1) Chiropractor appointment
I had two chiropractor appointments this week, on Monday and Wednesday. I am really happy with the chiro I found—I swear, I always find A+ doctors on ZocDoc. Our first appointment was just a consultation for her to learn about the pain I was experiencing and take some X-rays. On Wednesday, she went through my X-rays with me, talked about a treatment plan, and then gave me my first treatment. The X-rays were so interesting! Here’s what’s going on:
- The bottom of my jaw is misaligned, with the left side lower than my right side
- My neck does not have the right curvature, rather it is fully straight, which causes my head to tilt forward (probably from all the time I spend on my phone? ack)
- My left-side clavicle is a touch higher than my right side
- The left side of my pelvis is higher than my right side and causing the bottom half of my spine to shift out of alignment to accommodate.
- A few of my vertebrae are showing signs of arthritis
All in all, it was not a great result but my chiro was very confident that she can help realign my spine and help stop any further arthritis degeneration from happening. The plan is to go for adjustments three times a week for two weeks, then twice a week for a month, and then once a week for a month. From there, we can do monthly or bimonthly appointments to make sure everything stays in alignment. So this will be a journey for me, but I’m excited about it and to start feeling better.
I had my first adjustment during this Wednesday appointment and she used a tool (she called it a gun) to pinpoint different spots around my neck and back (and bum!) to shoot into and adjust. As someone who asks for the lightest pressure please during massages, the pressure didn’t feel great (almost felt like someone pushing a thumb hard into my skin), but it was doable and the pain didn’t last very long. I’ll be sure to continue to update you guys on this experience and my progress!
2) Closet
After showing off my new closet organizational scheme a few weeks ago, Anne wanted to know more about where my clothes go. And so let’s talk about that! I keep my clothes in two separate locations: my dresser and my closet. (Shocking, I know.)
Here’s the dresser:
When I moved into this apartment, I wanted to find a dresser that could also function as a nightstand, and that’s what this does. I don’t need a ton of space for my clothes, although it’s getting crammed in some of the drawers so it’s probably a good idea to do a clean-out of the space soon. I’d also like to invest in some drawer organization dividers or bins to make things a bit tidier. But that’s a project for another month.
And here’s the closet:
This is the right side of my closet. The left side also has wire shelving that I could use to hang clothes, but hanging clothes from the top rod would cause me to lose some shelf space and hanging clothes from the bottom rod would put them too low to the ground for my liking. Plus, I don’t really need that much closet space! I try to keep things minimal when it comes to my clothes. It helps that I do not live in a climate where I need a totally separate winter wardrobe. I can get by just fine with a handful of long-sleeved shirts, some sweaters, and a jacket or two.
Here are my shirts/dresses (way in the back of the closet, there’s a black scarf holder for my scarfs, but I don’t have a ton of them):
And here’s the “winter” side of my closet (I also keep a few holiday-specific tees in this section):
I’m also ruthless when it comes to culling my clothing. I have a very specific system for what I wear—while the shirts are separated by category (sleeveless tops vs t-shirts vs lounge tops), I always have to use the shirt that is furthest on the right in its category. So, if I want to wear a sleeveless shirt, I’ll go to that section of my closet and pull out the first shirt on the right. (Obviously, if I’m in the mood to wear something specific, I allow myself to do that.) I try to follow this system so I understand that if I keep passing by a shirt, there’s a reason. I probably need to donate it because I don’t love how I feel in it.
3) Air conditioner
My AC broke this weekend! Ugh. Thankfully, it wasn’t super-duper hot outside so it wasn’t unbearable, but I like to keep my apartment icebox cold, so I was very unhappy when the temperature inside my apartment kept creeping higher. (And by higher, I mean 74 degrees, which I know is DOWNRIGHT FRIGID to some of you!) So I called our apartment’s emergency line, even though broken ACs only qualify as emergencies when the weather is 80 degrees. It was in the upper 70s, so I figured we were close enough. Turns out, part of my AC system had iced completely over, causing the issue. The maintenance guy defrosted my system and then did some repairs (I don’t know what they were; I just heard a lot of banging), and voila, it was fixed! I’ve never been happier to be freezing in my apartment.
4) Stitch Fix?
You guys, I am contemplating restarting Stitch Fix. I did it for a little over a year from 2021-2022 and then stopped because I felt like I had gotten what I wanted out of the service and was feeling happy with my closet. But I am once again feeling uninspired by my closet and want to refresh it with some new tops and maybe a summery dress or two. But, ugh, Stitch Fix is so expensive! And it’s so annoying that their styles seem to repeat over and over again. I’m still on the fence about it, but I do miss getting that little box of joy every few months and playing fashion show for you guys!
5) Weekend plans
It’s going to be quite the weekend around here! Today is Lucy’s birthday and we’re celebrating with doggy ice cream and a shopping spree. Yay! Tomorrow, I have my fun book club candle-making and lunch adventure. And Sunday is Easter! I’m writing with Mikaela in the morning and then going out to brunch with my mom and stepdad.
What are your weekend plans? Have you ever been to a chiropractor?
I’ve done chiropractic for my migraines for over 10 years. The first one sent me for X-rays, looking at the cervical spine (what we might call the neck, ha), which showed that my vertebrae hardly moved when I lowered my chin to my chest, when they should be opening up. He worked on that area, and as he described it, he was just getting my spine to function the way it should. It’s made a huge difference, and I go about once a month now to keep things moving. I may go less frequently at some point, since menopause seems to be cutting down on how many headaches I get these days, but so far I have kept it up–don’t rock the boat, you know?
I love hearing about having such a positive experience at the chiro! I don’t get frequent headaches but maybe a few times a month I’ll wake up with one. I always figured it was from grinding my teeth but I wonder if it has something to do with my neck somehow. I’m glad you’re in maintenance mode now!
Your closet is very tidy! I know it is not very “grown up” but I actually used the same kind of bins you have in your closet, the clear ones, but smaller, with no top, to organize my socks and undies and swimsuits and stuff. I know you can get fancy ones from IKEA or whatever as well, but I already had those on hand so I just ended up using them and they worked just fine.
As for your Stich Fix fix, I would suggest maybe just going to the thrift store. You still get the fun of shopping, with the price point of being able to get something and then if you don’t love it, you can donate it back and the joy of a NEW THING! I don’t know how much a SF subscription is but I am guessing you probably can get a lot of items at the thrift store for the price of a month of SF. If you don’t love going in and trying stuff, you could always use ThredUp or something, and they do accept returns, although I think they have a 3.99 restocking fee. Still, it may be cheaper than SF. Having just given a S-load of stuff, good stuff, NEW stuff, to the thrift store, I know you can find awesome things there if you are willing to browse a little.
Kyria, you would be appalled at how expensive Stitch Fix is, lol. If you keep all the items (you get 5 items between shirts and pants and shoes and jewelry), it’s usually around $250 – and that’s with a 25% discount, which you only get if you keep all 5 items. Crazy, right?!
I should go thrifting and see what’s out there! I always feel like there won’t be a huge selection for plus size, but perhaps I’m wrong about that. I just don’t really enjoy shopping in general, which is why I like letting the SF stylists do it for me. But ThredUp could be a good option, too. Thank you!
Man, if I didn’t have to have clothes for four separate seasons, I would have so much closet space!! LOL. Oh, well, your rent is more than my mortgage, so I guess you pay for what you get.
I’ve heard that Stitch Fix is moving to AI stylists more and more, so your first Fix might be done by a real, human, but after that it’s hit or miss. I don’t know what to think about that since a lot of people seem to be fleeing from SF.
Oh, that is very good intel about Stitch Fix. Ugh. I really liked the stylist I worked with previously, so that’s a bummer for all those stylists!
I am glad the chiro could help. I have seen a chiro multiple times. The first time was when I suddenly could not turn my head. I had tweaked something in my neck from years of being a stomach sleeper. Most recently I saw one after I did something to my back after going for a very very very long stroller walk with taco. Turns out pushing 70+ lbs for well over an hour was just too much for my bad. In both cases the chiro got me back to feeling good! I hope for the same for you!
I love seeing how your clothes are arranged. Everyone’s approach can be slightly different. I have built in shelving in our walk in closet and 3 areas for hanging clothes. It’s nice to be able to store the out of season clothes in one area and then swap them in for what is currently hanging in my closet. I have majorly culled my closet in the last couple of months so it looks a bit sparse but over reflects what I want to be wearing in the current season.
Our weekend will be pretty low key. Tomorrow we will go to my MIL’s after nap for an early Easter celebration. Then Sunday we will lay low.
Built-in shelving, now that is the DREAM! It sounds like you have a great system going!
I’m glad to hear you had such a positive chiro experience! I am looking forward to start seeing improvements.
I have never visited a Chiro practicer but once an orthopedic re-adjusted a few things and it felt divine. like my whole body was liquid and rubbery. It didn’t last too long unfortunately. I am excited for you and am looking forward to hearing more about it.
I am not a huge fan of AC and they aren’t a staple in Germany. But when it’s really hot outside I do appreciate them.
Have a wonderful Easter weekend.
I could not live without my AC, but that’s how I have grown up! I would be a lot less dependent on it if it wasn’t typical to have them in our homes here in the US.
I did get a few great pieces from Stitch Fix, but I got so many misses – for example I didn’t want shirts with cutouts or skirts that came about the knee, and it was like they were on a mission to keep sending both of those things to me. Another classic move that they did was if I liked something they would send the same item in a different color the next month. For my part I kept too many things that were “good enough” but not “OMG love it”. So that’s why I stopped getting fixes and have never looked back.
OMG, they did that thing to me IN THE SAME PACKAGE. They sent me two sweaters in different colors, but they were the exact same style. It was so aggravating! I think I have been convinced not to try SF again because I do think their quality/selection has gotten worse and worse.
Oooh I love your closet organization! Here for it! I think I need to do a little closet cleanup, just a little one. I did a really great purge back when we moved but I think I need to just do a little tiny update. There are a few things I’m just not wearing anymore, and someone else could enjoy them, I think. I also just separated out all the bras that don’t fit me anymore.
I’m so glad your chiro appointment got you some answers, even if those answers are a little tricky. I’m sure you’ll be feeling better now that you know where to start!
No AC in Florida! Ahhhhh! That sounds dreadful, says the perimenopausal woman!
One of these days I am going to attack my bra situation. I really wish I could be one of those gen z girlies who go bra-less, but alas, I don’t feel comfortable doing that! lol
No AC in Florida is DREADFUL, yes. The perfect word for it!
I’m intrigued by the devise that your chiropractor uses to help your neck. I’ve been to several chiropractors over the years, and they have always been very helpful. Last year I tweaked my neck (perhaps too much sleeping on my stomach) and at the same time, I read about how there is a very rare but very serious risk with having your neck cracked, and that it can loosen a blood clot if if there is one, and cause a stroke. So I told my chiropractor that I wanted him to help me, without cracking my neck. He wasn’t thrilled by that, but he was able to do it, so that was great. It’s great that they can help you without the risk!
I looked it up and my chiro uses the Activator method and a tool like this: https://www.vitalitymedical.com/activator-v-chiropractic-adjustment-instrument.html
So hopefully I will NOT have a stroke from these adjustments, lol
I am glad you found a good chiro and I hope the appointments help fast!
I am so glad they could fix your AC. Ack!
I can’t recall, did you try other companies when you did Stitch Fix? Like Wannable or w/e it is? I only ask because my last fix was so bad I put them on permanent hold. I asked for something specific before the preview and after the preview and didn’t get it either time. And the stuff I did get was super repetitive. That could just be my experience though!
I hope your weekend was fab! I worked this weekend and chilled 🙂 I have never been to a chiro!
Okay, yours was the comment I was waiting for. (I guess I could have just texted you now that I think about it, ha.) I haven’t tried any other companies! Only Stitch Fix, but it does seem like their quality has decreased dramatically. UGH.
Aw, Happy Birthday to Lucy!!! The weekend sounds really fun.
i go to a sports chiropractor whenever I have an injury- just recently he helped me with my ankle. But I’ve never gone to a regular chiro for adjustments. I know a lot of people have really good experiences though, so hopefully this one will help you.
Yes, one good thing about living in Florida is you really don’t need a ton of closet space. But you DO need AC!!!!! Glad you got yours fixed.
That’s so smart to go to a sports chiro for your ankle issues! You’re so good about stuff like that. I love it!
AC in Florida is a must, must, must. Even in March!
Oh, my gosh, thank you so much! I love how organized it is. And, I think you’re right. I have sweaters for every season – even summer – because I am always cold. (I would die with my a/c that low in the summer – literally would turn in to a purple popsicle.) So that takes up a lot more space.
I also use those storage bins and love them.
This gives me a lot of good ideas, though – thank you!
Next organizing question: I think you have those Y-weave baskets from Target somewhere in your apartment? If yes, do you like them? I have some more storage bins that I am currently using without lids to store bathroom cleaning and laundry stuff. I’d like to use them WITH lids for other stuff – like clothing. If you have those baskets, are they sturdy-ish?
Thank you!
I am not sure what Y-weave baskets are, lol. I did a Google search and it showed me a bunch of different options so I don’t know how to help you with that! The only storage bins I have that have lids, though, are the containers I just got and showed a few weeks ago. The rest of my storage baskets are lid-less.