✨ Soft Luxe Reset: My Working Vanity Desk Transformation

🌸 给我可爱的中国Glow Girls：

我看到你们了，亲爱的中国读者！欢迎来到我的部落格～

过去几个月我注意到有一些中国的朋友来看我的故事，

现在你们的数量慢慢在增加，真的让我又惊讶又感动。

谢谢你们愿意停下来，读我写的小故事。

希望每次你们来逛逛时，都能让你们的生活多一点 soft luxe 的感觉。

愿你们的日常生活也能变得温柔、优雅、自在。

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🌸 To my lovely Chinese Glow Girls:

I see you, my beautiful readers from China! Welcome to my blog~

Over the past few months, I noticed a few of you reading my stories,

but now your numbers are growing—and I’m truly surprised and touched.

Thank you for taking the time to stop by and read what I share.

I hope that every time you visit, your life feels just a little more soft luxe—

gentler, more graceful, and aligned with your soul.

I. Am. Exhausted.

There, I said it.

My friends say I do the work of 5 people everyday. I wear many crowns - mom, wife, entrepreneur, author, writer, creator, mentor, etc. Because of this, I keep refining my strategies daily. Even if it saves me 1 minute or 30 seconds, I would do it. Time is very precious to me. Time is my servant, but as a good master, I take care of it. 

I have been in a rut for weeks now and nothing I do seems to motivate me to be at my usual 200%. Then I looked at my workspace:

It was a huge mess! There's makeup and skincare, receipts and pens, wellness stuff, etc. etc. etc. 

The Problem That was Right in Front of Me

It is said that the state of your environment affects your attitude towards work and your output. Well that's definitely the case here. But, it wasn't the whole reason. This was only 20%. Still, that's 20%. And If I can get back my 20%, I will. 

My desk setup has been like this since I taught the kids in our homeschool group online for a few years. I quit online teaching a couple of years ago, but my desk setup has stayed the same. I'm back to writing about beauty and my soft luxe life now and my desk didn't reflect that.   

Plus, I used my desk as my vanity. We live in a small house and space is an issue. When my son was born, I gave up my small vanity to have more space for his things. I use a 4-tier standalone shelf as my vanity. Well, more like a storage for my beauty things. I get them and get ready in front of a mirror. When I got this desk, I got my makeup and sat in front of the desk to do my makeup. 

This setup was a waste of time and energy. Both of which are very precious to me. 

It was time to make a change and embrace the woman I'm becoming. 

I decided to completely let go of that teacher persona and embracing the woman who loves to write about beautiful things. 

I finally gave my desk a much-needed glow-up—and it changed everything.

Not just how it looks. But how I feel, how I move, how I think.

💡 Why I Changed It

Aside from my reason above, I realized I was wasting at least 5 minutes just walking back and forth to get my makeup and skincare. That time adds up. And for someone like me who lives by energy conservation, especially with ADHD and sensory sensitivities, that was a huge drain.

Add to that, the space going to that shelf is narrow and has a lot of obstacles (yes, my house is a big obstacle course. I'm working on it, though.) It was so troublesome to go back and forth to get and return my things. 

I needed a setup that worked with me, not against me.

Another reason, and this is a big one, my desk no longer sparked joy nor inspiration. Forget motivation. I cannot write without inspiration. When I sit in front of my tablet, I need to be fully inspired in order to come up with beautiful, useful, educational, and yes, inspirational, and aspirational posts. Having reminders of my old teaching life (which had it's ups and downs, but a lot of bad memories towards the end), didn't fuel that passion. The old things really had to go. 

🧴 One Vanity, Two Lives: Beauty + Work

Instead of separating beauty from work, I embraced both. I turned my desk into a working vanity—a space where I could write, blog, do makeup, and enjoy my beautiful things without moving a single item.

Makeup drawers now hold essentials within arm’s reach. No more rummaging.

These drawers used to house pens. Pens from when my child was a toddler. I donated a lot of them and kept the ones that we still use. I transferred them to my old Muji frosted makeup drawer. I need a clear drawer for my makeup, so that I won't waste time looking through drawer after drawer, rummaging through stuff. 

My brush case? It found its new home in my IKEA tray on the pegboard. A perfect fit. It sparked serious joy.

That big brush case was my biggest problem. I didn't know where to put it on my desk. I knew it had to go on there, but where? Finally, I gave up and dumped it on that tray and to my surprise, it fit! 

My light-up mirror stays beside my tablet, of course. 

All my nail things are in one organizer. The small drawers house my inhalers and my overstock. 

All pens, notepads, and paper tools are in the shelf that used to house my makeup. I only bring out what I need, one by one, to avoid clutter. I still keep my pen pouch and some papers beside 

🪞 Storage with Intention

I also tucked away things I didn’t want on display—like hair brushes and body tools—behind my tablet and acrylic drawers. (Nate Berkus once said toiletries are gross to display... and I agree 😂)

These baskets now house my palettes and my hair accessories

Everything has a home now. And I’ve noticed how this setup keeps my mind clearer too.

🎯 Function is Luxury

Soft luxe isn’t about gold accents or marble trays—it’s about function that feels like self-respect. I created this space for me. A space that supports my pace, sparks inspiration, and lets me flow from writing to beauty to rest without chaos. My space makes me happy. It sparks joy again. 

And the best part? I love being here. It feels like home on my desk. Now, it's truly a working vanity. 

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'Til my next post,

Stay soft. Stay strong. Stay Glowing.

LET'S GLOW.

With elegance and quiet fire, 

Lady E

💌 Connect with me on  Insta: behind-the-scenes, daily sparks, and more.

📚 Created by a registered NBDB author, these children’s books and homeschool workbooks are made to help your child learn with ease.

💻 Grab your copies now on Gumroad

 🍽 Craving comfort food stories and recipes? Visit my food blog: Lady E Eats

🛒 🎁 Looking for toys, learning materials, school supplies,  and thoughtful finds? Visit my Shopee: Isaac's Gift Shop

💫 I write, I cook, I create — with love, always.

✈️ Our Binondo staycation was featured by Ramada by Wyndham Manila Central! Read about our Soft Luxe experience here 💖

 P. S.

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