From the Front Porch: The Kindness Edition
Hello from the front porch sweet friends and welcome to The Kindness Edition of this weekly series.
Like many of you, I’ve been following the devastating wildfires in California.
The sentiments continually conveyed through news interviews and the grief over the loss of everything from lives to homes to schools and places of worship to the sense of community and irreplaceable mementos is truly heartbreaking.
I know a lot of us have already donated to our favorite causes as food, shelter, clothing and financial assistance are of the utmost importance right now.
But I also wanted to share another idea in case you have a loved one that ever goes through a fire or natural disaster.
When my Dad was a teenager, his family lost their home and all their belongings in a house fire.
It was a life-changing event that shaped our family for decades.
While it hasn’t been easy given so many items were lost, over the years, my aunt has managed to piece together copies of photos from other family members and compile them in a book for us.
Although the book will never take the place of the original photos or mementos, it has been comforting to know those connection points have not all been lost.
So, if you’re a loved one of someone who’s gone through a natural disaster and lost everything, as you continue to donate and assist, consider compiling a book of photos, memories, recipes, and family stories.
It’s a meaningful way to let someone know you care.

A Few of Our Favorite Posts from Around the Web this Week…
Seasonal Inspiration and Home Tours:
- If you love a well-appointed home without lots of clutter, you’ll love this home tour Third Times a Charm from Kate Marker Interiors.
- If you’re missing warm weather and the beach, you’ll love this tour, Hinton House, from Lola Interiors. It’s really pretty.
- Finally, if you love farmhouse style, you’ll love this post from This Is Glamorous. There are so many beautiful farmhouse inspired ideas and images to explore.
Seasonal Project Ideas:
- Susan from Home with Grace and Joy has a post on How to Preserve and Pass Down Your Family History that would make a great gift.
- Meghan from Wit & Whimsy has an awesome list of things you can do for others in her annual Kindess Campaign post. I keep it bookmarked for the times friends and family need a pick me up and I need an idea.
- Now is a great time to start thinking about Valentine’s Day if you haven’t already. Wendy from WM Design House has lots of inspiration on her blog.
- Speaking of inspiration, have you seen Rachel’s Paper Hearts Garland yet? It would be such a pretty backdrop for hosting brunch for friends and family.
- Anna from Sky Lark House has a great post on Forcing Bulbs in Winter I’m excited to try. They would make a great gift idea too.
Health and Wellness Inspiration:
- 10 Tips to Stay Healthy This Winter (via Life at Bella Terra – Bookmarking Mary’s post filled with so many fabulous tips)
- Dietitians Say This Is the Ideal Time to Eat Dinner (via Real Simple)
- 50 Journaling Prompts for When You Feel Stuck (via Camille Styles)
- 10 Proven Tips to Help Boost Your Mood If You Struggle with SAD (via Glamour)
Makeup, Style and Travel Inspiration:
- How to Get Rid of Under Eye Bags, According to Derms (via Real Simple – Definitely need to try some of these mine have been super puffy lately)
- 4 Things to Do In January to Love Your Style More All Year (via Putting Me Together – This was filled with so many great reminders)
- 13 Beautiful Winter Drives Around the United States (via Travel + Leisure)
If You’ve Missed Anything From the Blog or the Archives Lately, Here’s a Peek At What We’ve Been Up To…
A Simple Office Space for the Bedroom

Easy Greeting Card Organization Ideas

Quick and Easy DIY Brown and White Transferware Platters



You Can Find Last Week’s From the Front Porch: New Year, New You Edition here

Shopping Notes…
**(Amazon affiliate links have been provided for your convenience. As an Amazon and Impact Media Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Any sales made through such links will support us with a small commission at no extra cost to you. You can read our full disclosure policy here)

- Striped Storage Baskets (have, love and use these in multiple closets)
- Valet Tray (a great gift idea for someone who has a streamlined style)
- Drawer Dividers (a budget friendly way to keep your drawers organized)
- Travel Jewelry Organizer (have and love, it’s an easy way to keep your everyday jewelry organized)
- Bamboo Dividers with Inserts (love that you can customize drawer sizes with the additional insert. Some of my drawers are small so I used this size. I’m also waiting on these to come in.)
- Gray Storage Baskets (have, love and use in multiple closets)
- Caddy (my aunt has used a caddy similar to this one for years and still loves it)
- 3 Drawer Organizer (have, love and use them in multiple cabinets that don’t have drawers)
- Book Light (great as an extra light source for reading and stitching too)
- Clear Drawer Organizers (my parents have and love using these in their bathroom vanity drawers)
- Lidded Storage Bins (have, love and use these in our linen closet, plan to use them for sweater storage too)
- Folding Board (my sister has and loves this easy to use board)
- Under Bed Storage Containers (great to use as an off season storage option)
- Kindle Paperwhite (a simple way to keep you TBR list organized)
- Sock and Underwear Organizer (my bestie uses these)
- Cord Keeper (have gifted multiple sizes of these, they’re a nice grab and go option when you’re packing)
That’s all for now! As always, we appreciate you so much and can’t wait to share more with you next week.
Until next time, I’ll see you on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest.Many blessings,
CoCo
Hi 👋 CoCo- Just downing my coffee before heading out the door to work. I know I am behind on reading your posts! Wanted to pop over here and say I love the idea of a Kindness Campaign. Thank you for sharing stories from your personal life. They are always filled with meaning.
Hello, hello, sweet friend. I’ve been thinking about you all week! The Kindness Campaign is so much fun to do. Those posts are all great because they’re filled with lots of ideas and most of them are really easy. Sometimes a friend or loved ones just needs a little pick me up so it’s nice that Meghan has them all compiled. It’s such a simple way to lift someone up! Sending you so many hugs, CoCo
So many wonderful ideas here! Thank you for sharing, and for sharing my post! I’m especially excited to try a simmer pot with coffee!!!
You are so welcome, Susan. One of my favorite things about you is how careful you are to pass down your family’s history to your littles and loved ones. I never got the chance to see any baby pictures of my Dad or his high school diploma or baseball card collection or anything like that because it was all lost in the fire but my aunt was able to get a picture of my Popa that I keep on my desk and I’m so thankful to have it! On a sidenote, you will love the coffee simmer pot. It smells like the bakery in the bookstore! Big hugs, CoCo
CoCo, how sweet of you to share my 10 Wellness tips! It’s that time of year where keeping healthy is important and I appreciate you doing so. Happy New Year and wishing you a healthy, happy and prosperous one.