Blog - Alison's Notebook

Six mismatched ceramic coffee mugs in different colors and patterns arranged on a worn wooden kitchen table, with a stack of papers and a bowl nearby.

What to Do with All the Coffee Mugs You’ve Collected Over the Years

I opened my kitchen cabinet one morning and a mug nearly fell out on me. I caught it just in time. And when I really looked at that shelf, I …

A cardboard box crammed with old mismatched gold and silver trophies of various heights, some with figurines on top and two-handled cups, tarnished and dusty

What to Do with Trophies, Plaques, and Awards Nobody Displays Anymore

Somewhere in most homes, there’s a box of trophies. Maybe it’s in the attic, or the back of a closet, or down in the basement. Bowling trophies, a plaque from …

Worn cardboard boxes stacked on basement shelves with old floral china plates and a teacup in an open box on top

Does Keeping Their Things Really Keep the People We Lost?

There are three generations of dishes in my basement. My mother’s good china. My aunt Ruth’s everyday plates, the ones with the little blue flowers. A full set from my …

A middle-aged woman with shoulder-length brown hair wearing a chocolate brown wool coat, cream sweater, and burgundy scarf in a sunlit autumn park.

Fall 2026 Fashion Trends And How To Wear Them (Style Beyond Age)

Seven fall 2026 fashion trends worth wearing, and how to try each without a new wardrobe. The warm colors, coats, and knits that flatter and last.

A lived-in living room mid-declutter with belongings sorted into small piles and a half-full donation box, showing how to decide what to keep when decluttering

This Odd Little Method Helped Me Finally Decide What to Keep

Last month I set aside a whole Saturday to declutter my living room. I had trash bags, a donation box, and every intention of getting it done. Four hours later, …

Woman in her seventies with short silver hair wearing an untucked cream overblouse, a deep teal silk scarf, and camel straight-leg trousers, standing in a bright living room

10 Fashion Mistakes Over 70 And Their Fixes (Look Pulled Together Again)

As we grow older, our style changes. No surprise there. But what catches most of us off guard is that it keeps changing after 60. The seventies bring shifts of …

A small stack of neatly folded shirts on a bed with a warm mustard-yellow quilt, an open drawer nearby, and a green plant on the windowsill in bright daylight

I Know Humming While Decluttering Sounded Silly. But Then It Worked.

I’ll be honest with you. When I first heard that humming could help you declutter, I rolled my eyes. Humming? Like a little song while I clean out a closet? …

A slightly dusty white bread machine sitting alone on a wooden cabinet shelf against a warm terracotta wall in soft daylight

When You’ve Outgrown the Things You Used to Love (My Decluttering Story)

Have you ever picked up something in your own home and thought, why in the world did I buy this? Not because it’s broken or worn out. But because it …

A scratched clear plastic container with no lid on the edge of an open black trash bag, with a sage-green counter and warm wood cabinet behind it in soft daylight

What If I Regret Throwing This Away?

Decluttering was never hard for me because I loved my things too much. It was hard because I was scared. Scared that the minute I let something go, I’d need …

Nobody Warned Me That Decluttering Gets Harder When Your Body Hurts

There’s a difference between not wanting to declutter and not being able to. For years I thought having a messy room was a motivation problem. But it’s not. There was …

Thank you for showing quality clothes on a beautiful model.

Beautiful put together. Need more ideas when buying clothe .may also help to save money as sometimes I buy things…

In almost all the images shown I thought the clothes that were marked with an x looked more attractive and…

Love the outfits on the older lady, does she have a site?

Thank you for posting pictures of real, age appropriate women, not skinny 30 somethings.