Branded
The Water Channel — Forecast Change Campaign
Large Scale Project
Developed and oversaw the creation of 18 articles and 10 videos as part of a 7+ month long, award-winning campaign to raise awareness of the global water crisis.
Won multiple awards, including:
Third Place for Best Branded Content Project at the WAN IRFA 2020 North American Digital Media Awards
Honorable Mention for Cause Marketing/CSR by PR Daily’s 2020 Digital PR & Social Media Awards
Debunking Myths About Plan B Emergency Contraception
Sponsored by Plan B
If you’ve got questions about Plan B emergency contraception, you’re not alone. Sex Ed was a long time ago. And friends and family can be pretty unreliable. That’s why we’ve partnered with Plan B to debunk some of the common myths about it. So that you have the information you need. Done and done.
Wrote 5 profiles for the Empowered Women’s Campaign with Tory Burch:
Your Guide to Getting STI Meds Online (and Ending Awkward Trips to the Pharmacy)
HIV
Real talk: Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are super common in the United States. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that about 1 in 5 people have an STI.
While treatments can help make certain STIs undetectable or wipe them out altogether, getting those meds can be a bit… awkward.
The uncomfortable reality of chatting with the pharmacist about a prescription for an STI (one of the “most tabooed diseases”) while within earshot of nosy shoppers at the drugstore is enough to make some people avoid treatment altogether. (We’re cringing just thinking about it.)
But we have some good news: You can skip that unpleasant trip to the pharmacy and instead get your STI meds delivered right to your home. That way, no one (except your doctor) has to know you’re taking them.
The Daily Skimm
November 16, 2020
Oct. 26: Press Pause
Newsletter
Instant Pot recipes, Life-Changing Tech Gadgets, and More
This week's picks coming in 3,2,1…
(All content with * is sponsored content written by Simone)
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The 15 Best Decluttering Products of 2021, According to Experts
Organization
Messy homes can be a big source of stress. One study found that women who felt like they lived in cluttered homes had increased levels of cortisol1 (otherwise known as the stress hormone or “fight-or-flight” hormone). Men who did a lot of cleaning or housework in cluttered homes did, too.
The problem with clutter is that when you have a lot of belongings, it creates extra work for you—whether that’s cleaning up, finding something, or needing to buy new things when you can’t find what you need. So, according to research, when clutter takes over, procrastination sets in2. But when you procrastinate, your never-ending to-do list is always haunting you and making it incredibly difficult to relax or focus.
But the good news is that decluttering can go a long way. An organized, clean home brings you peace of mind because there are fewer distractions, you know where things are when you need them, and you can focus on what you want to—be that work, spending time with family, or something else. There are also lots of great products to help organize your home, but with so much available, people don’t always know what to buy.
To help narrow down your choices, here are the best decluttering products—according to psychologists and experts.
9 Products to Help Improve Your Productivity While Working from Home
Pandemic Life
Since March, many of us have had to give up our desks at the office and stay home.
While the idea of working from home sounds great (who doesn’t like the idea of working in PJs all day?), in reality it’s actually really tough — especially during a pandemic when working from home wasn’t something most of us chose to do willingly.
“Initially, it felt good to be home and have more time,” says Cristina Castagnini, a California licensed psychologist. “It gave us a false sense that we were in control of how we spent our time and our days. Over time, we are now realizing that we are absolutely not in control.”
“[We] may still be home, but now it is not a choice. It is told to us. We have no control over it,” she continues. “The more out of control we feel in our lives, the more likely we are to experience depression, [and] one of the symptoms of depression is lack of concentration.”
There are also distractions galore at home.
Finding the best camping tenT doesn't have to be a struggle
Camping
It only takes one bad storm to make you realize the importance of a good tent while camping. Seriously. When the rain starts pelting the side of your tent or a big gush of wind blows so hard that the whole side caves in, you’ll wish you took the time to pick a good tent, not just the first one you saw on the endcap of a store aisle.
That said, there’s a lot more that goes into picking a good tent than you might think. Simply buying an expensive one at a sporting goods store doesn’t mean it’s the right tent for you.
Best Gifts for New Moms
Parents
From the moment that she learns she’s expecting to the moment the baby is born, being a new mom is an incredibly exciting and eventful time. There’s lots to buy and prepare for before baby arrives. Then when baby finally arrives, there’s lots and lots to do all the time. And as ‘in-love’ with baby as mom is, it’s sometimes easy to feel overwhelmed by how much life has changed.
This is why caring friends and family are always looking for little ways to let mom know that she’s appreciated and doing a great job. So if you’re looking for some great gifts to do just that, here are 10 ideas that we recommend.
Best Self-Help Books for Men
Products for Men
We live in an age where the ideas of “self-care” and “self-improvement” are widely embraced. Self-help is a big business in the United States, valued at $11 billion, which means that there is no shortage of resources to help you. Just type in “self-help books for men” on Amazon and you’ll be greeted with over 50,000 results. Even if you’re old-school and decide to look at your local bookstore in the hopes of finding a more curated collection, you'll still be greeted by hundreds of glossy book covers in the self-help aisle, all offering advice on how to find true love, get rich, find your passion, or be a kinder, more compassionate person.
Self-help books can genuinely help you, especially when they are well-written by knowledgeable authors. Buying a book can also be a lot cheaper than therapy, and according to one study, these kinds of books can sometimes recreate the same kind of relationship you could have with a therapist to drive change.
Traditional Anniversary Gifts for Every year of marriage (Years 1 to 10)
Weddings
No one knows for sure when the idea of giving gifts made of particular materials for each specific anniversary really began. Some say the earliest traces of the tradition go back as far as Ancient Rome or medieval Germany, while others claim it either didn’t really start until the Victorian era or that it had roots in German and Dutch early 19th century traditions. What is sure is that the 1859 edition of The Farmer’s Almanac counted off length of marriage in the following way: “One month from marriage makes a sugar wedding; one year makes a paper wedding; five years, a wooden wedding; 10 years, a tin wedding…” and so on.
Today, these traditional gifts have become a fun way for couples to get creative with their gift-giving by trying to find something that they know their partner will love—while still sticking to the “rules.” That’s why we’ve put together our suggestions to help you find the perfect gift for each year of your first decade of marriage.
The 8 Best Indoor Water Fountains of 2021, According to Feng Shui Experts
Self-Improvement
If you're looking for ways to increase your relaxation at home, consider adding an indoor water fountain to your space. The sound of trickling or falling water is a peaceful, serene sound that can help you relax. If you listen to the sound, especially while meditating, it can also help you release any tension or stress you may hold onto.
Water fountains have also been traditionally used in Feng Shui, the ancient Chinese art of arranging living spaces, as a way to change the energy in your home. “Feng Shui loves a water fountain because it is a triple-win remedy,” says Amanda Giddy Peters, Feng Shui expert and founder of Simple Shui. “A fountain adds water (prosperity), movement (energy flow), and sound (a chi, or life force energy, enhancer) to a space.”
There are lots of quality water fountains available on the market to help you create a relaxing room in your home, whether that’s your bedroom, your office, your living room, or even your entryway. “It can change the tone and feeling of a [home] environment,” says Anjie Cho, architect and Feng Shui educator. “It can be relaxing, especially for some people who are really attuned to sound.”
Here are the best indoor water fountains, according to Feng Shui experts.
Best Wedding Gifts to Add to your registry
weddings
Sure, making a registry can be fun. After all, who doesn’t like making a wishlist of all the items that you have ever wanted to buy but never had enough money or time to do so? But let’s face it, your registry needs to be more than just a wish-list. It’s there to help you and your spouse set up your new home together — and that means there has to be lots of practical items that are lot more useful than the pretty vase you’ve been eyeing in the window on your walk to work.
So, we’ve put together this list of useful gifts that you both want and need in your new home — and don’t worry, they’re far from boring.
Best Cheap Smartwatches: Who Said a Great Smartwatch Had to Be Expensive?
Tech
Ever since Apple released its very first Apple Watch in 2015, smartwatch ownership has taken off. It’s not just for the tech-obsessed.
Luckily, though (for those of us who don’t want to drop upwards of $399 dollars on the latest Apple model), that soaring popularity also means that we now have options. As the technology has advanced, smartwatches have continued to drop in price, without sacrificing the quality. In fact, now you can find sleek and slim options you will actually like the look of (just like you did with your old timepiece).