What inspired me in November

Movie lists, making space, nostalgic interiors, and I may have found my next word of the year?

📽️ Movie Lists

Early in the month, I turned on An American in Paris while putting up my Christmas tree, and it was one of those supremely joyful experiences—twinkling lights, classic tunes, colorful costumes, and Gene Kelly. It was s’wonderful, s’marvelous, and I knew I needed (s’)more.

I put up my tree early this year to combat the time-change blues, and diving into more old movies seemed like the perfect way to bring extra light into my life. 

I started by listing my favorite old holiday films to rewatch, which led me down an internet rabbit hole, ultimately ending in a hodgepodge of classics. Even though most of these are black-and-white, they’ve been the brightest part of my month!

I’ve also been dabbling with the app Letterboxd, like Goodreads for movies. If you’re a fellow film lover, let’s connect there!

Here’s a peek at my lists:

🍂 What I watched in November, ranked by how much I enjoyed them (all on Prime Video):
Holiday (1938) (this was far and away my favorite—I can’t wait to watch it again!)
Talk of the Town (1942)
My Man Godfrey (1936)
The Lady Eve (1941)
Born Yesterday (1950)

🎄 Favorite Classic Holiday Movies
White Christmas (1954)
Christmas in Connecticut (1945)
Holiday Inn (1942)
It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)

📼 Still to Watch
The More the Merrier (1943)
The Palm Beach Story (1942)
The Lemon Drop Kid (1951)
Monkey Business (1952)
How to Marry a Millionaire (1953)

⏮️ Old Favorites to Watch Again Soon
Woman of the Year (1942)
High Society (1956)
The Pajama Game (1957)
Funny Face (1957)
You Can’t Take It With You (1938)

🧹 Making Space

This year, my word is STREAM (as in streamline, and in the spirit of “let’s make everything easier”). I made a big stride toward that goal last month by cleaning out the big closet in my office, which had become a catch-all for things I didn’t want to deal with.

I tackled every item in that little room, recycled, and donated. I took down the ugly wire shelves, spackled, and touched up the paint. Then, I refilled the space only with things that sparked joy.

The obvious win is a new, lovely, functional storage space.

The most significant accomplishment was that clearing out that closet sparked a snowball effect. I let go of other unused items, tidied the rest of my office, and felt increasingly certain about my choices.

Each micro-decision strengthened my intuition, slowly dissolving my usual aura of hesitation. And I may or may not have uncovered my word for 2025. Much more on that to come.

🕰️ Nostalgic Interior Design

I’ve always considered myself a little too sentimental, but I think nostalgia is practically a hallmark Millennial trait, and like my fellow 80s and 90s kids, I’m all in on the Grandmillennial style trend.

If you’re unfamiliar, this aesthetic is a nod to the cozy, lovingly cluttered homes many of us grew up in, very similar to what you’d see in a Nancy Meyers movie.

I’m slowly dreaming up ways to decorate the loft in our home—a cozy space where I spend most evenings—and I keep coming back to a feeling: It’s summer, everyone is winding down for the night. It’s dark outside, and the crickets are chirping. It’s soft, lamp-lit, and brimming with books, movies, games, and puzzles. There are warm cookies and steaming mugs of tea. In the distance, you hear laughter, everyone at ease.

What I’m trying to recreate is a blend of my best childhood summer memories, some at home in New York, some in Cape Cod, others at my grandparents’ house. All havens of safety and comfort—the perfect mood for winding down.

This will be a slow process, but I’ve already begun adding little elements: a round table for puzzles, games, and painting, and an old lamp I brought up from downstairs. I also often light candles that smell like pine and sea air. 

In the meantime, I keep gathering inspiration for bigger undertakings: painting, trim, shelving, custom pillows, and artwork.

✍️ Creative Exercises/Journal Prompts

1. Create a list of movies or books you’d like to enjoy this holiday season.

2. Revisit your 2024 word of the year. How might you embody it with strength as we close out the year?

3. Think of a happy, comforting space from your past. What elements and memories stand out? How could you incorporate them into your home?

☀️ Five good things

When we can recognize the things that bring us the most joy, we invite more of them into our lives. Here are five things that made me happy this week. Share yours below!

Five good things that happened this week:

1. I’m starting with a not-so-great thing, but I’m trying to focus on the positives! We brought our cat Rory in for a checkup on Tuesday, and his vet found a mass. After consulting with an oncologist a few days later, we confirmed it’s cancer. Many of you know our cat Dagny had cancer and lived for two years with treatment, so I’m staying hopeful. Rory’s vet, the oncologist, and all the techs have been wonderful, supportive, and loving, and I’m thankful for every day we get to spend with him.

2. Given the week’s events, I took a self-care day on Wednesday and just lay around reading. I finished Beatriz Williams’s Husbands and Lovers, which was such a treat!

3. I had a few hours to kill in Orlando on Monday, so I stopped by the Apple Store to have someone look at my AirPods. It was inside The Mall at Millenia, and I was kind of flabbergasted that it was still fully functioning and actually quite lovely! Though they couldn’t fix my AirPods, I enjoyed wandering into Williams Sonoma, Pottery Barn, and Anthropologie, while also enjoying nostalgic sightings (and scents!) as I walked by The Cheesecake Factory, Johnny Rockets, and Hollister.

4. I started listening to Ina Garten’s new memoir, Be Ready When the Luck Happens. She is such a delight!

5. I asked my husband to pick up some groceries. He returned with flowers and my favorite champagne. 🥰

💬 Share your intention

Whether it’s a giant leap, a tiny to-do list item, a habit change, or something else, there is power in accountability, and this is a safe space to share your aim. Some weeks, we’ll fail, others we’ll soar, but with support, we’ll always keep going together.

Until next week, get out there and make something beautiful.

Michelle

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