The Best of Spring Cleaning at Target

Fresh air, new blooms, and a new backyard. These are some of the things I am most excited about this Spring. We are rehauling our backyard so we can have more space for new flowers and plants, as well as a new toddler playhouse and place for Ryeson to ride his new tricycle.

Spring Cleaning vs Everyday Cleaning

Anyone who knows me knows that I am not a clean freak. I clean as much as I need to…. in the last 5 minutes before friends come over. And with a toddler, life gets even messier Especially  now that he loves coloring in his coloring books, and when we have our backs turned - on the newly painted walls. Don’t even get me started on the number of toys that pop up in our house. For every one toy we get rid of, we find two other toys that he has brought home from grandma’s house.

I think this is why I like the idea of spring cleaning. It gives me a clean slate in organizing my house, and doing it in the time when I can open my windows and breathe in some fresh air.

My husband and I take turns watching the toddler, while the other one picked one room to organize and clean.  It usually takes us about a week to go through everything, but afterward, we have a clean and more importantly - organized home. At least for a little bit.

The Best of Spring Cleaning at Target

Here are some of my favorite spring cleaning / clean beauty products from Target because as every mom knows, Target is the Holy Grail for moms.

A Lazy Susan

It has the word lazy in its name. How could I NOT love it? We have a few of these in the pantry to help us figure out where the various cans of beans are. On the kitchen counter, we have a nicer one that holds our olive oil, salt, pepper and a bowl for our garlic. Having everything in one place means easy access, and it is easy to see if we are running low.

Hunter Boots for Target

I didn’t realize I could get so excited about rain boots (especially now that the “rainy season” is over in Sonoma County). These colorful Hunter boots usually go for over $100, but the collaboration with Target cuts the price tag in half. Even better, I have a Target Red Card, so I have early access on April 7th. Happy dance! I will make sure to share pictures when I finally get my hands on them.

Laundry Beads from Method

I am pretty much obsessed with all things Method in my house. From glass cleaner to candles,  soap, and dishwasher pods, we are definitely a METHOD home. Their new product is laundry beads that make your clothes and sheets smell AMAZING!

Bins to Purge Stuff for the season  

Each season we try to go through all of the STUFF we have and put the items that are for a different season into bins (i.e., decorations). I have been listening to podcasts about the Marie Kondo book, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up (I haven't actually read it because it is a little TOO rigid for my taste) and have been inspired to throw away anything that doesn’t bring me joy. When I say this, I mean stuff like old binkies that Ryeson used as a baby, that I was holding onto for sentimental value vs. an actual need.

Babyganics Fragrance Free All Purpose Surface Wipes

I am so happy that Babyganics has been around since Ryeson was born.  From cleaners that wash high chairs and pacifiers, to these all purpose wipes - I feel like our house is clean!

Outdoor Play Farm for Ryeson  

Now that our backyard has been expanded we knew he needed a playhouse.  This play farm is even better because we have plans to visit a few Sonoma County farms this spring.

Mrs. Meyer's® Lemon Verbena Vinegar Gel Cleaner

Lemon is one of those smells that remind me of spring cleaning. This vinegar gel helps clean almost any surface. 

Planters for an outdoor garden

My style starts with a neutral background, like gray walls, white bedding, a hunter green couch, and add pops of color that I can mix & match and swap out with the seasons (or as my taste changes). These planters are colorful and perfect for my backyard.

New pillows

I heard you are supposed to get new pillows once a year. Honestly, I cannot tell you how old my pillow is… BUT I am pretty grossed out that I have gone so long without getting a new one (we clean our sheets every week so it isn’t that bad). However, it would be a good idea to make it a priority to get yourself a new pillow this year!

BTW, I'm not getting paid from Target but a few of these are affiliate links to products I absolutely love. And yes, I am adult who can say she loves laundry beads because I love good smelling clothes, but still hates folding laundry.

Usually we pick two hours on the weekend, crank a happy playlist on Spotify (my current favorite is “Songs You Can Sing In The Shower”) and get to work. Do you plan on dedicating some time this year to spring cleaning? Let me know on Instagram at @sharayray!

Whole Foods Beauty Sale (find my face in Sonoma + Napa)

I have had the pleasure of partnering up with the Whole Foods Market North Bay area marketing team - Napa Valley, Sonoma County and Marin County - for a few promotions starting in July 2017. The first was taking over their Instagram account for the Petaluma Rivertown Revival on @wholefoodssonomacounty. The second was a supplement sale, and now I am beyond excited to be one of the local "faces" for their new campaign - the #WFMBeautyWeek sale from Wednesday, March 21st - Tuesday, March 27th (I was paid to share on Instagram, but this blog post is just an addition). 

For my beauty picks, I focused on life as a new mom - hair falling out, not having enough time for yourself to do simple things like take showers or wash your face... And tricks to out on makeup without having to spend a lot of time in the bathroom. If you are around a Whole Foods in Sonoma, Napa or Marin County (North Bay San Francisco) make sure to check out their expanded beauty section and share a picture of my face on social media!!!! <3 <3

Some of my personal recommendations to buy during the Whole Foods Market Beauty Sale this week:

EO Face Wipes "When I was a new mom, washing my face was the last thing I thought about. Face Wipes make it easy to take my makeup off at the end of the day. Make sure to wash off the residue on your face, or else you may break out.”

Well People - Bio Tint Moisturizer (light for me) "I like my makeup to do double duty. Bonus points if it does 3 things. Moisture, SPF and it adds color to your skin. Thank you!"

Bass Wild Boar Wooden Brush   "Wild boar brushes are kind to new mom hair. They even help prevents hair from falling out, which can be a common issue with new moms."

Acure Dry Shampoo "Dry shampoo is a new mom's best friend. Sprinkle some to your roots before bed and your next day top knot will stay put much tighter."

Everyday Coconut Sea Salt Texture Spray  "Embrace the messiness of motherhood and use this sea salt spray to make some beachy waves. Even if it's freezing at the beach here in Northern California."

My Pre-Thanksgiving Sephora Haul.

While mindlessly searching through hashtags on Instagram (for work-related purposes) I came across the hashtag #SephoraHaul.  The hashtag is dedicated to pictures of beauty products that women (and men) purchase from beauty store Sephora. It has been a trend for a while, for people to take pictures, or video of them unpacking their latest goodies from their favorite retailers.  Thinking about the reasoning behind this.. I get it. 

• It is bragging. Sephora products ain't cheap, and buying beauty products from here is a dedicated balance of trying to make sure you get out without spending over $100 (the "haul" below was under $50). 
• You show off your knowledge on beauty products. This is especially important if you are a beauty blogger. For me --- the Perfect Formula nail strengthener Pink Gel Coat has been the ONLY thing that makes me not bite my nails (if I use the product correct) - so I want to share that info with people. Dry Shampoo, in general, has changed my life. Seriously, it was difficult to train my hair to not be super oily after a day or two of not washing it. Dry Shampoo has made it okay for me to leave my house after two days. 
• It's fun. Come on, it's the beauty industry.. It is pretty, and girly, and a good hair day can make you feel invincible.

My Sephora Haul (products needed for my trip to LA for Thanksgiving):

1. Perfect Formula Nail Essentials Duo - find online, or in the Stocking Stuffers section by the registers. Disclaimer: Perfect Formula is a client of mine, but it is quality nail care products, and I used my own money. 

2. Drybar Detox Dry Shampoo (Travel Size for me to test it out) - find online or in the Drybar section. My Sephora had a hair care expert teach me the right way to use the spray (I usually am a powder fan) and I LOVE this product. 

3. Bareminerals Mineral Veil Finishing Powder -- I cannot find it for sale alone online, by you can find by the Stocking Stuffers section. 

4. Sephora's Own Brand Formula X Nail Polish - this was an added bonus because I had enough rewards points.