week will be air fryer beer battered cod with a roasted beet and goat cheese salad. The salad will be made with a Spring salad mix which I purchased at my local Food Lion, and I will be roasting the beets before putting them into the salad with some crumbled goat cheese, too.

Meal 2

One of my all-time favorite recipes and the first big girl recipe that I ever made is Tuscan Butter Salmon. Initially, I discovered this gem of a recipe from Delish on Facebook about 3 years ago. Nowadays, I have memorized the recipe for myself and have LOVED enjoying it myself! I will be serving Tuscan Butter salmon atop of some brown rice and with Caesar salad.

Meal 3

If you know me, then you know I LOVE some sautéed kale! I will be making some sautéed kale and keeping this recipe pretty simple by serving it with Alfredo gnocchi using Alfredo sauce from my local Food Lion.

Meal 4

My Dad is coming into town to visit me this weekend, so I will be whipping him up a special meal! Recently, I purchased an Instant Pot and have LOVED using it to make sautéed mushrooms via the sauté function. It is healthy, yet delicious. I will be serving my favorite sautéed mushrooms with some Air Fryer tilapia and some of my favorite spices atop of it all along with my step mom’s amazing signature baked Mac & cheese recipe.

Meal 5

Waffles!!!!

Here’s to a great first week!

XOXO – Katie <3

July 24, 2021December 29, 2025

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DC Diaries – Part 5

The other day, my Big Sis Stephanie and I were talking about how this summer has felt stranger than others. The same idea went for when I saw my friends Haley and Violet the day before, too. Many of us are feeling that this summer has been a bit more bizarre than summer’s past. Although this summer has been a bit more peaceful than years past for me and those around me, it is about to end for me.

Starting next week, I will be starting my job. I couldn’t be more excited. Personally, I live for the hustle and bustle – something I have missed this summer. But, before I start my job, I have learned a lot of things over the course of my summer time off. I have mastered my commute to work and gained an extra sense of independence via navigating the Washington, DC area’s public transport all on my own. I have started to learn budgeting and financing and how much money I should allocate to different things. I have learned to set limits on what I can do and afford financially while saving and preparing for things that I want in the future, whether it be big or small. Moreover, adulting is a literal grind that NEVER stops, and it is something that I have learned!

Over the past few months, I have wondered what it would be like if I chose to stay in Raleigh. Would I have ever mastered the public transportation systems or even used public transportation? Would I know how to budget? Most importantly, would I be the person that I am today and becoming? Who truly knows!

XOXO – Katie <3

July 22, 2021December 29, 2025

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My Housewarming Party!

Love me a great party!!! I have always had a passion for hosting. In fact, I hosted quite a few parties at my college apartment. However, unfortunately, due to COVID-19, I was not able to host there much during the final year and a half of college. So, given that COVID-19 has subsided and I have moved into the Washington, DC area, I decided to host my very own Housewarming Party! Today, I am giving you ALLL the details on it!

For my Housewarming Party, I decided to host it out on my patio (you can check out my Patio Reveal here!), especially since I was dog sitting. For food, I served chips, crab dip, queso, soft-serve pretzels, shrimp, and *of course* strawberry margaritas. As for decor, I got the majority of it at The Dollar Tree, unless I had it from before. Below, I will list where I purchased ALL the items used.

Where I Got My Decor!

Bar Cart: Home Goods
Luau Banner: The Dollar Tree
Gold Scalloped Ice Bucket: Kate Spade
Miniature Flamingo: The Dollar Tree
Flamingo Pink Cups: Home Goods
Silver Duck Ice Bucket: Family Antique
Aqua Bucket: The Dollar Tree
Pink Tablecloth: The Dollar Tree
Aqua Serving Bowl: The Dollar Tree
Pink Bowl: Home Goods
Pineapple Plates: The Dollar Tree
Luau Straws: The Dollar Tree
Flamingo “Welcome” Sign: NC State Farmers Market

Here’s to hosting many more gatherings very soon!!!

XOXO – Katie <3

July 20, 2021December 29, 2025

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Relationship Sunday’s – Why Now is the Time to be Single!

The other day, I read an article by The Knot who reports on the annual average age of marriage in the United States. Typically, the average age of marriage is in someone’s twenties for both men and women. However, to everyone’s surprise, including my own, the average age of marriage in the United States is 32. Since the average age of marriage has increased, so has the number of years that people have taken to enjoy being single and independent before settling down. That being said, when it comes to relationships, now and in one’s twenties is the time to be single!

Explanation speaking, people are choosing to get married in their 30’s nowadays due to a variety of different reasons. First, people are using their twenties as a time to get financially established and develop in their careers. They are also using this time to potentially pay off student loans and develop their own independence and sense of self. Moreover, people are using their twenties to be selfish and do what they want before being tied down to someone else or someone’s else. People are striving to also find a sense of self and strive to continue to develop who they are as a person and truly decide what they want in life before settling down. At the same time, life is getting more expensive. College costs are rising which means that student loan debts are rising. The housing market is in an extreme boom which comes with the high costs of rent, down payments, and mortgages. When it comes to marriage, the costs of weddings are also in a major boom. Most parents of the partners getting married either do not contribute at all to the cost of the wedding or contribute to part of the costs for it. Millennials and Gen-Zer’s are extremely into creating a wedding that is Instagrammable and perfect for the feed while fostering a down-to-earth experiences for their guests, all at a hefty price tag.

Personally, I was relieved at the increase of the average age of marriage in the United States. Coming from a college where it felt like everyone within the student body was getting married upon graduation, it’s refreshing to hear that most of the world is not that way. I know that my peers within the Washington, DC area are on a similar standpoint when it comes to getting married later on in their twenties and thirties. It’s nice to see that several people are taking their twenties to be single and simply enjoy it.

All throughout my college years, my Mom and other family members would tell me the significance of getting married once you have uncovered a sense of self first. According to my Mom’s research, you do not truly have a fully developed brain until you are 25 years of age. That being said, using ones twenties and more specifically their early twenties for solely being single is the way to go. Not only are you able to get to learn more about yourself, but you are able to do what YOU want to do without asking others. That being said, now is surely the time to be single and do things for YOU and no one else.

Dating can be TOUGH, but there is something to be said about being single and taking the time to do so. I feel that I am happily able to do what I want to do in life with no stress or worry about anyone else significant in my life. I am also able to work on discovering and loving myself and only me. That way, when I do get in a relationship, I am ready to be my best self for my soulmate wherever they may be!

XOXO – Katie <3

July 18, 2021December 29, 2025

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A Week in Greece

Mamma Mia here we go again!!!! Yes, I did it. Recently, I have been sharing in my stories my mainly international summer trips from years past aka the pre-COVID times. Now, I am going to be sharing my trips from previous years here on the blog, too! In July 2017, I was lucky enough to be able to travel to Greece with my Mom, Step Dad, and Step Brother. We went to Athens and the island of Hydra about an hour ferry ride off the coast of Piraeus – the port right by Athens. Let’s go to Greece y’all!!!

Athens

We stayed in the neighborhood of Plaka – it has stunning views of the Acropolis from up above and amazing architecture and churches everywhere you go! On our first day, we went to the Acropolis Museum, the Ancient Agora of Greece, walked through Plaka and the markets of Athens, and enjoyed dinner and smoothies all around town! For our second and final full day in Athens, we walked around Plaka and went up to the Acropolis. We also enjoyed gelato! Yes, Greece has just as amazing gelato if not even more amazing than Italy. We ended our final night in Athens with dinner on an outdoor terrace overlooking the entire city.

Hydra

On the island of Hydra, we stayed in an AirBnb up on the hill of the island up and away from the main town. Our days we pretty much the same along the town – beach, explore, dinner, and gelato! For beaches, we would either walk along the island or take a ferry to a beach further than a walk’s reach on the island. We also did a lot of walking to and from the beaches, in order to explore it all! While exploring, there are cats everywhere on the island and they just simply live there and thrive off of the islands and the locals. As for dinner, we would enjoy the local fresh caught seafood and Greek fare. I mean, when in Rome!!! There was a woman named Flora that made some of the BEST gelato in the world and has been doing so on this island for years. I mean what better of a life is that?!?!

Now, here we go again to Greece. Am I right?!

XOXO – Katie <3

July 17, 2021December 29, 2025

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A Patio Inspired by Flamingos

Hey y’all! Today, I am coming to you all with a brand-new apartment reveal today: my patio!!! Yes, my patio! My patio has been my super sweet spot to host, admire the many flora around, and simply have a glass of wine. My Papa and dog Rosie loves it as well!!! It’s a great spot that I have LOVED utilizing for MANY different purposes! As always, I will list where I purchased each of my items and if it is still available to purchase. Please note that most pieces have been purchased from years past or were recent purchases made affordably. Now, let’s see my summer party space!