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Designing a Life Fantastic

Designing A Life Fantastic

  • 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.…

    read more
  • 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…

    read more
  • 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…

    read more
  • Plymouth Village

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

    Plymouth, Massachusetts—often called “America’s Hometown”—is a rare mix of living history and seaside charm.…

    read more

Welcome!

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.

get to know me!

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Wellness

Lifestyle

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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…

read article
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…

read article
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…

read article
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,…

read article
cluttered messy kitchen

20 Ways to Declutter Your Home to Transform Your Space (and Your Mind!)

June 14, 2025November 24, 2025

If you are feeling overwhelmed by clutter but don’t know where to start, you’re not alone. I've been actively decluttering my home for the last six months, and I'm already…

read article
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Meet Robin!

World traveler, twin mom, concert t-shirt wearing novice chef ready to break out of my boring life and to design a life fantastic.

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  • lots of hearts

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

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thejoyfulrobin

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Show up as you are, leave better than you came
Opting you out of perfection & into presence 🤍
📍Live from NYC
If it’s here, it’s worth it ⬇️

thejoyfulrobin

View Instagram post by thejoyfulrobin

Feb 6

Open post by thejoyfulrobin with ID 17961425799019925
If you’ve been here a hot minute, you probably know how I feel about all the little toys and totchkes that come home from school, clutter up the house, and either break or are discarded in a week. BUT, I realize I’m in the minority, and maybe some of you are looking for Valentine’s Day ideas to send to school that won’t end up in the trash can. 

I found 20 great classroom valentines, some of which we own personally and love (the robots are a top fav!). The ones that we don’t own, I read the reviews to check for quality (aka won’t break in your kid’s hands). Comment heart and I’ll send you the full list. 

Are you team school valentines or nay? I’d love to know if I’m not alone 😆 

 #valentines

If you’ve been here a hot minute, you probably know how I feel about all the little toys and totchkes that come home from school, clutter up the house, and either break or are discarded in a week. BUT, I realize I’m in the minority, and maybe some of you are looking for Valentine’s Day ideas to send to school that won’t end up in the trash can.

I found 20 great classroom valentines, some of which we own personally and love (the robots are a top fav!). The ones that we don’t own, I read the reviews to check for quality (aka won’t break in your kid’s hands). Comment heart and I’ll send you the full list.

Are you team school valentines or nay? I’d love to know if I’m not alone 😆

#valentines
...

2 0

thejoyfulrobin

View Instagram post by thejoyfulrobin

Feb 3

Open post by thejoyfulrobin with ID 17907241752343667
One of the simplest money habits we use has nothing to do with budgets or spreadsheets.

When my kids want to spend their allowance, I don’t say no. I ask one question:
“That’s [time period] of allowance. Is it worth it?”
For example: “That toy is $20. That’s two weeks of allowance. Is it worth it?”

I started asking myself the same thing, and it completely changed my spending habits. Once you frame the cost of something into the number of hours you need to work to pay for it, your money mindset shifts fast.

If you’re trying to be more aware of your spending or save money without feeling restricted, this question is a game changer.

👉 Follow for easy money habits that make saving feel effortless
👉 Share this with someone trying to save money right now

Hi, I’m Robin 👋 I encourage moms to shop mindfully and find joy in everyday adventures. If you believe in buying less, buying better, and prioritizing experiences over stuff, let’s be friends.

#moneymonday #savingmoney #teachkidsmoney

One of the simplest money habits we use has nothing to do with budgets or spreadsheets.

When my kids want to spend their allowance, I don’t say no. I ask one question:
“That’s [time period] of allowance. Is it worth it?”
For example: “That toy is $20. That’s two weeks of allowance. Is it worth it?”

I started asking myself the same thing, and it completely changed my spending habits. Once you frame the cost of something into the number of hours you need to work to pay for it, your money mindset shifts fast.

If you’re trying to be more aware of your spending or save money without feeling restricted, this question is a game changer.

👉 Follow for easy money habits that make saving feel effortless
👉 Share this with someone trying to save money right now

Hi, I’m Robin 👋 I encourage moms to shop mindfully and find joy in everyday adventures. If you believe in buying less, buying better, and prioritizing experiences over stuff, let’s be friends.

#moneymonday #savingmoney #teachkidsmoney
...

3 0

thejoyfulrobin

View Instagram post by thejoyfulrobin

Feb 3

Open post by thejoyfulrobin with ID 18070313759168805
One of the simplest money habits we use in our house has nothing to do with budgets or spreadsheets.

When my kids want to spend their allowance, I don’t say no. I ask one question:
“That’s [time period] of allowance. Is it worth it?”
For example: “That toy is $20. That’s two weeks of allowance. Is it worth it?”

I started asking myself the same thing, and it completely changed my spending habits. Once you frame the cost of something into the number of hours you need to work to pay for it, your money mindset shifts fast.

If you’re trying to be more aware of your spending or save money without feeling restricted, this question is a game changer.

👉 Follow for easy money habits that actually stick
👉 Send this to someone trying to save money right now

Hi, I’m Robin 👋  I encourage moms to live simply, declutter with intention, shop mindfully, and find joy in everyday adventures. If you believe in buying less, buying better, and prioritizing experiences over stuff, let’s be friends. 

#moneymonday #savingmoney #teachkidsmoney

One of the simplest money habits we use in our house has nothing to do with budgets or spreadsheets.

When my kids want to spend their allowance, I don’t say no. I ask one question:
“That’s [time period] of allowance. Is it worth it?”
For example: “That toy is $20. That’s two weeks of allowance. Is it worth it?”

I started asking myself the same thing, and it completely changed my spending habits. Once you frame the cost of something into the number of hours you need to work to pay for it, your money mindset shifts fast.

If you’re trying to be more aware of your spending or save money without feeling restricted, this question is a game changer.

👉 Follow for easy money habits that actually stick
👉 Send this to someone trying to save money right now

Hi, I’m Robin 👋 I encourage moms to live simply, declutter with intention, shop mindfully, and find joy in everyday adventures. If you believe in buying less, buying better, and prioritizing experiences over stuff, let’s be friends.

#moneymonday #savingmoney #teachkidsmoney
...

24 1

thejoyfulrobin

View Instagram post by thejoyfulrobin

Feb 1

Open post by thejoyfulrobin with ID 17894908791404386
This also includes “just because” thrift store purchases. This year I’m adding more color, more sophistication, more joy to my wardrobe. It’s all about dressing for the life you want, not the one you have. What’s on your not-to-wear list for 2026?

Comment “boots” and I’ll send you links 

#dressbetter #findyourstyle #capricornera #alwaysplaydressup

This also includes “just because” thrift store purchases. This year I’m adding more color, more sophistication, more joy to my wardrobe. It’s all about dressing for the life you want, not the one you have. What’s on your not-to-wear list for 2026?

Comment “boots” and I’ll send you links

#dressbetter #findyourstyle #capricornera #alwaysplaydressup
...

7 2
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