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lifestyle

Lifestyle Tips & Tricks

Free (Or REALLY Low Cost} Valentine’s Day Gift Ideas

Because there are plenty of Valentine’s Day Gift Guides out there designed to get you to part with your hard-earned cash, I decided to do something a bit different and offer your guys a list of free Valentine’s Day gift ideas. Each idea is based on one of the Five Love Languages, a book that my husband and I both read before we got married and one that I highly recommend to other couples.

free-valentines-day-gift-ideas-homemade-card

THE LANGUAGE: Words of Affirmation
THE TRANSLATION: A Homemade Valentine’s Day Card

For some folks, receiving compliments and praise are what they value most. So forget Hallmark, and break out the construction paper and lace doilies to write down those sweet little nothings and profess your love! My husband and I started dating when we were a pair of broke college students. We’ve come a long way since then, but some of my most treasured possessions are a box of handmade notes and cards that he gave to me in the early days of our courtship. The one I’m holding above is probably circa 2001’ish, and it still melts my heart to this day!

free-valentines-day-gift-ideas-scrapbook

THE LANGUAGE: Receiving Gifts
THE TRANSLATION: Make a Personalized Scrapbook

Now most of us love gifts – but for some folks, gifts can carry a LOT of weight.  Just remember that gifts don’t have to be expensive or over-the-top, so long as they’re meaningful. And what could be more meaningful than a personalized scrapbook filled with your favorite photographs and memories?! And if you want to start planning for next year’s V-Day, how about journaling just one thought each day for an entire year about why you love the other person? It’ll be a guaranteed page-turner – not to mention a potential tear-jerker.

free-valentines-day-gift-ideas-massage

THE LANGUAGE: Physical Touch
THE TRANSLATION: Give a Candlelit Massage

The physical touch language doesn’t have to be exclusive to the bedroom. As a precursor to other, ahem, extra-curricular activities, spend an extra 30-minutes or so giving an amazing candlelit massage. Better yet, brush up on your technique beforehand by perusing a massage therapy handbook to make sure you’ve got your moves down pat.

free-valentines-day-gift-ideas-chores

THE LANGUAGE: Acts of Service
THE TRANSLATION: Get Out of Chores Free Card

Sometimes the best way to show how much you care is to lend a helping hand. Since offering to take out the trash or sweep the garage doesn’t really scream romantic, a more pleasant way to extend the offer would be to print up a DIY coupon book custom-tailored with your special one’s least favorite chores.

free-valentines-day-gift-ideas-netflix-and-chill

THE LANGUAGE: Quality Time
THE TRANSLATION: Do I really have to explain?!

Ok, this one’s a little toungue-in-cheek, but hear me out. Block out an entire evening with NO distractions… yes, that includes cell phones and computers! Dim the lights, pour some wine, lay out your significant other’s favorite snacks, and fire up an old, romantic movie. What happens next is up to you…

And there you have it folks! Five free or low-cost ways to express how much you care this Valentine’s Day. Enjoy!

Lifestyle Product Reviews

Erin Condren LifePlanner™ Review

This post is brought to you in partnership with Erin Condren LifePlanner™. I received compensation and products for this post, but all views and opinions expressed are my own. Thanks so much for supporting the brands that make this site possible!

Erin Condren LifePlanner Review

True Story: I’m a little bit obsessive when it comes to keeping myself organized. I have to keep my desk clean and clutter-free in order to get any work done, and I’m relentless about checklists, calendars, and spreadsheets. With that being said, when I was invited to do an Erin Condren LifePlanner™ review and attend the the NYC launch party at Dylan’s Candy Bar, I immediately jumped at the chance.

Ever since starting my own business over three years ago, I’ve pretty much done most of my planning digitally – partly because my handwriting rivals that of a kindergarten, but I digress…

As my business has grown, and I’ve set my sights on some longer term goals and more complex projects, I find that there isn’t a substitute for going low-tech and putting pen to paper. I love the visceral and tangible act of writing down my personal and professional goals. It puts me much more in touch with what’s going on than typing on a computer.

Erin Condren LifePlanner Review
Erin Condren LifePlanner Review

Erin Condren LifePlanner Review

Choose the LifePlanner™ That Works for YOU!

If you’ve taken a peek at my Instagram, then you know that I LOVE color! Planning and organizing can sometimes be a daunting task, but just one look at my brightly colored LifePlanner™ immediately puts a smile on my face and puts me in a good headspace for getting to work. The Erin Condren site offers tons of options for customization for your planner cover. I opted to have my name printed on the front, and you can have just your initials added as well. You also get the choice of either a horizontal or vertical layout. Vertical is great if you like to plan your days by time or into sections. I went with a horizontal layout since I mostly rely on my smartphone’s calendar for appointments. I use my planner to keep a general running list of activities I need to accomplish for the day/week/month/year.

Erin Condren LifePlanner Review

Erin Condren LifePlanner Review

Less is More

Yes, I know that half the fun in getting a gorgeous Erin Condren LifePlanner™ is playing with all of the fun stickers and accessories. But when you’re first starting out, I recommend just getting the minimal number of supplies and embellishments until you figure out your planning style. This rule applies especially if you’re prone to procrastination and distractions. I generally take the approach of plan first, add flair later.

Here are the tools I recommend for getting started:

  1. Mini Stylized Sticky Notes
  2. Customizable Event Stickers:
  3. Colorful Dual-Tip Markers (a good ol’ Sharpie also works):
  4. Wet Erase Marker (to write on the inside of LifePlanner™ covers and snap-in dashboards)

Erin Condren LifePlanner Review

Make Time for It

This is probably the most important tip. I schedule at least two planning days in my calendar each month to help me stay on track for my personal life, my business, and my blog. It’s tempting to get distracted and put off planning for later, but I always regret it when I do. If you haven’t prioritized the important things, it’s so easy to fill your days with busy-work that doesn’t help move the needle towards reaching your goals. Luckily, my new Erin Condren LifePlanner™ is so fun that it makes me look forward to not just planning but also celebrating all of the fantastic things going on in my life!

And because sharing is caring the Erin Condren team is offering 15% off your entire order now through July 31st.
Just click this link and use code ‘GETSOCIAL15’.

Happy Planning!

Lifestyle Product Reviews Video

Erin Condren Life Planner, Vintage Finds and MORE {Last Month’s Favorites}

This month, I’m teaming up with Erin Condren and Charming Charlie to share some of my favorite things!

Items Mentioned in this Video:

P.S. Be sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel for weekly videos!