I decided I wanted to get a super deep clean of my whole house, and am going to take you all along for the ride! Join me in the below challenge.

This is made for April 2023, which starts on a Saturday. The list is written to where the larger items are on the weekends. Feel free to switch it up to days you might have more time for larger areas!

Be sure to follow along on my Instagram and TikTok for daily posts on how to clean all of these areas!

Recommended Items Needed:

All Purpose Spray Cleaner – I love Branch Basics or Attitude, or you can make your own.

Vinegar

Baking Soda

Laundry Soap

Mop

Vacuum

Broom

Bucket

Dish Soap

Handheld scrub brush

Sponge

Optional Items:

Descaling Liquid

Stainless Steel Spray

Shower Curtain Liner Replacement

Drain snake or wire hanger

Grout pen

Reusable microfiber rags

AC Filter

Floor cleaner – or make your own wood floor cleaner with 2 tbsp. olive oil, 2 tbsp. vinegar & 2.5 cups of hot water. Optional: Add a few drops of lemon essential oil.

Wood Polish – or make your own with 2 tbsp. olive oil with ¼ cup vinegar and 2-4 drops of lemon essential oil in a spray bottle.

Glass cleaner – or make your own with ¼ cup of vinegar, ½ teaspoon of dish soap and 2 cups of water.

Duster

Shower cleaner – or make your own with 2 cups warm water, 1/2 cup baking soda, 1 cup vinegar. Shake well, add 1/2 cup of dish soap, shake well and put in a spray bottle.

Small funnel

Clean toothbrush or small sponge

Cabinet shelf liner

Glass spray bottles to make your own cleaning sprays

Replacement light bulbs as needed

Magic eraser

Refrigerator Coil Cleaning Brush

Straw cleaning brush

Schedule

Day 1: Pantry

Throw out expired pantry products. Wipe down all pantry shelves.

Day 2: Refrigerator & Freezer

Throw out expired refrigerator and freezer products. Wipe out fridge. Wipe down tops and sides with stainless steel cleaner (if stainless). Scrub out ice maker & dry.

• Optional – Clean water dispenser

Day 3: Kitchen – Cabinets, Appliances, Counters

Wipe all kitchen cabinet fronts with an all purpose cleaner. Be sure to open all doors and drawers to also wipe the base of the cabinets. If you have wood cabinets, use a wood cleaner for this.

Wipe all appliances with stainless steel spray or all purpose cleaner, using a microfiber rag. Be sure to get all tops and sides. Optional: Scoot out the stove, microwave, fridge etc. and clean sides and underneath.

Wipe all items on counters, including underneath. Scrub backsplash and grout. Empty all containers and wash out (i.e. utensil holders).

Day 4: Kitchen – Shelves, Tupperware

Wipe each kitchen shelf, carefully removing items and then placing back once clean. Great time to add cabinet shelf liners.

Go through tupperware and recycle anything that doesn’t have a matching top or bottom. Great time to replace plastic with glass! Glass is free of chemicals, phthalates, BPA and other contaminants that have shown to be endocrine disruptors and harmful to our health.

Day 5: Descale Coffee Machine and/or Baby Brezza sterilizer and formula maker.

**If you don’t have either of these, take the day off or select from any of the optional items at the very bottom of this page.

Coffee Maker: With filters and grounds removed, fill the reservoir to max using half water, half vinegar. Run a brew or cleaning cycle, empty the carafe and run 2-3 more brew cycles with fresh, cool water.

Baby Brezza Sterilizer: Unplug. Wipe basin clean. Add descaling liquid or 1 part water & 1 part vinegar (1/4 cup water, 1/4 cup vinegar). Let sit 30 minutes. Pour out and wipe clean. Use distilled water to keep machine healthy.

Baby Brezza Formula Maker: Hand wash all components. Make sure all parts are dry and reassemble machine, leaving powder container completely empty. Fill the water tank with 20oz distilled water and run a 10oz cycle. Add Descaler Liquid, or 1 cup of vinegar inside the water tank with 12oz of water and run another 10oz cycle. Discard remaining liquid, and wash tank with mild soap and water, and refill with 20oz distilled water. Run another 10oz cycle to rinse out internal tubes of any residue.

Day 6: Clean Oven, Stove & Microwave

Oven:

• Option A: Use self cleaning function. Once cooled, wipe out with a damp cloth. Typically takes 3-5 hours and can produce unpleasant odor.
• Option B: DIY Oven Cleaner. Use baking soda & water to form a paste, apply liberally to all interior parts of the oven, (optional: spray vinegar on top and let bubble up), let sit for 20 minutes (or longer). Use a sponge to scrub off and then wipe clean with a damp rag.

Stove:

• When it’s cool, spray it with vinegar and sprinkle baking soda over it. Moisten a towel in hot water and drape it over the baking soda and vinegar. After about 10 minutes, pick up the towel and use it to scrub the stove top clean, rinsing often. Spray more vinegar on the stove top and wipe it again. Soak any burner pans, grates in the sink with warm soapy water. Wipe clean. Optional: Use your stainless steel or glass cleaner for a final wipe down.

Microwave:

• Start by mixing at least two tablespoons of baking soda with one cup of water in a microwave-safe container. Microwave the mixture on high for five minutes. This mix will create extra-dense steam that breaks up grime and kills bad odors. After five minutes, carefully remove the container. Wipe with damp cloth.

Day 7: Dishwasher

Clean the filter:

• Remove the filter – Remove your lower dish rack to expose the bottom of your dishwasher. Then, gently lift and pull the lower filter forward to remove it.

Clean the dishwasher:

• Fill a dishwasher-safe bowl with 1 cup of white vinegar and place it on the bottom of the empty dishwasher. Set the dishwasher to run on a hot water cycle. The vinegar will break down any remaining bits of food, grease, soap scum, residue, and any other leftover grime. Wipe down with damp cloth.

Day 8: Bathroom

Throw out expired beauty and makeup products, including in your shower and replacing loofas as necessary. Wipe out all bathroom cabinets, drawers and shelves. Optional: Organize into bins.

Day 9: Closet

Organize closet and dresser. Remove any clothing items from shelves and wipe down. Vacuum and mop closet floor. Donate old clothes. Throw away old underwear, and any mis-matched socks. Optional: Turn all hangers facing inward, then next year, see which items you actually wore. If you didn’t wear them – donate.

Day 10: Drains

• Snake any drains in tubs or showers that have been having trouble draining.
• Clean drains in all sinks. Scrub inside disposal or sink drain. Pour half cup baking soda & then half cup of vinegar. Plug drain and wait 1 hour. Pour boiling water down drain.

Day 11: Bathroom

Wipe all cabinet fronts. Deep clean shower & tubs.

Day 12: Bath Mats, Shower Curtains

Wash all bath mats in the washer. Use baking soda in the machine, a little bit of laundry detergent, and then vinegar in the fabric softener compartment. Wash on hot water, let air dry.

Wash shower curtain. If fabric, wash in washer on gentle cycle with the above combo of baking soda, detergent and vinegar. If plastic, take down and scrub in bath tub. Try to wipe water down as much as possible. Then hang back up and wipe down again. Let air dry. Replace shower curtain liner if applicable.

Day 13: Washer & Dryer

Wipe out washer and dryer inside with damp cloth. Be sure to clean out the rubber part of the opening as well. Clean outside of both machines with all purpose cleaner. Optional: move out washer & dryer and sweep & mop underneath. Another optional: Have someone come out to clean the dryer vent. Not cleaning the dryer vent can cause fires!!

Clean filters: Wipe the Filter and Housing. Open the filter housing and wipe away lint and debris using paper towels. Scrub the Filter. Using a soft-bristle brush, such as an old toothbrush or dish brush, scrub the filter to remove lint and debris that has built up on the filter.

Deep clean washer: Set your washer to the hottest and longest wash setting available. Place two cups of vinegar in the drum. Add a quarter cup of baking soda. Start the cycle. Once the cycle is done you need to scrub around the inside of the drum with a quarter cup of water using a sponge.

Day 14: Bathroom

Grout: Remove surface dirt with hot water and a towel. Mix together ½ cup baking soda, ¼ cup vinegar, 1 tsp dish soap. Spoon cleaning agents onto grout and let sit for 5-10 minutes. Scrub the grout lines with a brush. Wipe clean. Optional: Use a grout pen in the color of your grout to really make it look nice!

Scrub: Sinks, toilets, wipe around toilet base, wipe any soap dispensers and trays, scrub and wipe down any items that sit on bathroom counters,

Day 15: Deep Vacuum & Wash Bedding

Deep Vacuum whole house. This includes the couch, removing couch cushions and vacuuming out under cushions, vacuuming the cushions and pillows themselves. Vacuuming all mattresses, and headboard if cloth. Moving big furniture and rugs and vacuuming underneath.

Wash all bedding in your room and guest rooms. This includes washing any foam pillows on a gentle cycle in the washer, and drying on delicate setting in the dryer. Optional: Use dryer balls + essential oils in the dryer! Check out my post on how to wash whites without bleach!

Day 16: Baseboards and Mop

Using hot soapy water and a sponge, scrub baseboards and dry with microfiber rag. I like to wipe along the top with the rag to get any residue left. Be sure to focus on the edge where the baseboard meets the floor when scrubbing too! A magic eraser works wonders here.

Mop whole house. Make sure that you are moving furniture and mopping underneath. Use a wood floor cleaner on wood to make it shine!

Day 17: AC Closet

Vacuum or sweep out the AC closet. Use small nozzle of vacuum or wipe out thoroughly any dust in and around the AC unit with a damp cloth. Carefully wipe the vent, scrub the vent with a toothbrush and dry well. Change filter if needed.

Day 18: Dust

Dust all furniture in the house. I use a duster first, and then wipe down all surfaces of all furniture using an all purpose cleaner, and a wood polish on all wood items.

Day 19: Office

Using a glass cleaner or all purpose cleaner. Wipe down and detail keyboard, wiping in between all keys, around and underneath. Wipe down all TV screens and monitors (glass cleaner is best for this) with a microfiber rag. Wipe your cell phone down with all purpose cleaner. Remove the case and wipe the whole thing. Clean case well too.

Day 20: Mirrors, Frames & Plants

Wipe all mirrors and frames throughout the house with glass cleaner. Be sure to wipe all edges, tops, and lips.

Wipe down any leaves on fake plants. Remove any large fake plants from their pots and clean out the pot itself. Dusting the base of the fake plant as well. Any real plants – prune if necessary, break up soil, water if needed, mist if needed, wipe pot down.

Day 21: Doors

Wipe down all doors & handles inside and out with an all purpose cleaner. If your doors are wood, use a wood cleaner here.

Day 22: Blankets and Rugs

Wash all blankets, washable rugs and pillow covers throughout the house.

Day 23: Kids Toys & Patio

If Kids – Wash all plush toys, play mats, bouncer, swing, high chair & stroller inserts on delicate setting in washer. Wash blankets, towels, rags, bibs, diaper bag. Wipe down jumpers, hard toys, activity gym, play pen, foam play mat.

Sweep patio and spray down well. Be sure to move any furniture pieces and sweep and spray underneath. Scrub any surfaces with hot soapy water and wipe down with damp cloth. Optional: rent a power washer.

Day 24: Curtains & Blinds

Wash all curtains on delicate setting. Wipe down blinds. Depending on grime level, may use hot soapy water & sponge and dry well with microfiber rag. Wipe down all window sills and window molding well.

Day 25: Kitchen Cabinets

Organize kitchen cabinets. Donate any old pots, pans and appliances you don’t use.

Day 26: Tables & Chairs

Wipe down (or scrub) all tables and chairs including underneath and legs. If wood, use wood cleaner.

Day 27: Decor & Wood

Clean inside of decorative vases, rinsing and scrubbing out with warm water. Dry well with microfiber towel. Wipe down all knick knacks throughout the house.

Polish all wood furniture with wood cleaner.

Day 28: Fans & Lighting

Dust all fans and wipe down with all purpose cleaner. Dry well with microfiber rag. Wipe down all light fixtures with glass cleaner or all purpose cleaner. Replace any light bulbs that are out.

Wipe all light fixtures and sockets with all purpose cleaner and microfiber rag.

Day 29: Pet Items & Porch

If Pets – Wash all plush toys in washer on delicate setting. Deep clean all pet bowls, any mats, wash beds in washer. Spray down hard toys. Clean out any toys and throw away ones that aren’t in great shape or are no longer needed.

Porch – Sweep and spray down front porch. Clean up and prune any plants as needed. Charge doorbell if needed. Wipe down front and back door inside and outside. Spray down front of house if needed.

Day 30: Windows

Clean all windows inside and outside. Open windows and clean out the bottom inside.

Outside: Scrub outside, spray down. Can use a bucket of hot soapy water. Finish with glass cleaner and microfiber rag. Optional: Use a squeegee for no streaks!

Inside: Spray with glass cleaner and use microfiber rag.

Optional Add Ons:

Organize Spices – Replace with glass jars & labels.

Pantry organization with containers & labels.

Bathroom organization with containers.

The focus is on quality, sustainably sourced ingredients with minimal additives. I tend to repeat my lunch and breakfast options each day to make it easy and mindless. This plan allows some flexibility for the weekends. You can certainly repeat a dish or find another dish on my Instagram for those days!

Dinner:

Sunday – Burger Bowls

Monday – Angel Hair Pasta

Tuesday – Tacos

Wednesday – Lemon Chicken

Thursday – Power Bowls

Friday & Saturday are flex days and can always use other recipes from my page if eating at home.

Lunch:

Buffalo Chicken Wraps

Caprese Turkey Wraps

Breakfast:

Sausage, Egg & Cheese Breakfast Sandwiches with 1/2 cup Greek Yogurt, Berries, Drizzle of Honey, 1 tsp chia seeds, 1 tsp hemp seeds

Snacks:

Alyssa Vegan Oatmeal Bites (love these for dessert too!)

Apple + Peanut Butter + Greek Yogurt (easy afternoon snack)

Ezekiel English muffin half with peanut butter (or ezekiel sprouted toast!)

Hard boiled eggs (can also buy pre-boiled to make it easy! Vital Farms boiled eggs are at Whole Foods & Sprouts)

Cheese cubes

Jerky sticks from New Primal, Archer or Chomps

Grocery List for 2 people:

Cost Estimate: $165 or $82/person, $5.50/meal including snacks

Notes for amounts to buy on each item:

Ground Beef – You can make burger patties into 5-7 oz depending on the person, and freeze the remaining.

Ground Turkey – I usually have enough taco meat leftover to make a taco the next day for lunch.

Chicken Breast – When you’re making the angel hair pasta on Monday night, go ahead and cook up the rest of the chicken breasts to use on your buffalo chicken wraps throughout the week. You will use sliced chicken breast instead of nuggets listed in the recipe. If you make the pasta (12 oz), and six 4 oz wraps (2 days a week (3 each day because one 4 oz wrap for you, two 4 oz wraps for a guy) – that will equal 2 lbs. If you are subbing chicken instead of steak on the power bowl, add an additional 8-12 oz.

Deli Turkey – If you make the caprese wraps 3 days a week, 1 wrap for you, 2 wraps for a guy per day, that would be about 2 lbs.

Eggs – You can certainly just scramble a big pan of these and put them on the sandwiches vs microwaving bowls individually (I just like doing it that way because it fits on the english muffin perfectly). I would recommend 2 eggs per sandwich so you can get enough protein. That would be 20 eggs total. You can boil the other 4 and have them as snacks throughout the week.

Protein Portion Sizes – Ideally, you want to eat .7-1 gram of protein per pound of body weight each day. Example: if you’re 150 lbs, you’d want to aim for 105-150 grams of protein or around 35-50 grams per meal (obviously some come from snacks too). So keep that in mind when deciding on protein portion size. Check out my post on the importance of protein, and how much protein is in a majority of protein sources we consume.

Protein examples from this meal plan:

⁃ 4 oz chicken breast is 35g

⁃ 4 oz of deli Turkey is 22g

⁃ 2 eggs is 12g

⁃ 2 applegate sausage patties is 10g

⁃ 3/4 cup greek yogurt is 16g

⁃ 5 oz ground beef is 28g

⁃ 6 oz ground turkey is 30g

⁃ 6 oz sirloin is 39g

⁃ 6 oz chicken thigh is 35g

List:

Protein:

1 lb Grass fed & finished ground beef (force of nature at HEB or Whole Foods, native rancher at Whole Foods, first light at Central Market)

1 lb free range ground turkey (HEB organic at HEB, Mary’s at Central Market, Diestel at Whole Foods)

1 lb pasture raised chicken thighs (look for cooks venture at HEB or Central Market, Mary’s or Bell & Evan’s at Whole Foods)

2 lb pasture raised chicken breast (8-12 oz for angel hair pasta, 3-4 oz per buffalo chicken wrap – look for cooks venture at Heb or central market, or Whole Foods has their own pasture raised)

1 8-12 oz grass fed & finished flank or skirt steak (or extra 8-12 oz of chicken above for power bowls) – Heb has a grass fed & finished sirloin, central market has a flank, Whole Foods has a skirt steak

In house roasted deli Turkey (3-4 oz per caprese wrap, so get however much you plan to make for lunch)

2 boxes applegate chicken sausage patties

12–18 vital farms pasture raised eggs (depends if you want 1 egg or 2 eggs in your breaky sandwich)

1 small carton of organic, free range or grass fed bone broth (I like Kettle & Fire, which you can find at Whole Foods, HEB or Central Market. Boneafide Provisions and FOND are also great choices).

*Note: a lot of this stuff I buy one week and it’s good for the next week too. So you can definitely get multiple meals out of some of these ingredients!

Produce

Organic shredded carrots

1-2 containers Organic blackberries

1 container Organic blueberries

1-2 containers Organic raspberries

Organic romaine lettuce

Organic grape or cherry tomatoes

1 white or sweet onion

1 organic sweet potato

1 head garlic

1 8 oz container of organic baby spinach + baby kale OR arugula

1 organic avocado

1 organic bell pepper

1 small container organic mushrooms (I like baby Bellas)

1 head of organic broccolini

1 bunch organic asparagus

1 bag organic jasmine rice

Fresh basil

Fresh cilantro

2 organic lemons

1 organic lime

Optional: organic apple for snack

Pantry

Optional: roasted red peppers (jarred)

1-2 bags of Tortillas – siete, Ezekiel sprouted or La tortilla factory organic

2 containers ezekiel sprouted English muffins (in freezer), second best option would be Dave’s killer bread rockin grains

1 box barilla protein plus angel hair (or thin spaghetti), or a one ingredient organic lentil spaghetti

Alyssa vegan bites (in deli/bakery)

Optional: pickles for burger bowls

Dairy

Stonyfield grass fed greek yogurt (can also do forager unsweetened, coconut cult plain or kite hill for dairy free)

12 slices grass fed cheddar cheese (organic valley slices, or block, kerrygold or raw farms)

1 container cream cheese (nancys probiotic from central market, or organic valley at Whole Foods, Heb organics at Heb – can also do miyokos or kite hill for dairy free)

1 bag organic Mexican shredded cheese (organic valley)

Parmesan cheese wedge

Optional: real food protein bars (in my Amazon storefront) for snacks

Condiments & spices: These are things I already have on hand and are a part of the meal plan but, if you have a different brand or something similar in your pantry already, use it! When it runs out you can refer back here for what to replace it with that may have better ingredients.

Brads organic or Santa Cruz organic peanut butter

Franks buffalo sauce

Primal kitchen mayo

Organic yellow mustard

Primal kitchen ketchup

Organic local honey

Organic Balsamic vinegar or glaze

Optional: organic chia seeds & hemp seeds (I add these to my yogurt + berry bowl every day!)

Salt

Pepper

Siete taco seasoning or: salt, pepper, chili powder, cumin, onion powder, paprika, cayenne

Thyme, Rosemary (Sage – optional)

Coconut aminos or tamari

Sesame seeds

Chili paste or oil (if not then crushed red pepper + sesame oil)

Expeller pressed organic sesame oil (Central Market & Whole Foods have spectrum)

Minced ginger (can buy jarred from Central Market or Whole Foods, squeeze bottle from HEB)

Extra virgin olive oil (look for dark bottles not clear)

Chosen Foods avocado oil

Kerrygold grass fed butter

Hot sauce of choice (I love Cholula)

Enjoy! If this is something you like, please go comment on my latest instagram with your favorite meal. Thanks for your support! If you would be interested in a paid monthly meal plan, please email me at erin@keetowellness.com.

xo,

Erin

Brush teeth, floss & tongue scrape THEN water. Benefits of tongue scraping: improved taste, fresher breath (so much odor-causing bacteria lives on your tongue), improved overall health (removes harmful bacteria that inflames your gums and prevents cavities). My tongue scraper – here.

Skincare – vitamin c + spf. I love my sunday riley ceo cream for vitamin c – it is SO glowy & dewy and just gives your skin a beautiful brightness. my go-to spf right now is the acrure brand day cream with spf 30. it is lightweight and doesn’t leave a white cast like a lot of spf’s do. It is also one of my favorite clean beauty brands.

Daily stoic reading & journal: I pick from either a gratitude journal, my let shit go journal, or just free writing. Daily stoic has a meditation for every day of the year, inspired by philosophers and inviting you to think and act more stoically.

Meditation: I find on YouTube for free, there are tons for specific things that could be on your mind.

Get outside: walk or just stepping into grass in backyard. I try to walk for 45 mins – 1 hour every day and has helped my mental health tremendously.

Vitamins: probiotics on empty stomach; multivitamin, fish oil, b12 & SP cleanse with food. Benefits of taking probiotics on an empty stomach: taking probiotics when stomac acid levels are lower can help ensure that more healthy bacteria survive and colonize the gut, where they can support your gut health and immune system.

Breaky: ideally outside, fruit first (promotes higher metabolism).

Exercise or stretch. I’ve been loving Solidcore reformer pilates classes. I book through ClassPass (1 month free here). Or I do the peloton stretches, spin classes or weights classes. Peloton has a free 60 day membership here – you can use it on your phone or ipad, you don’t have to have the bike. I am for weights 3-5 times a week.

Don’t hesitate to try on a ton of dresses! It may take quite a few to figure out which style fits your body best, your venue, and the vibe you are going for. You will likely want to have selected your venue and wedding date prior to dress shopping. It is also OK to wait a bit before looking. If you plan on having a longer engagement you could change your mind on the style if you look to early on. A good rule of thumb is that it takes about 3-4 months for the dress to be made, and you want to have it at least 60 days out to have enough time for alterations. Set a budget, look for inspiration on Instagram, bridal magazines and research designers you like. Then, you can see which stores carry the styles and designers you prefer.

Austin Favorites:

• Unbridaled is definitely a favorite to capture true Austin style!
• Serendipity is a little more pricey and upscale.
• Blush Bridal has a large selection but have heard mixed reviews on service.
• Blue Bridal a tried and true Austin staple.
• Second Summer for used but inexpensive dresses! – check out our podcast for a cool story on this place!

If you are open to traveling for other stores:

• BHLDN (Anthropologie’s Wedding Line) has a store in Houston, or they have trunk shows that come to Austin, but they are few and far between. This line is also a little less expensive ($1-2k), whereas most of these other stores will be more like $3-5k. 
• Lovely Bride in Dallas, has very BHLDN and Unbridaled vibes. 
• Grace Loves Lace – a new Australian brand called that just opened in Dallas. Check out their accessories too, even if you don’t pick one of their dresses the accessories they have can really add something different to your look!

Pro Tip: Get a few bridesmaids and family to come with you. Make a few appointments for one day, bring champagne, and pick a fun place for lunch or HH after to celebrate!

Tailors

Most stores you buy from can tailor in-house. These tailors are also great options if you want to design your own wedding dress from scratch (still can be just as pricey as buying one). Otherwise here are a few that come recommended by recent brides in the area:

• Kira Koutoure (Downtown – 12th Street)
• Couture Tailors (Ask for Tiffany, in Westlake)
• Olga Novosselova
• Jamie Kim
• Lupe Cardenas

Pro Tip: If you need your dress cleaned before the wedding (i.e. a sample sale or trunk show dress), CALL IN ADVANCE, there are a lot of cleaners in the area that turn down dresses for specific reasons if they have fringe, beading, delicate detailing, etc. and you don’t want to be stressing about that right before the wedding. If you’re in a bind and no one will clean your dress – go to Five Star Wedding Gown Specialists in San Antonio. They will clean any dress with any detailing and do a phenomenal job. Make a day out of it and go to the JW Marriott!

Get hair and makeup trials! Creep their Instagrams! Do you research! No one wants a hair or makeup fiasco on the big day. Make sure that the photos they are showing you are true to the style you’re looking to achieve. A lot of these stylists can do both hair and makeup so can be an easy one stop shop for all of your bridal needs!

A Few Favorites:

Hair:

LoLa Beauty – This is a full team of artists that can all do both hair and makeup making it a speedy and seamless process with a spectacular end result. Lauren is an absolute angel, Diana is a goddess when it comes to makeup and Ashley did my hair for a wedding recently that was the best I have ever had. They use airbrushing and all of the best products so you look flawless!

$275 Bridal Hair, $90 for Bridesmaids/Family; Makeup – $300 Bride – includes trial, $100 Bridesmaids/Family

Kiss By Katie – Katie is in Houston but travels to Austin frequently for Wedding and Event makeup. She does both hair and makeup – creep her instagram, her work is phenomenal. She also does airbrushing!

$200 Bride Hair/Makeup (or $300 for both), $150 Trial ($225 Trial for Both), $125 Bridesmaids/Family (or $200 for Both services)

Mint Salon – Mint is on North Guadalupe and focuses on hair, not makeup. Ask for either Danny, they are both amazing!

Makeup:

Erica Gray Beauty – Does both makeup and hair. Has a lot of experience in high fashion makeup and styling as well.

Makeup $150 Bride, $80 Bridesmaids/Family (Hair – same pricing)

Makenzi Laine – Amazing! She books up fast so reach out ASAP, does both makeup and hair. 

Makeup $150 Bride (+$100 Trial), $90 Bridesmaids/Family (Hair – $130 Bride, $90 Bridesmaid)

Hannah Kirkland MUA – Hannah has an eye for how to enhance your natural features while also making sure you are defined enough for tastful photos. Her and her sister, Jessica, are a dream team and do wedding services in the Austin and Houston area frequently. 

Makeup $95 Bride (+$85 Trial), $85 Bridesmaids/Family

Blush & Bangs – Brooke Hampton the owner is a good friend of 365 fam, and does amazing work!

Makeup $130 Bride, $90 Bridesmaids/Family (Hair – $130 Bride, $90 Bridesmaid)

Pro Tip: Try airbrushing – at first I was skeptical because I didn’t want a cake face but it is about medium coverage, can be layered, and is waterproof!

Get creative here, and utilize all the unique gifts and vendors Austin has to offer!

Gals:

Antonelli’s Cheese Class or Gift – If you haven’t been to one of these before, it is SO cool. The classes take place in the Cheese House where they have different class themes whether it is a general Cheese 101 of 7 cheeses, Cheese & Chocolate pairings, Cheese of France – the options are really endless! About 2 hours long, this event is BYOB and you can grab the wine or beer they would suggest pairing with the menu from the Cheese Shop across the street. This is great for a date night, girls night, team building events, really anything. A bit more about their Cheese Classes here. This makes for the perfect local Austin gift that will surely be an unforgettable experience. Antonelli’s is perfect for picking up the most beautiful cheese (and/or charcuterie) boards for any of your wedding events as well. 

Also – they make Cheese Wheel Wedding cakes!! An amazing idea for a non-traditional wedding cake. 

Watercolor ATX Art – local artist who does amazing work on local places, customized maps, pets, etc. – Custom Art $40-60/piece.

Mana Culture Jewelry – so cute and unique, $20-80/piece.

Amanda Deer Jewelry – very dainty gold plated pieces, $20-80/piece.

Pro Tip: Check out Le Garage sale, it happens twice a year and a lot of local vendors have their products at a very steep discount. Easy to buy in bulk for groups!

Dudes:

Guys Pro Tip: Guys care less about nostalgic gifts so try to think about something your they would actually use. These are all pretty safe bets that a guy would get and actually enjoy.

Sock Club – A local Austin group that makes customized socks or just super fun patterns $15-25/pair.

Salt and Time – Classes, charcuterie, or house made sausage – $10-20 for a few links, $100-150/class.

Yellowbird Hot Sauce Sampler ~$20.

Austin Shaker – Custom shot glasses and small whiskey bottles – $10-20.

Nails:

Diamond Nails (S Lamar – Middle Range Pricing)

Queen Spa (S Lamar – Middle Range Pricing)

Great Nails & Spa (S 1st – This place is a party!)

Lacquer (S Lamar – Pricier)

Fitness:

Personal Trainer at your gym (we love Lifetime – $80/month membership, Equinox – $170/month membership, and Golds – $40/month membership)

Spin – Ride (take Allie’s class) $25/class and SoulCycle (take Gustavo’s class) $30/class

Pilates – SolidCore (nothing will make you as sore as SolidCore, Pilates is great for really toning the body) $30/class.

Barre – MOD Fitness is a great local option and they have locations on N Burnet and S Lamar, $23/class.

Hot Yoga With Weights – CorePower Sculpt, $20/class  (take Taylor), and Wanderlust YoStrong (take Gustavo!) $28/class.

Perspire Sauna Studio – Sweat it out! This place has multiple infrared sauna rooms with TVs and you can go with friends, $40/session.

Pro Tip: Sign up for Class Pass. you can do $50 or $100/month membership packages that allow you to go to a ton of different studios in the Austin area (and other large metropolitan cities), so you can keep switching up your workouts to achieve the best results. They also recently added wellness activities to their package as well allowing you to get massages, facials, and others within your monthly membership!

Beauty Treatments:

Check Groupon for these!

Laser Hair Removal, Dermatology, Botox

• Westlake Dermatology
• SkinCare Austin – go see Jenni!
• Ideal Image
• Viva Day Spa

Teeth Whitening 

• Your dentist can do this for you, a lot of them actually run specials when you get engaged and will do it for a discount. Also, this is a good time to think about Invisalign if needed, and then get whitened after.

Spray Tans

• 360 Tans – Two locations, north and south.
• Laurel Corinne – Get the Sunless Body Blend for the best spray tan of your life.
• Hush Hush – A cult favorite, on W 6th. Great color selection.

Pro Tip: Try showering twice before the big day, it will help make sure the spray tan doesn’t transfer onto your white dress!

Facials/Massages:    

Lake Austin Spa – Steam room, sauna, and hot tub

The W Away Spa – Ask for Wendy, and go to the rooftop pool after!

Milk & Honey Spa – Try a Lymphatic Drainage massage, relieves bloating and really defines muscles and bone structure in face.

Omni Barton Creek Resort & Spa – Go for a couples massage! Definitely make a day out of this resort (or a weekend).

Pro Tip: For my brides, try using a Beauty Checklist at least six months before the wedding. It will really tell you when to try out your spray tan, whiten your teeth, get massages, facials, etc. That way when the month of the wedding comes, you know exactly what you need!

Castle Hill Fitness

Castle Hill has everything you would want in a gym—150+ group fitness classes, steam rooms and saunas, pools, a large gym, Pilates reformer studios, spa treatment rooms, a clean locker room with showers, childcare, acupuncture, and more. They offer all of this while still being an approachable local neighborhood gym with a welcoming staff and a no-frills attitude. When we think of Austin gyms, Castle Hill is the one that combines the perfect amount of everything.

Castle Hill underwent a huge a transformation of their gym spaces in 2020. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, they have divided their common gym spaces into personal workout pods. Members reserve pods through the website and app, and each pod contains a variety of equipment, sanitizing supplies, HEPA air filters, and physical barrier walls. Short video here. Castle Hill also added a large virtual schedule, on-demand fitness library, and outdoor classes to their pandemic era group ex programs. The large sauna, eucalyptus steam room, and hot tub are now reserved as single-occupancy Recovery Pods. Castle Hill still offers an array of spa services, personal training, and Pilates reformer instruction.  They offer all of this while still being an approachable local neighborhood gym with a welcoming staff and a no-frills attitude. When we think of Austin gyms, Castle Hill is the one that combines the perfect amount of everything.

COVID-19 Precautions: Castle Hill requires reservations, temperature screenings, and masks while inside. They have a dedicated contact tracer on staff and have added 100+ HEPA air-purifiers in their buildings. Full list here.

Locations: Downtown (12th and Lamar) and Westlake (Westlake Drive and Hwy 360)

Favorite Instructors: Virtual fitness instructors Jeremy and Veronika will keep you fit from anywhere. On-Site try Pilates with Brooke or any of their Yoga teachers. Jess Clark also teaches there, and she is one of our favorite instructors in the city!

Cost: $89-199/month – discounts for couples and families. They also offer a free 7-day trial for all new visitors.

Parking: In parking lot or free on street

Equinox

Not only is Equinox a super nice gym, they are known for their classes. They take instructors from the best studios like SoulCycle, CorePower, Barre, etc. and bring them to Equinox. Complete with a eucalyptus steam room, cafe and juice bar, personal training, state-of-the-art equipment, and a perfectly central location—this is a place to be and be seen.

Location: South Congress (closer to Riverside)

Favorite Instructors: Miguel Romero (Best Butt Ever), Matt & Kiley (Athletic Conditioning, Upper Bod & Abs) Miguel Hernandez (cycling), Jamie Rouso (Stacked), Jess Clark (Metcon & Precision Run), Gustavo Padron (Yoga & Athletic Conditioning)

Cost: $150-180/month (Depending on if you go with the Early Bird Special)

Parking: Free parking for two hours in the garage

Lifetime

Lifetime is like a spa—the South and North locations even have a pool and eucalyptus steam room! You can truly spend all day here; they have child care, basketball courts, tons of classes, etc. This place is a dream! They also have a ton of classes from yoga, spin, barre, weights, and personal training.

Locations: South (William Cannon and Mopac), Downtown (West 5th – where the old Pure used to be) , Arboretum (Quarry), and North (45 and 183)

Cost: $40/day pass

Downtown: $129/month for young adults under 29 years old, otherwise $149/month

South & North: $99/month for young adults under 26 years old, otherwise $109/month

Arboretum: $119/month for young adults under 26 years old, otherwise $129/month

Parking: Free parking in garage or lot

Golds Gym

Golds is a great budget option with over 20 locations, decent facilities, and frequent discounts.

Locations: 20!

Cost: $40/month – option for paying $20/biweekly, frequent discounts that run and a lot of employer discounts here (be sure to ask!)

Parking: Depends on location but all are in parking lots or garages for free

*Classes and open gym time on ClassPass for 1-3 Credits. 

Onnit

This is more of a CrossFit style gym with fewer machines and more weights, kettlebells, ropes, bands, and more. The group fitness classes really challenge you in a full body HIIT type workout, building lean muscle. They also have a sports recovery area,  which includes Cryotherapy machines and an infrared sauna. They offer nutritional guidance, and also have a nice cafe in the facility.

Location: South – 35 & 71 (St. Elmo & Friedrich Lane)

Favorite Instructors: Juan, great at improving your form and will always push you to the limit!

Cost: $150-200/month

Parking: Free Parking in lot

*Classes on ClassPass for 5-8 Credits. 

YMCA

Another budget friendly option with multiple locations in Austin, and membership discounts for lower-income members.

Locations: Townlake, Southwest, East, North, Northwest, Cedar Park, Buda (Hayes), Dripping Springs, and Bastrop

Cost: $30-60/month depending on number of members and Income

Parking: Free parking in lot

TruFusion

Tons of classes! Over 65 class types and over 240 classes a week featuring Yoga, Barre, Pilates, Bootcamp, Cycle, Kettlebell, Battle Ropes, Boxing, and TRX.

Location: South Lamar near Target

Favorite Instructors: Megan and Kay (Hot Pilates), Miguel Romero (Kettle Booty)

Cost: $30 for First 30 Days (Unlimited), $50-150/month depending on how many classes you want to take per month

Parking: Free parking in lot

*Classes and on ClassPass for 5-7 Credits. 

CRUX Climbing

This place is more than just rock climbing—they have Yoga, Circuit/Bootcamp workouts, and multiple climbing classes.

Locations: South Austin – South Congress by Cosmic Coffee; and Central Austin/Highland – Opening Mid-2020

Cost: $17/day pass or $70/month

*Classes on ClassPass for 4 Credits. 

It is true what they say, “abs are made in the kitchen.” We can’t talk about fitness without talking about some of the most important facets of living a healthy lifestyle: diet, health, and wellness. Below we cover  healthy lifestyle habits, local restaurants and delivery services, and a few general tips for living your best life in Austin.  those in our city.

Diet

The word “diet” is falling out of fashion. Now-a-days, it really is about living a healthy lifestyle versus adapting to some fad diet and hoping it sticks. The 80/20 rule is easy to remember and understand:.Eat healthy 80% of the time with foods that work for you and your lifestyle. The other 20% of the time, indulge a little bit. Allow yourself that cookie, that slice of pizza, that frozen marg (@polvos). Without those mindful indulgences, you’re creating an environment where you are sure to go off the rails and abandon a healthy lifestyle all together because it was just “too hard.”

Some of our favorite healthy lifestyle tips are below:

Protein

Eating adequate protein is imperative to maintain muscle mass. Having the right balance of protein, fat, fiber and carbs is ideal for maintaining or losing weight/fat loss. Calorie counting can sometimes be a triggering action for those who have experienced disordered eating in the past, but for me personally it was helpful for a few months to track my macros (my protein intake, carbs, fat and fiber) to learn more about the food I was consuming. Once I started to learn the best ways to consume food for my body specifically, what works best for my digestion and balancing my blood sugar, I then was able to move away from counting macros, and simply living a balanced lifestyle.

Fiber

Yes, fiber. Vegetables. Wheat Bran (Gluten). Legumes. Fiber is crucial to a healthy diet and lifestyle. Women should aim for 25+ grams of fiber a day, and men should aim for 30+ grams of fiber per day. Eating fiber and protein at each meal ensures a regular metabolism.

Vegetarian

It shouldn’t be a surprise that masses of people have switched to a vegetarian diet in recent years. There are a variety of reasons to do this, including concern for animal rights and the environment. Studies have shown that vegetarians are less prone to common diseases such as heart disease and Type 2 Diabetes as well. An article published by the Huffington Post showed that vegans and vegetarians had a significantly longer life expectancies—on average more than eight years longer than the general population. Blue Cross Blue Shield has also published several reports showing that vegetarians also have a lower risk of obesity, hypertension, diabetes, or cardiovascular disease.

Overall this is a great way to live a healthy lifestyle. You can still find protein sources outside of meat with eggs (for vegetarians, not vegan), a variety of legumes, and grains such as black beans, chickpeas, quinoa, and others. This is also a very fiber rich diet which, as we listed above, has major health benefits as well. One of our favorite vegetarian/vegan recipe creators is The Minimalist Baker. Her recipes are very inventive and based on common dishes we all know and love, making becoming a vegetarian a very approachable change in diet. Of course living in Austin, there are so many restaurants that adhere to this lifestyle too. Below you will find a list of some of our favorite vegan/vegetarian restaurants.

Austin Staples for a Healthy Lifestyle and Diet

Snap Kitchen

Not a meal prepper? Us either. Snap Kitchen makes it so easy to eat healthy throughout the week. You can stop by one of their 13 Austin locations (including inside any Whole Foods), and grab breakfast, lunch, dinner, dessert, and snacks for the week. They are all pre-packaged and microwavable making it super easy for the office. They are very affordable too ($3-11/meal depending on size), and offer low-carb, Keto, and vegetarian lifestyle plans.

Grocery Delivery:

Getting groceries delivered to you to saves time. H-E-B and Whole Foods have great pre-made options too, so you can even utilize these services for office deliveries to make it easy to stay on track during the work week. Grocery delivery also helps you order only what you need works best if you plan ahead for cooking for meals that week. It also helps to cut costs on groceries by not throwing extra things in your cart as you pass by them in the store. We also love being able to add things to your grocery list throughout the week with ease!

Amazon PrimeNow Grocery Delivery – Spend $35 and the delivery is free! Download the separate PrimeNow app to scroll through options at your local Whole Foods. Since Whole Foods and Amazon merged, bringing the less-expensive 365 Every Day Value Brand, it is honestly cheaper than you think to buy your groceries there. Use Code: 10PRIMENOW for $10 off your first order.

H-E-B Curbside Pick-Up or Delivery – Curbside: $4.95 shopper fee; Delivery: Shopper Fee + $5 Delivery Fee. I love using the HEB app because you can find so many coupons to help save money. Can also order H-E-B with Favor (this includes Alcohol)!

Instacart – Order from Specs, Total Wine, Wheatsville, Natural Grocers, Sprouts, Target, H-E-B, Central Market, Randall’s, Costco, Sam’s, CVS, Petco, and Tomlinson’s. Super fast delivery times. Great when you’re in a bind—place the order before you leave the office and have groceries delivered to your house within an hour! Deliveries as low as $3.99. Use this code for $10 off your first delivery. 

Healthy Dining Out

Vinaigrette – Tons of great salad options. (South Congress)

Citizen Eatery – Vegan. (North Burnet)

Honest Mary’s – Build your own grain bowls. (Arboretum location open, Rosedale coming soon)

ATX Food Co. – Vegan trailer. Order online & Pickup or from multiple delivery services. (Barton Springs)

Blenders & Bowls – Acai bowls. (5 Locations – Downtown, Westlake, Eastside, Domain, Guadalupe)

Bouldin Creek Cafe – Vegetarian. (South 1st)

Whole Foods Salad Bar – a TON of toppings to choose from. (Multiple Locations)

Picnik – Very clean, farm-to-table, optional vegan cuisine with approachable known dishes. (Trailer on S. Lamar & Restaurant on N. Burnet) Pro Tip: Try their butter coffee, the fat in the butter and MCT Oil (a form of coconut oil), help make the caffeine last longer and leave you less jittery. #keto

Salata – Build your own salad. (Arboretum)

Joann’s – Powerbowl. (South Congress)

Fresa’s – Kale Caesar, Power and Super Bol’s, Brussels, Beets. (South 1st Restaurant & 6th and Lamar Drive-Thru) – Pro Tip: Substitute chips for carrots & jicama sticks with salsa, queso and guac!

Poke Poke, Poke Eatery and Malibu Poke – Lean raw fish poke dishes. (Multiple Locations) – Pro Tip: Sub greens for rice, and at Malibu Poke – try their cauliflower rice!

Juiceland and Daily Juice – Smoothies. (Multiple Locations) – Pro Tip: Sub cauliflower for banana and diminish 90% of the carbs in your smoothies.

Steeping Room – Great salads and vegan options. (North Lamar and the Domain).

Flowerchild – Counter service, quick healthy dishes. (Downtown – 2nd Street, and Domain Northside)

True Food Kitchen – Same owners as Flowerchild, sit down restaurant, local healthy dishes, can order vegan. (Downtown – Seaholm, and the Domain) Pro Tip: Get the Edamame Dumplings!

Counter Culture – Vegan. (East Cesar Chavez) Pro Tip: Try their pizzas, tacos and burgers! They’re awesome even if you are not vegan.

Curcuma – Vegan Food Truck. (East Cesar Chavez)

Sweetgreen – Build your own salad. (Coming Soon – South Congress, next to Equinox)

Health and Wellness

What exactly is health and wellness? We hear these words often but what do they truly mean? Wellness is really just being more aware of things you can do to be living a healthy lifestyle, and making positive choices. A study by UC Davis identified eight areas of wellness: emotional, physical, environmental, spiritual, social, occupational, financial, and intellectual.

Emotional Wellness

Emotional wellness is also your mental wellness. This would include self-care and relaxation in order to decrease stress levels. Increased stress = increased cortisol levels, which have been related to weight gain. Be sure to take time to relax, put your phone down (reduce blue light), sleep when you’re tired, listen to your body, and practice self care. Self care could be going to the spa (take a water taxi to Lake Austin spa), or it could be taking a warm bath (with a lush bath bomb) and reading a book to relax and ease the mind. Take mental health days when you need them, talk to a therapist or counselor (UT Psychology program offers a free clinic to the public with UT doctorate students offering counseling services for a fraction of the cost), and look into meditation.

Meditation: There are a few places in Austin that are great for getting your feet wet in the meditation space. Check out Meditation Bar near MoPac and Steck ($30 introductory offer for first week – unlimited, or $18/class drop in), Kadampa Meditation Center near William Cannon and Manchaca (they also have events), or downloading a guided meditation app like Headspace. Headspace makes it super easy to wake up and have a few minutes of guided meditation. Practicing mindfulness and reduce stress before going into your busy day.

Physical Wellness

This goes into taking care of your body and health. This includes exercise and fitness, diet, seeking help when needed (going to the doctor, having regular physicals and bloodwork), and getting enough sleep.

If you don’t believe in modern medicine and don’t like the idea of shots and drugs, you should definitely check out Ayurvedic Medicine. Listen to this podcast by Skinny Confidential where they interview Sahara Rose, author of the book Idiots Guide to Ayerveda. In ayurvedic medicine, there are three mind-body types or “doshas” – Vata, Kapha, and Pitta; basically three substances present in your body and health exists when there is a balance between those three bodily elements. Once you find out which type you are, you can create a lifestyle routine around it. This can include recipes for your dosha type, and specific home healing remedies. You can take a quiz here to figure out your dosha, and explore from there!

Environmental Wellness

This is really respecting our planet and taking steps to protect it. Interact with nature—Austin has so many places where you can do this: hiking, biking, walking the trail, getting out on the lake or river, kayaking, canoeing, paddle boarding, swimming; going to the park, and, if you have a dog,  taking them for a walk or hike; running outside, etc. Check out our post on best outdoor workouts in Austin. There are ton of great places to explore and it will really build a strong environmental consciousness by raising your awareness of the environment you’re in.

Environmental wellness also includes your immediate space around you. Think about more plants in your home and work space, high-quality filtered water, clean air (changing your AC filter), and more natural light.

Social Wellness

It is important to have a social aspect of your life whether it be with family, friends, coworkers or others. This creates a support network of encouraging relationships with peers, and intimate romantic relationships. The key here is to surround yourself with people who are lifting you up, not bringing you down. It’s a new year and it is OK to reevaluate relationships and truly see who is adding value.

Being in a socially happy place also creates a sense of belonging, increasing overall happiness and physical health, which also leads to more motivation and productivity in your life. If you’re new to Austin, get involved in a group. This could be an active group like a gym (check out our post on best gyms in Austin), running club (check out Loop Running Supply), co-ed sports like kickball (Club WAKA is great) or softball. It could also be a spiritual or religious group; or getting to know more people in the workplace who could become friends outside of the office.

Spiritual Wellness

Spirituality can mean multiple things—relaxation or religion; aligning our values with our actions. This goes hand-in-hand with emotional wellness, and creating a set of beliefs and values that give meaning and direction to our lives. Meditation, yoga, prayer—these could all be examples of practicing spiritual wellness. Check out some of our favorite yoga studios, here.

Occupational Wellness

This is committing to a work environment that is supporting good health and productivity and allowing for a positive work-life balance. Through this, we still want to feel fulfilled in our jobs, and as though our careers are progressing. An article by Allwork says that occupational health is a leading factor of good health, especially considering that people spend over 40 hours of their week in the workplace. Austin has some of the best occupational wellness workplaces in the country, including companies like Google, Facebook, Amazon, Dell, and many others. Working in open spaces, collaborative environments, social aspects of the workplace with group outings and team functions, flexible time off, less stress (remember, stress = increased cortisol = weight gain) and increased ability to grow in your career. All of these things contribute to a strong occupational wellness and are important in overall health. Check out this article on Glassdoor with the top places to work in Austin, that outlines details about work life balance and positive reviews from employees.

Intellectual Wellness

Intellectual wellness is all about continuing to learn and grow, using the resources around you to become a more intelligent individual. Reading (join a book club with friends, or even try a virtual group like Oprah’s book club), continuing education through professional development classes  sign up for a classes at ACC that might interest you like, painting, pottery, etc.) or workshops around the city (like a free money management class). Check out any cultural events in Austin, or community activities. Join the nextdoor app, and see what community activities could be going on right in your own neighborhood. The Austin Public Library also has events going on at multiple locations every single day.