5 Reasons to Buy a Kindle

I'd always been adamant about not getting an e-reader.  I like my books hardbound and heavy, thank you very much. But as the years have passed, I've watched most of my friends jump aboard the e-reader train. They raved about the convenience factor - the ability to carry hundreds of books with you at once is pretty incredible.  I mean, it's almost like having an Undetectable Extension charm for your personal library, right? 

But a Kindle is about more than the convenience factor; there are also Kindle Daily Deals. Incredible books on sale for less than a cup of coffee! I found myself snatching some of those deals up, even before I  owned  a Kindle. 

I tried to get by with the Kindle app on my iPhone, but it is rather difficult to really relax and read on the iPhone. There are too many other things going on - Candy Crush levels to be beat, Facebook notifications coming in, emails to check. I couldn't stay focused. So I finally broke down and got a Kindle Paperwhite. (I actually got the exact same version that's shown below.)

I went with the Paperwhite because it is exclusively for reading. The Kindle Fire does a lot more (games, web, movies, etc) and I could see if you had kids it may be a better option. But for me, I wanted something that was a plain and simple e-reader. I didn't want to be able to check my email or play games. I just wanted to read.

Since buying my Paperwhite I've built up quite a collection of books. I love all the daily deals Amazon offers, but there are also always sales going on. If you don't want to have to look yourself, follow Modern Mrs Darcy on social media - she is always sharing her finds! It is definitely nice to have so many books at my fingertips, but I gotta say, it isn't quite the same as reading a physical book. It's easy to highlight and bookmark in the Kindle, but it is much less satisfying!

That being said, I still think you should you consider buying a Kindle. 

Here are 5 reasons why:

1. Kindle Deals are awesome. I've bought some brand new bestsellers (Girl on the Train, Not That Kind of Girl) for less than $5
2. Convenience can't be matched. Instead of hauling a hardback book around with me, I can keep my little Kindle in my purse and pull it out on my lunch break. 
3. It's easy on the eyes. Literally. You can adjust the brightness of the screen, making it easy to read in the dark without bothering anyone. 
4. Long battery life. I can go weeks without charging my Kindle, unlike my iPhone which seems to constantly need to be plugged in.
5. You'll read more. Really, you will. When you have that handy little library around you, you'll find yourself reading it at times you otherwise might have done something else.

I've had my Kindle over a year now and I still love it. No, the Kindle will never fully replace physical books for me. I will always have bookcases filled with the works of Dickens, Austen, and Rowling. But the Kindle is a wonderful supplement to my book collection!  (And just a heads up if you do wanna buy one: head over to Amazon right now because all versions are on sale.)

No, this post isn't sponsored. I just really love my Kindle. However, it does contain affiliate links. If you're interested in something, please click through and help support Mrs Robbins Sparkles!

When I Grow Up: Becoming a Landscape Architect

Hey guys! Today I'm happy to introduce you to a career I had never even heard of before: landscape architect. Jill Brown, of Brown, green, & more, is a landscape architect with her own company. I'll let her tell you more about it now. 

As a child, I wanted to be a ­Landscape architect when I grew up.

How close (or far) is your current career from that dream? It’s right on.

What is your official job title? Landscape Architect, Sustainability/Permaculture Consultant but I usually go by Your Landscape Coach. 

Ok, now what does that really mean? I do online and in person Landscape design for homeowners. I help others create their ideal landscape. So they can entertain their friends, relax in their garden, grown their own food, play with their kids, and build relationships with their neighbors. 

See a few of Jill's designs below!

What is a typical day like? I've got 3 kiddos so no day is typical but I'm usually at my desk by nine am. At this point I have 2 hours before I have to pick up my 4 year old from his half-day Pre K program. Those two hours are usually spent in client meetings or at my desk designing. I spend the afternoon answering emails and writing for report work or my blog. Three-thirty comes too soon and it is off to pick up kiddos, run any errands, make dinner, and put kiddos in bed. I spend a few hours a night responding and updating social media, and working on AutoCadd/Photoshop design work. The last thing I do at night is prepare for the next day.

How did you end up in this career? One of my first school science projects was on composting, in high school I spent my winter breaks tying Christmas trees together for use in gulf coast restoration, and in college I took an interest in land art in my free time. I’ve always been intrigued by how people work with the environment; it’s why I became a Landscape Architect. It’s intertwined into all I do. At home I’m raising three creative and energetic boys in our solar powered home with our small vegetable garden, and native landscape watered by our rain water and grey water collection systems. Sustainable design, it’s just how I think.  It also helps that I was exposed to the profession from an early age through my father who just retired after 30 years in the profession.

What kind of education or training did you complete for this career? Bachelors of Landscape Architecture (BLA) at Louisiana State University, LA license in the State of NM, LEED certified professional, Permaculture certification, 15 years’ experience and a lifetime of exposure from my father.

What advice would you give to someone who wants a similar career?It’s the perfect career for someone who loves the outdoors. Spent time exploring the natural world, the people and how we interact with it. I truly feel the Permaculture design motto sums it up, “care of the earth and its people.” If that’s important to you then Landscape Architecture will be a good fit.

Do you have any other career dreams? What do you want to be when you grow up? I’m 100% happy with my career. More importantly I enjoy being a business owner. My dreams are to create products and services to help those struggling with their yards be able to confidently design something they enjoy spending time in.

Any last thoughts or encouragement for others trying to decide what they want to do "when they grow up"? It's super important to just love what you do and to take action to make your goals come true.

You can find Jill over at yourlandscapecoach.com blogging about Living Outdoors,  Sustainable Design, Places to Play and Building Community. She helps you create your ideal landscape. 

Thanks again for being a part of this series, Jill! I loved learning about Landscape Architecture :) 

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sst – if you have been reading this When I Grow Up series and feel utterly confused about what you really want to be doing with your life, check out the StrengthsFinder 2.0 book. I’ve been working my way through the results for the past week and it has been a huge help. I’ve got some plans for it down the road, but if you want to be in on the ground floor, check it out! And check out some of the older careers posts in the When I Grow Up series while you're here.

This post contains affiliate links. If you're interested in something, please click through and help support Mrs Robbins Sparkles!

After the Purge: What to Do With all Those Clothes

I talked about my closet purge last week, but I didn't tell you what happened with all the clothes I got rid of. 

That's what the back of my SUV looks like right now. About half of the bags and boxes are going straight to Goodwill. The other half are going to a local consignment shop to be checked out. The white and green thredUP bags are headed to FedEx to be shipped to thredUP, an online consignment shop. 

Let's talk about those three options. Goodwill is the easiest, of course. There are drop off locations all over the place. You can just leave the bags there and you're done! Of course, you don't get any money from your clothes. You are simply donating them, with the option of getting a tax deduction out of it. (If you don't itemize your taxes, there is zero benefit from this option. Except for knowing that you might be helping out some people in need. Which is awesome, but doesn't help you financially.) But the best thing about Goodwill is that they accept pretty much everything. I'm donating a bag full of underthings - panties and bras that I bought but never (or rarely) wore. Don't be gross and give them super used things, but if you have gently used clothes of any kind, Goodwill is a great option. 

Local consignment shops are another option, but they can be a bit of pain to deal with sometimes. You have to haul your clothes in and wait while they sort through each piece and decide if it is something they want to sell. I've only tried this one before with minimal luck, but I'm giving it another shot for the items that thredUP doesn't accept. Which leads me to thredUP...

thredUP is actually an easier option than local consignment shops because you can find out exactly what they accept. They have a clothing calculator that is super useful. You simply look up the brand name of the clothes (if it isn't in the list, thredUP doesn't accept it) and then choose which categories. Tops, bottoms, shoes, handbags, etc. Then a price range will appear to give you an idea of how much you would get for that item. 

You may have noticed the statement below the price range. Depending on the item, thredUP may pay you upfront or they may hold payment until the item sells. Most items I plan on selling through them qualify for upfront payment, which is super nice because it means I'll get money immediately for clothes I will never wear again! If you send something that thredUP doesn't accept for some reason or another, they will simply donate the clothes for you. Or you can choose to have them send those items back to you. It is totally free to order a Clean Out bag so you have nothing to lose! (However, if you do want to have the items not accepted sent back to you, it will cost you $12.99 for shipping.) If you live locally I can totally hook you up with a Clean Out bag. Just leave a comment below :)

So those are the three options. If you have any more ideas about how to get rid of your clothes (other than simply throwing them out), let me know! 

PS: You can also buy clothes from thredUP. If you follow me on social media you'll know I've ordered a few things recently. They haven't come in yet, but once they do I'll let you know how it went. If you want to give them a try, use this link to get $10 towards your first order.  

Full disclosure: I'm now a brand ambassador for thredUP. But I was planning on writing this post long before they contacted me about the opportunity, so I promise that what I'm writing is entirely my own opinion :)