Samantha K Schmidt

When my husband and I got engaged and began talking about making his home into our home, it was clear that we were going to butt heads in several areas. He had lived the life of a bachelor for 3 years and separating him from some of his beloved (yet very tattered) possessions was like attempting to sever a limb from his body. Many of the items had been gifts or extraordinary finds from his travels. It was like a game of chess trying to fit all the pieces together, but eventually we made it work. Moving in with your spouse can be a long hard game of compromise, but here are a few tips to smooth out the process. 1. Purge: Before you start asking your spouse to trash all the items you find atrocious or obsolete, start by taking an inventory of your own belongings. What do you have that you no longer need, use, or even like? What are you holding onto simply because it has significance? Ask your partner for advice on a few unimportant items so that he can see your attempt at c...

This week's trend crush is bar carts. Bar carts are a great summer staple because they are a source of hospitality when you are entertaining. Offering someone a well dressed drink is a great way to make them feel welcome. There are so many options to creating and styling a bar cart. You can DIY or you can mix and match pieces from different places. Here are a few ideas for creating your own.

Happy Friday Luxers! I have made it through my first full week back blogging. If you are having as much fun as I am be sure to follow my blog on bloglovin and check out all my other social media for regular updates. Now on to the pins. Fitness I've always wanted to try aerial fitness. Apparently now you can do your yoga moves midair as well. Food  These salted caramel chocolate cupcakes are perfect for any season. Let's face it if you don't have that bikini body by now you might as well indulge. (I'm kidding, but seriously indulge.) Fashion I can never resist a mini-diva. This look can definitely be modified for us regular size divas. Home I have an obsession with tiny homes, but this is the perfect size for a permanent home if you aren't up for putting yours on wheels. I'm going on a cruise this weekend, so Monday's post may be a bit late. That's if I can pull myself away from the boyfriend who gets back from Guatemala...

Fall is my favorite time of year for two reasons. The clothes and pumpkin! Every year my favorite past time is to visit Bath and Body Works and check out all the new fall scents. This year they featured a pumpkin bucket. An entire bucket filled with pumpkin goodies. I couldn't resist. The bucket contains a pumpkin loofa; one foaming and one deep cleansing hand soap in pumpkin pecan waffles; a body lotion, spray, and body wash in sweet cinnamon pumpkin, and 3 mini candles.  I love this cute little pumpkin loofa. Bath and Body Works never fails on these babies. It's soft and the perfect size for traveling. The foaming hand soap is definitely my favorite. I think I would have preferred getting another fall scent instead of the two different kinds of soaps. This scent has been around for a while, but it's never been my favorite. The pumpkin aspect is really missing. However, I will say the body spray has an interesting spi...

Favorite Organization I usually end up throwing all my phone cases in a drawer. I thought this was a great way to organize and display them. Favorite Eat I'm a bit of a coffeeholic, so I was all over these coffee popsicles. Favorite Beauty These contouring images have been floating around for a while, but I found this one to be the most basic and easy application. Favorite Abode I am a minimalist at heart and my heart swooned when I saw this tiny camper. Perfect for one person or couple with everything you need and nothing you don't. Favorite Nook I love the look of this cozy coffee shop.  To see the original pins and many more visit Morning Lux on Pinterest

This week's trend crush is an amazing office supply company called Poppin. I was immediately drawn to the eye popping colors from this brand, but I also love their simplistic design. Poppin has all the makings of an ultra stylish office. I'm getting ready to go back to work and I've been eyeballing a few things for my desk. I'm in love with the aqua and pink items because it matches my Lilly agenda perfectly. Here are a few of my favorites. Poppin Desk by samantha-k89 featuring home decor You can find Poppin products at Staples and The Container Store. You can also see all the amazing colors and designs on poppin.com

Friday Fault in Our Stars:  I finally saw this movie after finishing the book last week. Many times when a book is made into a film fans have a lot of complaints, but I seriously have none . This adaptation was done so well. Of course they added in a few things to make the movie flow better, but everything was done with meaning and without taking away from the structure of the story. Seriously so fabulous! Bravo John Greene. Saturday Burgerfi:  After a morning run and a visit with my bestie's new baby boy I headed over to Burgerfi for my favorite burger. As far as veggie burgers go this thing is the best! If you'd like to try making your own, try this recipe:  Simple Homemade Veggie Burgers Sunday Trader Joe's:  Central Florida has it's first Trader Joe's and the place is poppin'. The store was smaller than I expected, but had a lot of great offerings. My only complaint was the people. It always amazes me how people give up all social convention...

Redecorating can be a great way to revamp your living space, but it can also help revive your way of life. The bedroom is a window to the soul. It represents a person's personality. Whether wild and edgy or calm and simple there is a décor style for every individual. Expressing that individuality is the best part of the renovation experience. Here are a few examples to help you match your core with the décor. Simplistic You don't need much to make you happy. Neutral colors and romantic furnishings will make you feel right at home in your new abode. Take the opportunity to add some antique pieces and a tiny splash of color.     Modern You are always thinking outside of the box. Your bedroom's dark tones and curves will be enough to make Sofia Vergara jealous.     Edgy You're a little rough around the edges. Bring your wild side into the bedroom with lots of color and unique pieces.     Eclec...

Let's face it my world revolves around coffee. It's mine, and millions of others, drug of choice. Have a bad day? Make it better with coffee. Have a good day? Celebrate with coffee. It's a catalyst for life. For that reason, I've recently been obsessed with coffee bars. I love that you can make coffee a central part of your home. Adding a coffee bar is simple and can minimize the clutter in your kitchen. Here are a few essentials to help you create your own brew station with minimal impact on your wallet. Here's one of my favorites via pinterest.  Here's what you'll need: A small kitchen island, bookcase, dresser, or table: This is a great opportunity to go thrifting. You can also find some great options at overstock stores such as Home Goods and Marshalls. Hooks: Overstock stores have great shelf/hook combos like the one above, or you can just get plain hooks from Home Depot. Just make sure they can hold the weight of your mugs. If ...