An overdue shop update {Store Temporarily Closing}

Habitation Co. is taking a hiatus and the shop will be closing, at least for a little bit. While it's taken us a long time to reach this decision, if we've recently hung out, talked, texted, or you've lurked on Instagram, this may not be a total surprise. Over the past few years, we've faced a few big changes (gratefully, mostly great things!) and new demands with our careers (again, good stuff!) that have meant we've had less and less time to devote to Habitation Co.. In that time, we've also been wrestling with what the next chapter of the shop and business itself will look like. The dream of having a brick-and-mortar space and building a community around our business is alive and well, we just don't know when, or where, it will come to fruition.

Speaking of where– Southern California is our home and where Habitation Co. was born but we're grateful to have been able to explore new places that have left imprints on our hearts. While Living abroad has been another longtime dream, our lives (and pets, and jobs, and parents – hi mom & dad!) are here in the U.S., but we've been feeling a tug toward a place that's just about as far from mainstream America as you can get: New Orleans. The Crescent City. The Big Easy. She's cute, you'd like her. While we don't know yet if Nola is our next stop, it's a place steeped in art, culture, history, diversity, creativity, and community, and one that celebrates small business and entrepreneurship– core Habitation Co. values, and frankly, things we freakin' love.

One of the unique opportunities our jobs provide us is the ability to work remotely, from virtually anywhere, within certain timezones. We're also grateful to be healthy and physically capable of entertaining the idea of making a cross-country move. But for now, we're taking things one step at a time, even if that means taking a step back from a business we love and deeply believe in. This little shop has opened doors and allowed us to connect with so many incredible people around the world. From artisans and makers to fellow business owners– but none of it would have been possible without YOU. Your super awesome taste in gifts, accessories, and home decor (...just sayin') has helped support communities far and wide, all across the globe. From improvements in women's healthcare, to clean water, education, sustainability, and more – your past purchases have already made the future brighter for us all. You're awesome.

If you've made it this far– goodness! grab yourself a drink – and please just know, we appreciate you. Thank you for making the first chapter of Habitation Co. so great. We don't know what's next, but we hope we'll see you there!

Thanks for being part of our process.

Hailey

Founder & Treasure Hunter, Habitation Co.

Habitation Co. Featured in HGTV Magazine!

It was 9am on a Wednesday and I was in the checkout line at Target frantically flipping through the latest issue of HGTV Magazine when I let out a squeak as I saw the word "habitationco" staring back at me from the center of a glossy page. There, in tiny text, just below a close-up of this basket, was the name of my dream business that I had imagined one afternoon, about two years ago. There was the website url I ended up going with when my first choice (same, just minus the "co") was taken by someone in France. There was the description for a basket I picked out, that was made by women in Rwanda who are supporting their families by sharing their gifts with the world. In an instant my mind was flooded with how many details, decisions, and hands it took, for me to be able to stand in an empty Target checkout line on a Wednesday morning and look down at that page- one photo, those few words (66 characters!)- and experience one of the coolest moments of this journey so far.

Obvs, nothing like this has happened in my business before, and since I've been getting a few questions about how this all came to be, I figured I would share exactly how Habitation Co.'s baskets ended up in HGTV Magazine. A few months ago I got an email (specifically, a contact-form via the website, which no one had ever used before...) asking if I could send a variety of baskets to Texas for an upcoming photoshoot/house tour for the magazine. Assuming this was either an elaborate ploy to steal a few baskets or, more likely, a mistake, I called the number on the email and left a voicemail for an editor at Hearst Corporation in New York City. She called me the next day and assured me this was "legit", and said another editor had found Habitation Co. on Pinterest! So after we hung up, I stuck their pre-paid shipping label on a box of baskets and immediately sent them off to Texas! The following week, the baskets arrived back on my porch. About a month later, I got another email asking if I could send one of the baskets to the HGTV headquarters in New York to be photographed for their "Get the Look" feature, which meant they were planning on including the baskets in the home tour! So, again, off the basket went, this time to NYC, and again, showed back up at my house about two weeks later. I had been told that "if" my baskets made it into the magazine (there's always a chance things could change at the last minute), they would be part of the November issue with a release date sometime in October, so I just had to wait. And then! I got a text last weekend from a sweet friend (and loyal HGTV Mag. subscriber) who spotted Habitation Co. in the magazine, so as soon as they hit newsstands, I went to Target!

Everyone at HGTV Magazine has been incredible to work with- super responsive and thoughtful throughout the entire process. (They even sent me a PDF with the full feature so I could share it here!) I have no idea what it's like on the other side of the camera, or how it felt for the family to have their home filled with random people and products, or how many details actually go into planning each house-tour (my guess is a whole lot), but all I can say, from this side, is that having a tiny part in this process was a milestone for my business, at the exact moment I needed it. And you better believe that the next time I come across the name of another small business, shop, or artist in a magazine, I'm going to give them one heck of a virtual high-five! Know that when you shop small or support a small business, it's a really BIG deal. With every purchase, you're literally making someone's freaking day (it seriously never, ever gets old), and you're causing a happy-dance ripple effect in kitchens, studios, basements, garages, and living rooms around the world. You matter. Your choices matter, your voice matters- you aren't just another sale or a number, you're an essential part of the story. And you're awesome. OK, NOW LOOK HOW PRETTY:

See that little fox? It was made by a husband and wife team in Chicago!

Hi Fox Family! You guys are adorable and your house is the happiest space ever. I love the idea of displaying a cluster of baskets together on the table for a pop of color, and they can serve double duty holding seasonal produce!

I spy a colorful kantha quilt hanging over their armchair!

How amazing is that bed? And the inlay side table?!

Guess which would have been my dream room growing up? Hint: it's the one with the alpaca. I really want that alpaca.

Those sliding barn doors and the indigo walls are amazing!

Still can't believe Habitation Co. gets to share the page with some of the biggest names in the biz, and my go-to sources for home decor inspiration: Anthropologie, Dot & Bo, Overstock, Spoonflower, and more! So friggin' cool!

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Thanks for being a part of our process!

Hailey

P.S. You can actually get the look right here

PPS. If you snap a photo of your baskets, be sure to tag us @habitation_co or #theprocessofliving so we can share it with our friends!

Packing a Carryon for a Weekend in California Wine Country

Packing a Carryon for a Weekend in California Wine Country // Habitation Co.

If you don't count my trip to India last year, I haven't taken a "girls" trip since before I got married. While my husband is by far my favorite travel buddy, I seem to have more stories about the travel adventures I shared with my friends: strangers at hostels in San Francisco, odd Southwest road trip motels, and basically everything about back-packing through Guatemala to name a few... While this weekend is a girl's trip of a very different variety, I have been looking forward to it for weeks. Despite growing up in California and living only hour-long flight away, I've never had the opportunity to visit our beloved wine country, so when the idea of a girl's trip came up, it seemed like the perfect time to plan a getaway with a few friends.

The plan is to simply enjoy a casual weekend of catching up, sipping wine, enjoying the outdoors, and measure the days by brunches and happy hours. Since I'll only be gone for 3 days total, I wanted to keep my luggage light and only pack a carryon. The tricky part was planning for a variety of potential activities: casual days, winery visits, dressier dinners, and even a hike if the weather cooperates. Fall in California typically means warm days and crisp nights, so by sticking with a few basics, working with layers, and adding a few favorite accessories, the result is a versatile weekend wardrobe that fits neatly in the overhead bin (with room to spare!).

My Carryon Packing Guide for a Fall Weekend In California Wine Country:

On The Plane:

View fullsize

scarf // leather tote

Around Town:

Happy Hour:

mala bead necklace

Wine Tasting:

Dinner Out:

silk cord necklace 

Sunday Brunch:

Afternoon Hike:

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Keep jewelry or small accessories protected in a small travel pouch like these

That's everything! Toiletries, toothbrush, and all, plus there's plenty of room to spare if I decide to bring home a few bottles of wine (and check my bag, thanks Southwest!). Ok, gotta run, I have a plane to catch!

Enjoy the process!

Hailey