Creating your new home

One of the hardest parts about moving out is trying to make it feel like home. I know that when I lived in the dorms for my first year of university that this was the hardest part for me. You want to create somewhere that feels like a salvation. This is a place for you to feel comfortable, at ease and completely yourself. My best suggestion for this is to decorate your new home to feel like it can be all of these things.

I feel like nowhere will ever be able to make me feel as comfortable as my parents house but I do feel like my new apartment is a close second. I've decorated (maybe even over decorated) to the point where I feel like I want to be here. It's beautiful to me and completely comfortable. My biggest focus has been my bedroom because it's my place. It's the only space that I don't have to share so it's been the most important to me.

Here are some peaks into my new sanctuary:

I didn't want to recreate my old bedroom. I wanted to build a new space that reflects who I am now. I got a new bedspread and have really changed things from my room at my parents house.

My desk was one of my most important focuses of my room. Remember my post Where do you Work?  Well this is an example of a space that is both beautiful and functional. It holds everything I need but also inspires me. My clipboards have things on them that I find beautiful, or inspiring and just plain cute. 

Don't forget to remind yourself of who makes you who you are with things around your space like pictures and gifts from those you love. The picture includes my two best friends and the owl vase was a gift from my sister.

Just have fun! This is your space. No one can tell you what to do with it. Clash colours, mix patterns, choose your own art and just have fun! 

From the desk of:

Taylor Brown

Interior Decorator Extrordinaire, Ruler of her abode

On my own

It's official. I'm out. I'm on my own. I'm left to my own devices.

It feels...weird but also very awesome. My mom and sister drove me to my apartment and dropped me off for good today. I did move in over this past weekend but I came home the next day to go home and finish up work on Monday. Now I'm here and feeling a weird sense of independence. I've hung things up in my room, made my own dinner, did the dishes and spent the night doing some job research. It's just so odd that I have to figure everything out on my own but the opportunity to do so fills me with a lot of empowerment.

I have to take the bus tomorrow to hand out resumes for a part time job and I have no idea how the bus system works. I've already researched it and have a plan for tomorrow. I've printed out resumes, planned my best "hire me" outfit and set my alarm for a nice, early wake up call. It all makes me feel very accomplished. I know these are all small victories but every one counts.

Never let yourself miss the opportunity to learn new things and never miss the opportunity to realize what you've accomplished. Each day should take us one step closer to our goals. Are you making a daily effort?

From the desk of:

Taylor Brown
Celebrator of small victories, Public transportation novice

The Move Out

*You actually couldn't move with all of my stuff in there!*

This weekend I moved out! It's pretty awesome so far and I've learned a lot along the way. Since I am here to do the dirty work, learn things the hard way and then pass on my wisdom, I'm gonna do just that.

Things I've learned while moving out:

1. You'll probably have to get rid of some things
     You can't see in the above picture, but I have A LOT of clothes and they most definitely didn't fit in my closet. After I got all of my clothes sorted out and most of them in the closet, I had to make some tough decisions. I had to pick some clothes to give away and I feel lighter already because of it. If you don't need something then don't keep it because odds are that you'll just bury it away and it will be as if you gave it away anyways.

2. You are going to forget things, lose them or break them
     This is an unfortunate but inevitable part of moving. I encountered all three. Try to be as organized as you can but know that this will probably happen. Once you take stock of what you have and don't have after you've moved then you can finally sort your life out. I forgot a lot of things and luckily I'm back home for the night so I can grab them...but I'll still probably forget things.

3. It will take a little bit to get used to roommates
     We've all got different schedules at my apartment so I have to get used to being conscious of what everyone is doing. Kristina is a bartender so she comes home at 3 or 4 in the morning sometimes and then will sleep late. This was the case Saturday night and I had to keep remembering to be quiet in the morning. I slammed my door twice and felt so bad about it. I guess this is all par for the course.

4. You will either become more or less annoyed with your parents
     So you know those things that your parents do that bother you? Well, those things may become even more annoying to you now because you now have somewhere else to go. The other possibility is that you'll miss those little quirks. I say enjoy them. Who would want them to change anyways?

5. It's going to feel great
     Even though I'm quick to let the stress of all this new responsibility create a big raincloud over me, I still remember to take a moment and enjoy it. As I was laying in my bed after my first night in my apartment I felt so happy because everything around me was mine. I am responsible for all of these great things in my life. I am independent. I created this life I'm living now. Pretty cool huh?

Enjoy yourself, prepare to lose, break or forget things, let yourself stress a little but overall look around and feel excited.

From the desk of:

Taylor Brown
Apartment Dweller, Independent woman, Stressed but also impressed

The Dos and Don'ts of Wearing Shorts to the Office

We've been students for a long time and the dress code of school is pretty relaxed, especially once you get to college. In an 8:30am class you can see people wearing everything from jeans, to blazers, to pyjamas. There were no rules. Sadly for you pyjama loving people, those days are over. Now we have to put some serious thought into what we wear and we have to abide by dress codes.

When I interned at NBC Action News in Kansas City my boss told me "dress for the job you want, not the job you have." That was why I always wore business attire during that internship. Even though the office was very relaxed on the dress code for those who weren't in front of the camera, I still wanted to come off as professional. One day I want to be in front of a camera and if I'm always looking camera ready then it is much easier for my bosses to see me in that roll.

Now, we may have rules to follow, but we also like to look good, don't we? There are tons of options for business attire but today we are focusing on one: shorts at the office. This is a tough look to pull off while trying to look professional so let's start with the dont's:

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This is an office, people. That means NO jean shorts. Those are way too casual, as is the rest of this outfit. Even if she did put on dressier shorts, the slouchy t-shirt is way too casual.

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Now, just because you put on a nice top doesn't mean it's business appropriate. These shorts are way too short and would definitely not fly in a business setting.

 

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This is a don't disguised as a do. The shorts aren't jeans and the watch and high neckline makes it look more business appropraite but in my opinion, this is still too casual.

 

Now, on to the do's!

 

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This outfit is great for the office. The shorts are part of a suit, which makes it look a lot more business appropriate. It is also tailored and paired with a high neckline. Beautifully done!

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Even when it's not part of a suit, you can make it look like it is. By pairing matching colours together it makes the look come together better.

  

If you're going to rock a bare leg, here is how I suggest you do it:



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These shorts are highwaisted, well tailored, not too tight and not too short. Pairing it with a nice work blouse makes her look like she's on her way to the office instead of the nightclub.

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The beautiful high neckline of this blouse keeps this outfit looking modest and ready to rule the boardroom.

 



I suggest trying the shorts with tights. It's a good way to be able to rock shorts without feeling overexposed.

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These shorts are a great fabric and the beautiful ribbon belt keeps them dressed up as well.

 



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You can even rock your tights in colours too but be very careful with this. Keep the tights opaque and the rest of your outfits nuetral. Also, nothing too crazy. Red it pretty wild as it is but there's no need to go out and buy yourself a pair of lime green tights.

 

Ultimately, you know what your office will probably allow. You can ask someone if you're curious or try the most conservative version first. Be careful though, there's nothing worse than having someone comment on your outfit being "innapropraite."

 

Go forth and show your flare for fashion!

 

From the desk of:

 

Taylor Brown

Lover of shorts and tights, Hater of "innapropriate" office attire















Words to Work By

Sometimes a good quote is just what you need to help reassure you that you're on the right path. Finding quotes has always been a hobby of mine and when the right quote comes a long at the right time it can feel a bit like fate.

 

Here is one quote that I kept in my mind a lot while I was decided whether I should move to Toronto and seeing if it was even possible:

 

 

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If you're scared then you're doing it right.

 

From the desk of:

 

Taylor Brown
Dream Chaser, Quote Collector, Chronic Worrier 

 

Where do you Work?

Productivity is an issue that I'm sure that the majority of us suffer with, especially if we're just coming out of the university atmosphere where procrastination is kind of like a lifestyle. In the working world the penalty for late work isn't 10% per day with a maximum penalty of 30%. The penalty is losing your job.

The key to being productive is knowing what works for you. Trust me, this is a learning curve that I am still struggling with. I currently work from home and with that can come a lot of bad habits. There have been times when I've found myself throwing the tv on in the background but actually ended up pushing my work to the background. You need to find a space and routine that works for you.

The ideal situation is working at a desk. You can put all of your work in front of you, keep yourself organized and really get into the zone. You should schedule yourself some breaks for sanity's purpose and make sure that distracting things like tvs are kept off. (And if you are wondering, yes that is 50 Shades of Grey on my desk. I was reading it for research on a product giveaway we were doing. Honest!) As you can see my "office" is in my kitchen. That just goes to show that your workspace can be anywhere that works for you!

Now, working from home has it's perks, but it all depends on if you can handle them. I get to work from my bed if I want to! It can be great, but it can also be a bit too comfortable sometimes. The key is to treat this area like you would a holy place. What the heck does that mean? Well, make it your work shrine. You only bring work into your "office" and you give it the respect it deserves. If you work from home and you want to work in your bed then you should but make sure you can handle it. If you think you might end up taking a nap while you're in there then you most definitely should not even climb in.

If you want to be productive, then you need to find what works for you! Routine is your best friend. Schedule a coffee break between your start time and your lunch break to help break things up if you have to. I like to listen to music while I'm working but I know that if I need to concentrate, like when I'm editing, that the music has to be off.

Ultimately, you know what you need to do to be productive. You know what helps you flourish in your work environment. If that means being in a room with white walls and utter silence then that's where you need to be. If that means dressing up your space so that it inspires you, then do it! It's all trial and error but when you find the perfect place for productivity then you'll never have to worry about turning things in late again!

From the desk of:

Taylor Brown
Stay-at-home Associate Editor, Occasional In-Bed Associate Editor

Things No One Tells You About Moving Out

I'm sure this will be part of some sort of series because I haven't even moved out yet and I already have had about a million reality checks. Now, moving out is an exciting experience but it is also a very stressful one. For someone who has never paid a bill before in their life, I am definitely not used to this kind of "independence." Reality has definitely hit me in the face.

These are the things no one tells you about moving out:

1. Your parents will probably cut you off cold-turkey
     Okay, this may seem kind of obvious, but this is something you should probably drill into your head now, just so you can get used to the idea. I have some very giving parents. They even paid my cell phone bill. Now this can be a good thing and a bad thing. It was great because...well I didn't have to pay it but it was bad because now I have no idea what it takes to survive...or I didn't until now. Don't expect your parents to pay half your bills or give you handouts when you need them. When you cut this idea out of your head then you'll be able to easily make responsible spending decisions.

2. There are many extra costs to living that you aren't even aware of
     When you're looking for an apartment you forget about things like utilities, insurance, groceries, internet, cable etc. I can't even keep track of all of the payments I'm about to be making. I think if I add it up I might have a heart attack. Don't think that the 500 dollars that you will be paying a month in rent is all that you're going to need. Those extras add up quick so you definitely need to keep those in mind when trying to figure out just how much you are going to need to survive.

3. You should have some serious padding saved up
     If you're going to be moving out you should give yourself a cushion, especially if you're like myself and still need to get another job to make sure that you can pay the bills. As far as my Associate Editor's job goes, I have enough to cover the rent and that's about it. Give yourself a little wiggle room so that there is no need to go into panic mode right away. As of right now I have my job lined up plus first and last paid plus $1,500.00 in my savings. This will give me the security to be able to have a little extra time to find that job without automatically having to live off of bread and butter.

4. Grocery shopping takes a lot of attention
     When you're shopping with your mom you probably throw things in the cart all willy-nilly without even considering the prices of things. When you are on your own that won't be an option. Before you go shopping make sure that you have made a list of exactly what you need. Besides that you should set a budget AND go through a flyer in order to look for the best prices. Another little tip which I learned today: make sure you take a good look at your fresh products. I bought half a cantelope today and didn't give it a feel. When I took it home and started eating it I quickly realized that it was too ripe and pretty mushy. That was $3.00 down the drain and a stomach left empty. Learn from my mistakes people.

5. If you want something done you should do it immediately
    As my wonderful future-roomate and I found out, if you need to get something done you should not put it off. We knew that we had to sign up for hydro and gas accounts but we just didn't feel the urgency...until we realized it had to be done for the next day. Then we were scrambiling around trying to figure it all out and at the same time I was being informed that my parents insurance wouldn't cover me and I had to get my own policy which I wanted for the next day (yeah...like that was gonna happen). When something comes up, do it immediately because you will end up running around like a crazy person and while you're doing that something else will come up and you will inevitably give yourself an ulcer.

So my friends, those are the lessons that I've learned while trying to move so far. Trust me, it's easier to get this stuff in your brain now rather than later. That's why I'm here to live your lessons for you.

From the desk of:

Taylor Brown
Reformed Procrastinator, Independent Woman Against her Will

Welcome!

Please allow me to introduce myself:

My name is Taylor. I am a 22 year old lady on the brink of adulthood. I chose to call my blog "Children with Chequebooks" because that's what I really feel that I, and all of the other people my age are. We are stuck in this limbo between still needing our parents and wanting our independence. We're graduating university, finally moving on from being students, and being dumbfounded by how to get ourselves into the bussiness world. No one prepared us for this transition. We were told that our bachelor degrees would be golden tickets to our dream jobs but we're quickly finding out that there are alot of dues to be paid and a lot of legwork to be done.

I want to be the one who takes you on that transition from childhood to adulthood. I'm currently living it! I am moving out of my parents house for the first time and moving into an apartment in Toronto with two friends. I'm finding out just how many bills there are to be paid monthly and I've just gotten my first real job as an Associate Editor for an woman's email inbox magazine. And true to this transition, I also have to find myself a part time job to cover all of those previously mentioned bills.

I'm going to talk about the struggles of being shoved into adulthood and all of the great things as well. I'll give you advice on how to deal with bills, bosses and busy schedules. I may even sprinkle in some fashion advice every once in a while (seriously, does anyone know how to dress for the office without looking like you're dressing up in your moms heels? I'm still learning).

So follow along and we'll grow up together.

From the desk of:

Taylor Brown
Associate Editor, Adult in Training, Transition Spirit Guide