Smart Summer Travel

It's Summer. Most of you have probably planned your summer vacations or even already been there and back. Yes, I am jealous. Although I do not have any big Summer vacation plans, I still love finding new and creative travel solutions for my future travels.

Today, traveling can be tough when it comes to packing. If you are flying, your luggage is now limited and you have to pay extra for each bag you check with the airline. If you are driving, space can be an issue for many reasons, such as driving a smaller but more economic car and/or you are trying to carry less in your vehicle to save on gas.

Packing smart is becoming far more necessary yet can be fun and sylish all at the same time. For me, packing my toiletries is the trickiest part of my travel planning. I have found some cute and smart solutions at organize.com

A key rule I try to follow when it comes to my toiletry items is this: ***If it doesn't fit in the designated case or spot, remove something you know you don't really need. Are you really going to need your hairspray at the beach???? Ask yourself these kind of questions. You probably won't need all the same products at your temporary final destination. If you think you will probably need them, buy a cheaper travel size version...you don't need the whole 20oz bottle. Plus, wherever you are going probably has stores nearby where you can get something you left behind.

Damask Tri Fold Cosmetic Case in Black and White by Room It Up™
$16.99


Polka Dot Tri Fold Cosmetic Case by Room It Up™
$16.99


Travel Bottle Set with Pouch by Lewis N. Clark
$8.49




Hanging Jewelry Organizer in Turquoise by Baggallini®
$25.49


Hanging Cosmetics Bag in Lime by Baggallini®
$35.99


Black Hanging Travel Toiletry Kit by Lewis N. Clark
$17.99


I had one of these document holders when I traveled overseas and I loved having it. I knew where my travel information and passport were at all times and never had to dig in my purse for items.
Ticket Organizer in Black by Baggallini®
$14.49



I love this Expandable Cargo Cooler! I wish I had a rode trip sometime soon!
Expandable Cargo Cooler in Tan by Jokari®
$19.99


There are so many great travel ideas and items available at our fingertips. Do you have any good travel tricks or travel items that make your travel more easy?

Organize Your Recipes

Some of you may be laughing at this post, asking yourself "Does Deb even own any recipes?!!" Well, technically, the answer is yes. I own a Rachel Ray 30-minute meals cook book. I've used it once. Go ahead and make your snarky remarks.

Moving on. This post is inspired by my monkey of a signficant other's wonderful mother. I recently helped her pack her kitchen and I encountered a drawer full of recipes. She has mountains of them. When I asked how she acquired all these recipes, she explained that she clips and prints any recipe she finds that she wants to try. She admiited that there were probably some that resembled recipes she already had, but she doesn't know where to find them.

Lightbulb, organizing post.

Don't get me wrong. This woman is pretty organized and did have a recipe book with recipe clippings strategically placed near appropriate food categories. So we discussed going through her clippings and printed recipes one day and binding all her recipes and making it easy for her to find and add recipes. Yet to happen, but I am hopeful. :)

So, what would I do given the opportunity? Categories! Just like other recipe books. Stick to specific categories that work for you: Snacks, Soups, Chicken, Beef, Fish, Salads, Crock Pots, Chocolate, Fruits, Vegetables, Rice, kid food. You can keep it generic or make it more specific and fun. ...of course, alphebatize the categories once you have decided on them. You will probably figure out categories as you sort through all your recipes.

Sort through your recipes and keep like recipes together. Take note of repeat recipes and please THROW them away. Or, if you just have to have them, staple them together. :)

Now, here comes the binding. What do you do with all the recipes once they are sorted? Find a binding strategy that works for you. I would simply buy a binder that fits the recipe needs and future recipes. Idealy, I would copy or type up all the recipes so that they can be put in a nice order when bound. Some of you recipe nazis out there will probably want to keep acutal clippings. Completely ok. Get some binder inserts that you can just put the recipe clippings in and label the insert with some cooking cuteness if you want.

So, catergorize, sort, alphabetize, copy or type or use inserts, and bind.

Or get this shnazzy Recipe Binder Set by russell+hazel if found at Organize.com.



How do you organize your recipes?

Do You Purge Your Closet?

How often do you purge your closet? I go through my closet twice a year and always manage to find items that I do not wear, have not worn, and will not ever wear again. It is amazing how much your clothing tastes change every six months. Plus, I have an old small but adorable house, so my closet space is limited. If I can do it, you can do it.

So, here are 5 Closet Organizing Tips that I found at Organizing Network that I already follow with my own little twists to them.

1. Items used most frequently should be on shelves at eye level.

Ok. I am all of 5ft. and 1 whole inch. Eye level would be pretty ridiculous for me. Can we say midget closet? So, when I open my closet, I have one bar directly in front of my that holds my pants and jeans. I know I definitely will need these items everyday so they are right in front...not eye level, but slightly raised for normalcy issues.

2. Break alike items down into baskets.

I don't do this only because I don't have the space for baskets. But, I believe this is a great functional and aesthetically pleasing tip.

3. Hang all like clothes together, i.e., skirts in one area, blouses in another.

OH YES. This is a definite must do. Like I mentioned before, my pants are directly in front of my forehead. On the left are jackets, then suits, skirts, then dresses. On the right side of my closet are long sleeved shirts, short sleeved shirts, and tank tops. All in that order from back to front because dresses and tank tops are my most frequently used items. And, yes, they are all color coordinated. This is optional, but highly suggested. :)

4. Put shoes in boxes that are labeled or a rack where they can be easily viewed.

OH YES, again. I have a 3-tier shoe rack on the floor of my closet with my most frequently used feet accessories easily access able. The shoes that I break out on special occasion get their own plastic clear bins that are easily stackable. All these shoes go on the shelves above my clothes. I can still see what shoes are in what bin and they save space due to their stackable abilities. Easy. You don't even have to label them if you don't want to.

5. If you haven’t worn it in a year, either move to a less used closet, or give away.

This is a super important rule. Unless it has sentimental value, give it away to someone who can wear it and get good use out of it. You know that you have purchased items throughout the year and you need the space anyway. The chances of you or I wearing something again that we have not worn in over a year are very slim...and probably because we are no longer as slim as we used to be. ...or if you are lucky...are too slim to wear it again.

So, lets get into the Spring spirit with a closet purge. I normally donate my purged items to a charity like the Salvation Army or any local charity I find that needs some help... and some charities will even pick it up for you! Plus, you may even find a long lost gem that you forgot you had...it's like buying something new.

A,B,C,D It Can Be That Easy

Everyone's organizing tactics are different. I like to keep things pretty easy and simple. I like to alphabetize. I absolutely need my DVD's to be in A,B,C order or else I will freak...because I am a freak apparently. I check my DVD's randomly to make sure they are still in the correct A,B,C order...because someone I know that I share a very comfy bed with does not put the DVD's back where they are supposed to go. Oh well, can't win them all, right?

So, it really can be that easy. If there is something in disarray and it is plagueing you, consider whether or not it can be alphabetized or if it can be put in numerical order...try it! See if it works for your state of mind and your well being for heavens sake. It never hurts to give it a shot. And just cause I feel like sharing, here is a pic of a few of my DVD's...A-E, I believe.



***Please ignore the fact that I have owned American Beauty for a few years now and have yet to take it out of its wrapping. Yes, I have seen the movie...just not the one I own. Also, Please please please ignore the proof that I am merely an organizing kind of person and not all a cleaning or dusting kind of person.

Now, although I love using the skills I learned from Kindergarten to organize my adult life, I don't alphabetize everything. I like to shake it up a but with some category fun. ...yes, I am an absolute loser at this point. BUT, when it comes to my books, I like to organize them in categories so that I will be able to easily find where I put what, but still have them look like they are in random order. -oh, the trickery!...again, loser. But, they key is to organize your life but to also organize it so that it makes absolute sense to you!

So, here is a look at my book shelf from afar:



Now, lets zoom in:


Can you guess some of the categories I might have conjured up in my mind?

Pull It. Roll It.

If you are like me and you need to seriously update your kitchen cabinets, but absolutely do not have the budget for a complete overhaul, I have a small solution. A trip around the local home improvement store conveniently lead me to the new kitchen cabinet section. So my curious little self went rolling through the faux kitchens opening every drawer and cabinet in sight trying to get up to date on the new innovative conveniences that a new kitchen can offer. What did I find? Every thing pulls or rolls out to you.

Now, picture this: Me, on my hands and knees, head in lower kitchen cabinet, banging pots and pans sounds ringing in your ear, and probably a few items that belong in the cabinet strewn about on the kitchen floor. My house was built in the 1940's and I swear it still has the original kitchen cabinets...just painted over a few hundred times. The half an hour of faux kitchen shopping makes me think there is hope.

So, I seriously doubt I will be getting a whole new kitchen anytime soon. What shall a girl do? There are many options! Every where I look, there seems to be a new gadget that I (or someone I ask very nicely and bat my eyes to) can install in my cabinets that will make my cabinet digging woes a little less woeful.

Cabinet-Sized elfa® Mesh Easy Glider™ ($26.99-$35.99)


Chrome Roll-Out Cabinet Drawers ($34.99-$49)


8 gal. Undercabinet Pull-Out Can ($39.99)


2-Drawer Mesh Organizer ($19.99)


The items above are from The Container Store website. I have also found the same or similar products at Bed, Bath & Beyond, and Target ...to just name a few.

I Am Losing My Memory

I have realized lately that I must be losing my memory. I used to be one of those people that never needed to write anything down. I could remember an entire grocery list, any phone number, where I set something down, ideas for writing, to do’s and almost anything anyone said to me. I cannot do any of these things any longer. But, I am willing to adapt because my thoughts needs to stay organized.

Today, I am on the prowl for a pretty and stylish notepad holder. Starting today, I will forever carry a notepad with me in style. I will take notes constantly regardless of how silly I will look. I have seen many people doing this in stores. It’s not that bad. My inability to remember what something cost in another store is so frustrating…yes, I am a price comparison shopper.

I considered using the notepad in my phone, but I think writing these things down on paper is much more fitting for this sometimes old fashioned gal. Blah blah save the trees and whatnot…ok, ok, I will also make sure I use recycled paper.

So, if you can’t remember daily to do’s and what cost what, do yourself a favor…keep your thoughts organized. If electronics are your thing, your cell phone has great memory organizing helpers. I do use my calendar on my phone. Set reminders for birthdays, doctor’s appointments, kids’ events, and heck, even your alarm. I used to have a PDA in addition to my phone, but the lugging of the two of them around was a little much. But, if that is your preference, PDA’s are a great tool also. They are available in different sizes and can be found for pretty decent and affordable prices.

But, for me…and the Katherine Heigl character in 27 Dresses, the good ole planner from Target or Wal-mart is good enough. Sometimes I really do like to keep it simple. Write it down or type it up.

QuizTime!

Ok. I have been super MIA in the OKC with too many things on my mind before I head out for my vacation. I have neglected my fellow organizing buddies. But, today I have a treat! I remembered this quiz I had stumbled upon that our lovely and scrumptuous Peter Walsh provided on Oprah.com. So take the quiz and asses where your clutter issues may be more of an aweful habit that seriously needs to be kicked.

Let me know how it goes!