Designing A Life Fantastic -

easter eggs

How to Build a Low-Waste Easter Basket Your Kids Will Love

Easter is one of those holidays that sneaks up on you. One minute it’s…

lots of hearts

Classroom Valentine’s Day Ideas That Are Fun, Affordable and Low-Waste

Love it or hate it, Valentine’s Day is still very much a classroom tradition.…

Plitvice Lakes Croatia

Two Days at Plitvice Lakes National Park, Croatia

Croatia had been on my travel wish list for a while, and when we…

Woman with wallet not spending money

Why You Should Try a No-Spend Day—or Month

How It Started I started doing no-spend days before I had kids — mostly…

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I'm Robin; traveler and lifestyle blogger.

I'm on a mission to bring more joy into my life. Follow along as I share travel tips, life hacks, easy sustainability swaps, design inspiration and more.

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easter eggs

How to Build a Low-Waste Easter Basket Your Kids Will Love

March 23, 2026March 24, 2026

Easter is one of those holidays that sneaks up on you. One minute it’s February, and the next you’re throwing stuff in a basket. Here’s the thing: Easter baskets don’t…

lots of hearts

Classroom Valentine’s Day Ideas That Are Fun, Affordable and Low-Waste

February 5, 2026February 5, 2026

Love it or hate it, Valentine’s Day is still very much a classroom tradition. We did them once, in Kindergarten, and making 50 valentines was more stress than fun, and…

Plitvice Lakes Croatia

Two Days at Plitvice Lakes National Park, Croatia

November 24, 2025November 24, 2025

Croatia had been on my travel wish list for a while, and when we finally made it happen, there was one place I knew we had to see: Plitvice Lakes…

Woman with wallet not spending money

Why You Should Try a No-Spend Day—or Month

November 24, 2025November 24, 2025

How It Started I started doing no-spend days before I had kids — mostly as a fun little challenge to help me jump-start my savings. I wasn’t always consistent back…

Plymouth Village

A Family-Friendly Weekend in Plymouth, MA: History, Museums and Harbor Walks

July 17, 2025September 22, 2025

Plymouth, Massachusetts—often called “America’s Hometown”—is a rare mix of living history and seaside charm. From walking the decks of the Mayflower II to chatting with costumed interpreters at Plimoth Patuxet,…

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thejoyfulrobin

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Raising kids & trying not to burn the planet down ✨
On a mission to design a life I’m obsessed with
No perfect vibes, just what works ⬇️

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Jul 9

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To all the parents who say their kids are too little to remember the trip, I say, maybe, but you’ll remember it, won’t you?

If you need more reasons not to wait to travel, here are 3 more:

👉 It builds confidence early. Navigating an airport, trying to order in another language, and figuring out a new city tells them they can handle new things.

👉 Flexibility becomes a skill, not a meltdown trigger. Travel days are long, plans can change, there might not be chicken nuggets on the menu, and that’s okay. They survive.

👉 Travel brings them closer together. Yes, they still fight, but traveling reinforces their bond like a day at the pool never will.

I’ve traveled with my kids through 16 countries and it was never about what they’ll remember. It’s about who they’re becoming while it’s happening. And spending time as a family.

Share this with someone who is hesitant or nervous about traveling with kids.

What if the best time to travel with kids is right now? What questions do you have? Comment below where would you go first.

Hi, I’m Robin 👋 I believe in buying less, buying better, and prioritizing experiences over stuff. And probably eating out more than my bank account would like 😆 Follow along as I document the messy, imperfect journey of buying less, living more and designing a life that feels fantastic.

To all the parents who say their kids are too little to remember the trip, I say, maybe, but you’ll remember it, won’t you?

If you need more reasons not to wait to travel, here are 3 more:

👉 It builds confidence early. Navigating an airport, trying to order in another language, and figuring out a new city tells them they can handle new things.

👉 Flexibility becomes a skill, not a meltdown trigger. Travel days are long, plans can change, there might not be chicken nuggets on the menu, and that’s okay. They survive.

👉 Travel brings them closer together. Yes, they still fight, but traveling reinforces their bond like a day at the pool never will.

I’ve traveled with my kids through 16 countries and it was never about what they’ll remember. It’s about who they’re becoming while it’s happening. And spending time as a family.

Share this with someone who is hesitant or nervous about traveling with kids.

What if the best time to travel with kids is right now? What questions do you have? Comment below where would you go first.

Hi, I’m Robin 👋 I believe in buying less, buying better, and prioritizing experiences over stuff. And probably eating out more than my bank account would like 😆 Follow along as I document the messy, imperfect journey of buying less, living more and designing a life that feels fantastic. ...

1 0

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Jul 8

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To all the parents who say their kids are too little to remember the trip, I say, maybe, but you’ll remember it, won’t you?

If you need more reasons not to wait to travel, here are 3 more:

👉 It builds confidence early. Navigating an airport, trying to order in another language, and figuring out a new city tells them they can handle new things.

👉 Flexibility becomes a skill, not a meltdown trigger. Travel days are long, plans can change, there might not be chicken nuggets on the menu, and that’s okay. They survive.

👉 Travel brings them closer together. Yes, they still fight, but traveling reinforces their bond like a day at the pool never will.

I’ve traveled with my kids through 16 countries and it was never about what they’ll remember. It’s about who they’re becoming while it’s happening. And spending time as a family.

Share this with someone who is hesitant or nervous about traveling with kids.

What if the best time to travel with kids is right now? What questions do you have? Comment below where would you go first.

Hi, I’m Robin 👋 I believe in buying less, buying better, and prioritizing experiences over stuff. And probably eating out more than my bank account would like 😆 Follow along as I document the messy, imperfect journey of buying less, living more and designing a life that feels fantastic.

To all the parents who say their kids are too little to remember the trip, I say, maybe, but you’ll remember it, won’t you?

If you need more reasons not to wait to travel, here are 3 more:

👉 It builds confidence early. Navigating an airport, trying to order in another language, and figuring out a new city tells them they can handle new things.

👉 Flexibility becomes a skill, not a meltdown trigger. Travel days are long, plans can change, there might not be chicken nuggets on the menu, and that’s okay. They survive.

👉 Travel brings them closer together. Yes, they still fight, but traveling reinforces their bond like a day at the pool never will.

I’ve traveled with my kids through 16 countries and it was never about what they’ll remember. It’s about who they’re becoming while it’s happening. And spending time as a family.

Share this with someone who is hesitant or nervous about traveling with kids.

What if the best time to travel with kids is right now? What questions do you have? Comment below where would you go first.

Hi, I’m Robin 👋 I believe in buying less, buying better, and prioritizing experiences over stuff. And probably eating out more than my bank account would like 😆 Follow along as I document the messy, imperfect journey of buying less, living more and designing a life that feels fantastic. ...

3 0

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Jul 7

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These small shifts in how you talk can make all the difference in how your kids think about money.

I put these mindset shifts into my Manifest More Money Guide. Comment GUIDE and I’ll send it to you.

What are you prioritizing right now? How are you instilling good money habits in your kids? 
Hi, I’m Robin 👋 Follow along as I share the messy, imperfect journey of buying less, living more and designing a life that feels fantastic

These small shifts in how you talk can make all the difference in how your kids think about money.

I put these mindset shifts into my Manifest More Money Guide. Comment GUIDE and I’ll send it to you.

What are you prioritizing right now? How are you instilling good money habits in your kids? 
Hi, I’m Robin 👋 Follow along as I share the messy, imperfect journey of buying less, living more and designing a life that feels fantastic ...

1 0

View Instagram post by thejoyfulrobin

Jul 5

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My anxiety and overwhelm are at an all-time high. After the end of school/sports sprint, our apartment is chaos.

Studies show that clutter not only affects your ability to focus and feelings of anxiety, it also steals your time by the amount of effort it takes to manage it all. I want my home to be a place of refuge, a calming oasis. I’m tired of friending my weekends cleaning.

As an experiment, I’m getting rid of 1,000 items to see how it transforms our home and our moods. AND, if I finish before Labor Day, we’ll go out for a fancy dinner in the city. No kids. Where should we go?

Day 1: 44 items removed

If you’d like to do your own summer cleaning, comment 200 and I’ll send you a list of 200 things to start your decluttering journey.

Be sure to share this with your bestie that always complains about their messy home. Life is too short to let our stuff steal our time and energy. No judgement!

Hi, I’m Robin 👋 follow along as I share the messy, imperfect journey of buying less, living more and designing a life that feels fantastic.

My anxiety and overwhelm are at an all-time high. After the end of school/sports sprint, our apartment is chaos.

Studies show that clutter not only affects your ability to focus and feelings of anxiety, it also steals your time by the amount of effort it takes to manage it all. I want my home to be a place of refuge, a calming oasis. I’m tired of friending my weekends cleaning.

As an experiment, I’m getting rid of 1,000 items to see how it transforms our home and our moods. AND, if I finish before Labor Day, we’ll go out for a fancy dinner in the city. No kids. Where should we go?

Day 1: 44 items removed

If you’d like to do your own summer cleaning, comment 200 and I’ll send you a list of 200 things to start your decluttering journey.

Be sure to share this with your bestie that always complains about their messy home. Life is too short to let our stuff steal our time and energy. No judgement!

Hi, I’m Robin 👋 follow along as I share the messy, imperfect journey of buying less, living more and designing a life that feels fantastic. ...

23 0

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