It's no fun to feel out of control on your leisure or business trip.  Take a few steps before you travel to get organized and ready for just about anything!

1. Create a checklist - It doesn't have to be fancy. You can even use an app on your phone.  The important thing is to list what you need to bring and what you need to do before you leave. We have all seen Home Alone!  You may not leave a child at home but you just may forget to make those kennel plans for Fido in time.  
If you are traveling internationally start your list a good 8 weeks out.  You want to be sure everyone's passports are in order.  
Two days out I start to corral items from my daily routine so I don't forget the essentials that we take for granted.

2. Check the weather - When you are flying or taking a road trip, it is alway good to know what type of weather you're headed to.  Do you need a poncho or parka?  Be prepared! If it's not looking good, you may want to change some plans in advance so you can make the best of your vacation.  A museum may be a better option then the outdoor hike.

3. Pack light - We always want to take more than we need.  Don't get caught paying high airport fees due to overpacking.  Try the capsule wardrobe system to cut down on clothing items.  You can always buy when you arrive if you absolutely must.  
​Check out packing systems made of lightweight material too.
 
4. Arrive on time - Be sure to double check flight and check-in times.  I would rather sit for a few extra minutes and have time to relax and read a bit, than miss my flight.  Enough said!

​5. Know your surroundings - I always like to check out the area I will be visiting ahead of time. (And points of interest along the way.) You don't want to miss something you might really enjoy.  Who knows when you may pass by 
The Big Muskie Bucket again!    It's also good to know the area for safety too!

Check out some of my GO TO items for travel from The Container Store!

If getting organized tops your list, you picked a good time, January is GO Month (Get Organized)!
Know where you want to begin and break it down into small, manageable chunks. You don't want to lose steam before you even start!  For example, lets say you start with the bedroom. That might be too big a canvas for you, so you want to be more specific.  Start with a dresser or closet and if that still seems overwhelming, start with a single drawer or just the floor of the closet.  
Here are a few tips to get you started with your organizing project.

• Schedule your project
• Enlist the help of a friend or professional
• Start small and make your project manageable
• Pick an area that will give you the biggest impact
• Play upbeat music and make it fun
• Make a recycle/give away pile & remove ASAP
• Make a home for everything & store it where you use it
• Create a daily/weekly/monthly organizing routine

Don't look at getting organized as a chore but as a gift you give yourself!

Check this video out!

It has been six years since my whole family has been
home for the holidays!  For this household, 'holidays' means Christmas, New Years and three Birthday celebrations!   With an active duty Marine in the family we take what time we can get and enjoy the heck out of it! 

Oh the excitement! (or is that stress I am feeling?)
But I am an organizer so I have a plan.  Several actually!

• I will not over plan events.  More may actually turn into less if everyone gets cranky so I will be content with anything we do together.
  
  
• When entertaining, I will accept help from anyone who offers and not feel like I need to do it all myself! 

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• I will not fuss over the tree that my daughter will pick.  Although I may still have to rearrange the ornaments when she leaves the room.  It is actually very therapeutic for me!

 

• I will take a million pictures so I can remember every moment.  In January I will delete all the bad ones and organize the rest.

 

• My Christmas cards may actually end up being New Years cards and that’s OK!

I could go on and on, but you get the picture. 
​Plan what you can so you can plan to have fun.  
But most important, enjoy the time you have with the people you love!

If you're struggling with your back to school routine check out this short video from my recent visit to
New Day Cleveland on Fox 8.

Back to School With Ease
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• Establish a morning and after school routine that keeps everyone organized and on time.
• Set up a homework station with everything the kids need.
• Encourage the kids to go through their backpacks everyday and remove papers needing attention.
• Purge old home work papers and artwork on a regular basis.  Only keep what you absolutely love!

                                   Enjoy your children!!!

Everyone loves a little Halloween scare! Right? 

Not so much.  My pooches big and small are not fans of the frightful night.  Dogs can get anxious with the sounds of the night and disguises people are wearing.   It is best to keep your pets confined on the spooktacular night.  Chocolate can be lethal to your dog so do be mindful with your trick or treat bag around Old Yeller!

If you are fortunate to have that great neighborhood for trick or treating , here are some things to remind your Tweens & Teens as they head out. 
* Carry a flash light.
* Travel in packs or the buddy system is always a great idea.
* Choose streets with sidewalks and stay away from busy roads.
* Masks hinder your sight so opt for face makeup and where light colors if possible.
Having parties has become a great alternative to traditional trick or treating.  Kids can still enjoy candy, crafts, games and fun in the safety of a supervised area.  Check out Pinterest for great party ideas.  

When all is said and done be sure to launder the kids costumes before packing away.  You may not see it but they are sure to have food on them that will only stain with time.  After 20 years my children still pull from our 'dress up' container that holds a mix of hand made and store bought costumes and accessories.  

Happy Haunting!

For those of you who haven't started the back to school dance yet, it is coming soon!  Back to school always feels a little bittersweet to me. While I am sad to see the summer fun end, I eagerly anticipate getting back to a routine. 

For those of you with a few days left, why not finish up the summer creating one last memory.  Spend the afternoon creating a craft with items you collected over the summer break.   Make it something simple that gives you time to reminisce about the family fun you had.  Maybe it's creating a scrap book of photos or a craft with shells you have collected.  The idea is to enjoy your  time while organizing your summer mementos.

Check out my Pinterest page for more ideas! 

If you you are already in that back to school mode, be sure you have things set up for a successful year.

• Create a system that will minimize your time filtering through memorabilia at the end of the school year. Use a container to place incoming school work that you want to save.  Throughout the year purge through items and only keep the few that reflect your child's personality.  Take a photo of larger items that you want to remember but know you will not display. 
• Do a last minute purge of your child's closet.  Be sure everything that won't fit anymore is removed. Remaining items should be set up in an orderly fashion to make it easy to put together an outfit.