Organizing Thursday: Maze Wide White Geometric Bookcase
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I’ve talked before about how I use IKEA Expedit shelves to store toys and books, and today I thought we’d feature this fun maze bookcase from Crate & Barrel — specifically from Crate & Kids, which is new (kind of). Land of Nod, which has been owned by Crate & Barrel since 2001, has now become Crate & Kids. This maze-like design is a lot of fun, and the advantage it has is that you can store a lot of things of different sizes and even still use toy storage bins. It’s 47.75″ wide and 32″ high and can be combined with the Tall Maze Bookcase. It’s $399. Maze Wide White Geometric Bookcase
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Sales of note for 5/19/25
(See all of the latest workwear sales at Corporette!)
- Nordstrom – Lots of markdowns on AGL (50%!), Weitzman, Tumi, Frank & Eileen, Zella, Natori, Cole Haan, Boss, Theory, Reiss (coats), Vince, Eileen Fisher, Spanx, and Frame (denim and silk blouses)
- Ann Taylor – 50% off summer-ready styles
- Banana Republic Factory – 50% off everything + extra 20% off
- Eloquii – 50-60% off select styles
- J.Crew – 60% off sale, and 40% off packing picks (prices as marked)
- J.Crew Factory – New arrivals, plus up to 60% off everything plus extra 50% off clearance
- M.M.LaFleur – Daily flash sales, and lots of twill suiting on sale! Try code CORPORETTE15 for 15% off. 5/19’s flash sale: Jardigans down to $175-$209, dresses down to $150, blazers down to $250
- Spanx – Lots of workwear on sale, some up to 70% off
- Talbots – 30% off dresses, skirts, shoes, and accessories
And — here are some of our latest threadjacks of interest – working mom questions asked by the commenters!!
- The concept of “backup care” is so stupid…
- I need tips on managing employees in BigLaw who have to leave for daycare pickup…
- I’m thinking of leaning out to spend more time with my family – how can I find the perfect job for that?
- I’m now a SAHM and my husband needs to step up…
- How can I change my thinking to better recognize some of my husband’s contributions as important, like organizing the shed?
- What are your tips to having a good weekend with kids, especially with little kids? Do you have a set routine or plan?
appx $37K per month income (pretax)
budget:
mortgage: $3200
daycare for two: $3200
housecleaner: $1600
401ks: $4500 (two 401ks and a 403b)
529 contribution for #2: $500 (we were more aggressive with #1 and our advisor told us to stop at $50k)
car payment: $900
various insurances: ~$1200
amazon: ~$800
babysitters, restaurants, groceries: i am afraid to calculate. but a lot.
i get a biglaw bonus each year on top of this which we use for taxes, maxing out (backdoor) roth contributions, usually one big fixed expense (i.e. yard renovation, car down payment), and put the rest if any in pretax savings.
before my loans were paid off, our income was about $19k/month pretax and we spent $4000 per month and all bonuses on my loans. at the time we had no fixed expenses other than rent and a $600 car payment.
To the anon poster from yesterday inquiring about paying off student loans and looking for sample budgets… I posted a very brief breakdown of our monthly household budget on the thread.
I love seeing these things too if others want to share. I often feel like we can’t afford our lives even though we don’t live frivolously. Our daycare bills kill us.
I am leaving on a last minute business trip. Help!
Luckily I have enough frozen breastmilk for my son when I’m gone, but how do I bring home the milk I pump while
I’m away? It is a 6 hour plus flight, in case that matters. I will be gone for four nights.
Thank you!
I just started a new job and everything I do seems to annoy my manager. I wrote last week – it’s a very trying time (we’re undergoing an audit that she’s unexpectedly leading) and so my tasks are very different, very administrative, from what presumably I’ll be doing once it’s over. I’ve had a good attitude and have been trying to be helpful and doing everything that’s asked of me.
Without going into detail – I just seem to have gotten on her bad side. She’s snappish with me in a way she’s not with other people. Questions that would reasonably be perceived as neutral and even reflecting that I’m trying to help are instead registering as annoying. And I’m not asking a lot or anything unreasonable. For example – I was tasked with something yesterday that included a folder with samples. I don’t have access to that network folder – it’s sensitive- so I asked today by email if I could request permission to access it. The response was general irritation at being interrupted (there is a huge deadline today, and the task I asked about doesn’t start until next week ). I honestly think now that basically anything I do is going to be seen as annoying. And I’ve never experienced this! I’ve seen it with other people in other jobs/capacities– where they’re held to an unreasonable standard, or the threshold of annoyance is just lower – and always felt bad for them, realizing even then that such things are arbitrary, generally. Now it is me and it feels terrible. Any advice? There really is a difference in how I’m treated versus other people, so it’s hard to attribute it to just the stress of the moment.
I’m about to have my 3rd. This is our last. We are done. DONE DONE DONE. Did I mention we are done? :)
I have two younger siblings. My sister is married, but separated and may be divorcing. She’s early 30s and long ago was in team Having Kids, but has since waffled and really doesn’t think she’ll be having any (much to our mother’s Great and Annoyingly Obvious Disappointment). My brother is a “failure to launch” and is also early 30s, with a life dream to charter yachts. Which he does. He has miscellaneous girlfriends from time to time, but IF he has kids, I will be shocked if it’s any time in the next decade. He’s just not there (but he’s a fab uncle!).
DH has a half sister who has her own kids and who is DONE DONE DONE as well.
Do I have any obligation whatsoever to hold on to any baby items that I don’t specifically want ask keepsakes/for my own kids to be burdened with some day? No? Good! Tell me what you kept and what you got rid of. My mom thinks I’m a monster for wanting to get rid of our crib (which was a pottery barn craigslist find, used to us and now used for 3 kids. It’s fine, but it wasn’t like, handmade by DH…), “crazy” for not keeping our high chair or pack and play (again– in at best ‘good used’ condition and complete commodities) selfish for not holding onto things for “my sister… or other friends that might want them.”
I have used exactly none of the stuff my mom saved of mine when I was a baby, and none of the stuff DH’s mom keeps sending us (also, we have girls. DH was not a girl. Yes, those overalls are cute but my girls don’t want to rock 1982 boys overalls, thanks.)
What say ye? And what have you kept/ possibly regretted not keeping?
We had our daughter’s annual IEP meeting this morning. I read the report last night, so there was no “news” at the meeting, but, man, those meetings are draining and tough! I’m working from home today and just want to do exactly nothing.
I could use some words of encouragement: She is getting ready to enter K. Her speech delay last year was moderate, and while her speech has not worsened, it is that she has made little to no progress. As a result, her speech delay is now considered severe. They are increasing her speech services. Her challenge is articulation, not understanding language.
At the meeting, they asked whether we (her parents) noticed or had trouble understanding her. I said that I do have trouble, but I don’t notice it very much because I am used to the way she speaks. They asked us to start practicing with her at home. I can absolutely do that, but I feel overwhelmed at taking on that role with her and balancing that with the limited time I have with her. I just want to call the day a loss and watch mindless tv/escape, but I know I should be working.
Hi All. Can we talk about retirement savings? Hubby and I max out our 401ks each year and each get a couple thousand from our employers beyond that. Our financial planner doesn’t think we need to do anything beyond that. They also assume in their projections that social security will exist in some form when we retire. We’re 34 and 35 now. Do others agree/receive the same advice? Any thoughts appreciated and probably happy to provide more information if needed ;)
I’ll be on maternity leave most of the summer with twins. With my first, I was on maternity leave in the fall/winter and I lived in yoga pants, nursing tanks, and cardigans or zip-up hoodies. I plan on spending most of my time in nursing tanks again, but I’m assuming the cardigans/hoodies will be too warm, and going without would make me feel pretty exposed (38H right now). I’ve seen a few short-sleeved zip-up hoodies, but otherwise I’m thinking oversized tshirts over the nursing tanks. Other suggestions?