These "year in review" posts have become my favourite entries on the blog. I love that they allow me to reflect back on my accomplishments, milestones and blessings throughout the year. These reflections are so important, not just for personal growth and awareness, but also for my mental health. Every time I finish one of these entries, I'm amazed at how much I actually accomplished despite feeling the opposite the entire year. They make me feel good about myself and not lose sight of the things I have earned.

The greatest achievement and milestone of this year is that we bought a new house. And with that, we also sold our first home after 7 years of living in it. It was a bittersweet moment to say goodbye to our home, our neighbours and friends we met in this neighbourhood. Lots of fond memories and firsts in this little townhouse. I still remember vividly when we brought Justice home, how Will surprised me with a proposal, the barbecues we had at our backyard, and all the cozy nights chilling as a family of 3. It's time to move on and I'm looking forward to making our new house a home after renovations.

The renos have started almost immediately after we closed our house. We'll be replacing the flooring, getting a custom-built kitchen and also redoing our main ensuite bathroom. All to be completed in the New Year by end of January (fingers crossed!). This is my second major renovation (the first one was the one I helped with at my parent's, you can read about it, here) and I'm really excited about it. I'll be sure to share all the details as the journey goes, follow along on my IG stories or #TingsRenoThings.

But for now, let's recap what I've shared in 2022.

A Year in Review:

HOME

1. How to Make Your House a Home
2. How to Fund Your Home Transformation
3. Living Room Interior Design Tips
4. 3 Reasons Why Creating a Home Office is Worthwhile
5. Interior Design Trends in 2022
   
   

LIFESTYLE

1. All You Need to Know About This 5-Star Luxury Go Place Spa
2. 3 Fun Alternative Activities for the Whole Family to Enjoy
3. Self-Care 101: 3 Ways to Look After Yourself
4. Supplements to Help Overall Health and Promote Healthy Aging

FASHION/BEAUTY

1. Day and Night Spring Fragrances to Add to Your Beauty Routine
2. Comfort or Style? Top Fashion That Offer Both for Busy Moms
3. 7 Winter Hair Care Tips for Women
4. Tips and Tricks For a Glow Up on a Budget
5. SheIn Spring/Summer Haul Try-On Review 

MOTHERHOOD

1. 5 Things to do to Keep Your Kids Busy
2. 4 Benefits of Crafting With Kids and Crafts Kids Will Love
3. Comfy and Stylish Fashions For Busy Moms
4. 9 Things to do Before Baby 2 Arrives
5. How to Make Pregnancy Stress-free
   
   

FOOD

1. How to Make a Holiday Charcuterie/Cheese Board
2. 5-Minutes Mooncake Made From Bread! (Mid-Autumn Festival)
3. 7 Baking Ideas for When You Don't Know What to Bake

DIY/TUTORIAL

1. DIY Pocky Halloween Costume
2. DIY Baby Portrait Rubber Stamp
3. Easy Summer Wreath Refresh
4. Justice's Two Fast Birthday Party
   
   

TRAVEL

1. 5 Made-in-Italy Fashion Items to Bring Home
2. 5 Non-Leisure Reasons to Travel
3. How to Really Relax on Vacation
4. Packing Essentials for Your Next Trip
5. Housesitting: An Affordable Way For Extended Honeymoons

I can't believe 2022 is already here! Looking back, it feels like I didn't accomplish much the past year with the pandemic and Omicron variant still going strong. I know it might seem like we were never able to see light at the end of the tunnel. But on a positive note, there was still a lot to be thankful for. I was able to see my friends and family a lot more in 2021 compared to the previous year. I was able to take Justice out more often for some basic childhood activities after the lockdown was over. I got to celebrate my grandmother's 94th birthday when dine-in was allowed. Despite being a small, intimate celebration, she was happy she could see the people she cared for. And seeing her happy is one of my greatest joys.

I've returned to work in Fall from my maternity leave. There was a lot of uncertainty returning to work but thankfully, the transition back to work was relatively smooth and manageable. I'm lucky that Will was able to help out and look after Justice in the morning while I work. I also got accepted to a new job just before the holidays. It was something I wanted to pursue before I had Justice and now I have a second chance. I'm most excited about the new year because now I have a new job to look forward to.

Sales from my Etsy shop hit an all-time high. 2021 was the best year yet since launch. And I'm super thankful for all your support!

I hope you too were able to find things to be thankful for no matter how small they are. Let's hope that 2022 will be a better year!

Here's a recap of my posts from 2021.

Family matching pyjamas from Iffei

A Year in Review:

HOME

1. 7 Ways to Decorate You Home for Winter
2. Cute Ways to Improve Your Small Kitchen
3. 6 Ways to Introduce Farmhouse Design to Your Home
4. Useful Home Improvements that Make Your Life Easier

LIFESTYLE

1. Yoga Keep Us Healthy During Pandemic
2. 5 Tips to Look After Your Teeth
3. Inspo for Hosting an Intimate Wedding
4. 6 Deep Cleaning Tips for Your Home
5. How to Cut Down on Your Electricity Bills This Spring
6. Quirky Ways to Repurpose Your Old Possessions
7. Easy Ways to Keep on Top of Your Bathroom Cleaning
8. 6 Ways to Get Your Family Fit and Healthy This Fall
9. Heartfelt Personalized Christmas Gift Idea From Hooray Heroes

MOTHERHOOD

1. Justice's Superhero First Birthday Party
2. 7 Ways Friends and Family Can Lend New Parents a Hand
3. Personalized Gift Ideas for Parents and Children
4. How to Baby Proof Your Home
5. Nursery Room Update
6. Easiest Way to Holiday Shop For Your Children

TRAVEL

1. Weekend Getaway to Florence
2. Top Tips to Avoid Dehydration When You Go on Holiday
3. 5 Tasks to Do Before Road Trip
4. 7 Simple Hacks to Make Traveling Easier

DIY/TUTORIAL

1. DIY Christmas Holiday Shaker Cards
2. Love is in the Air Papercut Valentine's Day Card
3. DIY Stamped Christmas Wrapping Paper
4. DIY Yarn-Wrapped Letter Ornaments
5. 5 DIY Ideas for Valentine's Day
6. Easter Bunny Hot Chocolate Bombs
7. DIY Superhero First Birthday Party
8. Best Mom Ever Papercut Mother's Day Card

FASHION

1. A Guide to Looking Fabulous for Summer
2. Pink Tropical Family Matching Swimwear

FOOD

1. Recipe: Fiery Bulgogi Kimchi Burger

We made it to the end of this crumbly year! 2020 definitely didn’t turn out the way we all hoped. This was the year that we realized what really matters and what we took for granted. The highlight for me is definitely the arrival of our child, Justice! I’m so thankful to have him in my life and made 2020 a special one.

Looking back this past year, there were so many hidden positives:

• Welcoming Justice
• A safe and smooth delivery during the peak time of a pandemic
• Extra time spent together as a family of 3
• More time at home made me focus on how to become a better parent
• Saved extra money since no travelling plans and no entertainment to spend on
• The love and support I had for my side hustle
• Opportunities to work with some amazing brands and collaborations 

I’m very blessed to have my family and friends and gave me the support when I needed. I hope despite this challenging year, you were able to find little things to be thankful for.

Let's look towards a hopeful 2021!

Here's a recap of all the posts and my most popular Instagram posts from 2020. I didn't realize I had the most DIY posts published compared to previous years! Staying home really got my creative juice flowing. 

Top Nine 2020

Let's be friends on IG @tingandthings_

A Year in Review:

TRAVEL POSTS

1. 9 Destinations for the Young at Heart That Are Not on The Average TripAdvisor List
2. A Guide to Sightseeing in Abu Dhabi

FOOD

1. From Microwave Mealer to Top Chef
2. Pineapple Popsicle Bites
3. 7 Food Art Ideas to Try at Home
4. Easy Baby Sensory Toy From Dollar Store

FASHION

1. How to Find Your Personal Style and the Importance of It
2. How to Look Stylish During Pregnancy
3. A Guide to Styling Stripes with Accessories
4. Dress Your Body in the Perfect Dress
5. Things to Know About Moissanites - The New Diamonds

DIY/TUTORIAL POSTS

1. DIY Hanging Wall Banner
2. Baby Gender Reveal Party (DIY Party Decor)
3. How to Make a Rainbow Wall Hanging
4. Party Like a Golden Pineapple! (DIY Party Decor)
5. Tropical Balloon Garland Arc Tutorial
6. DIY Christmas Letter Garland
7. DIY Paper Cutout Christmas Holiday Cards
8. How I turned My Baby into A Cup Noodles This Halloween
9. DIY Sushi Baby Halloween Costume
10. Fall Cotton Rope Wreath DIY
11. Thanksgiving Faux Calligraphy Wall Art
12. Gold Foiling on Seasons Greeting Cards
13. Sleigh This Holiday With These 7 DIY Gift Ideas
    
    

LIFESTYLE

1. Choosing Your Flowers to Give on Valentine's Day
2. Best Peel Treatments To Improve Your Skin
3. Things to Know About Postpartum Exercise
4. 6 Tips to Help Your Kitchen Renovation
5. Baby It's Cold Outside: Glowy Skin Tips and Tricks

And of course, a new section,

MOTHERHOOD

1. Pregnancy Journal: First Trimester (Week 1-13)
2. Pregnancy Journal: Second Trimester (Week 14-27)
3. Ways We Saved Money on Baby Stuffs
4. Pregnancy Journal: Third Trimester (Week 28-36)
5. Tips to Maintain Your Mental Health After Baby
6. Ways to Celebrate Your First Mother's Day With Baby
7. Welcome Baby: Bun is Out of the Oven!
8. Our Baby Nursery Room Reveal
9. A Brief Guide For Preparing for a Baby

Thank you for your ongoing support! It means the world to me. Have yourself a Happy New Year!