Archive for the ‘Vacation Tips’ Category

Pleasant Summer Book Reads

Monday, July 9th, 2012 by admin

Monday Focus

Our focus for this week is a bit different from our usual focus on getting rid of clutter. I want to know if you have a good book or a few good books you are reading this summer.

My daughter is here from Atlanta Georgia and she brought a book to read which she just finished reading. It is “Anna Karenina” by Leo Tolstoy. I read this book as a teenager and I hated it.  She loved it.  I wonder if I would like it now.  I am not going to read it to find out.

My other daughter is reading a book I read in 9th grade and absolutely loved. “Les Miserables” by Victor Hugo. This is a book I want to read again.

For myself I am reading “Ties That Bind” by Marie Bostwick. It is about tragedy in a family and the bond of her quilting sisterhood that proves to be her saving grace.

Take some time from getting rid of clutter, kick back and pamper yourself with a good book to read. What are you reading right now? Or what is the next book on your list to read?

As a side note my new book  (Easy Organizing) will be published this October and I get advance copies in September, I am very excited! I just received a few more photos and other pages that will be in it so I can share them in my upcoming newsletters with you over the next few months.

Shower Cap To The Rescue

Friday, March 30th, 2012 by admin

Clutter Control Product Review:

Have all you travelers already figured this one out? I hadn’t, even with all the traveling I do. Use the shower cap you get in almost every hotel/motel you stay in to put your shoes in so your clothes stay clean. Or buy a bag of them at your local dollar store.

I always use a plastic grocery bag (even though I use recyclable bags I usually seem to have some around) to put my shoes in. But the bag is bigger than I need and I can’t see through it so I have to open every one to see what pair of shoes I have.
Happy Traveling

Whoop It Up With Clutter Control Product

Friday, July 1st, 2011 by admin

Clutter Control Product Review Friday:

I love to travel. In fact I am still in Colorado. We drove 7 ½ hours to get here instead of flying into Denver. I had a bunch of stuff I needed to bring. When I travel by plane I use a plastic folder to hold documents. This week I was sent this travel organizer from SMEAD. It is superior to what I have been using.

I am so excited about this product I wish I was flying off somewhere just so I could use it right now. Paper clutter control just got easier!

This travel organizer is in three sections allowing for organization of itineraries, confirmations, maps and more. The front pocket securely holds boarding passes, receipts and other small items. (I’m not really sure what those would be). The poly material allows the organizer to easily slide in and out of briefcases and bags.

I am most excited about the front pocket that has a strong Velcro tab to hold my receipts.

I called one Staples office supply and they don’t carry it but others may. Office Max also carries SMEAD products. I called SMEAD and their list price for 2 is $7.39.  This is reasonable. And it will last for a l-o-n-g time.

Show ‘N Share Fabulous Beach At Cabo

Tuesday, March 22nd, 2011 by admin

Show ‘N Share Tuesday is one I have been looking forward to showing and sharing for over 6 months. It has been that long since I won the trip to Dreams Cabo. eWisdomTV had a video contest and I won the super star grand prize. Thank you to everyone who voted and to eWisdomTV for a fabulous trip!

I have to say, it was GRAND. For 4 days and 3 nights we were pampered. Our day began with walking on the beach, breakfast, a stretching class on the beach, working out in the exercise room, swimming in the pool, then eating lunch at one of 5 restaurants. The food was delicious-o-so! After lunch we sat in lounge chairs enjoying the ocean waves, reading and napping. Then it was time for dinner. A movie was playing under the stars on a big blow up screen in the evening.

At one point I asked someone walking by on the beach to take our picture so everyone back home could see we do know how to relax. I didn’t do any organizing (that’s a shock I know) and there was no clutter clearing to do either. The perfect vacation for a few days.

I didn’t buy any clutter either–oops I mean souvenirs. The only thing I bought was a charm for my charm bracelet and a few post cards. Are you proud of me?

I recommend you take a look at the videos eWisdomTV  has to offer. It is a website with very good videos done by experts in their field. 

Clear Clutter For Product Review Friday

Friday, November 5th, 2010 by admin

Today I am actually in the air flying to Atlanta to  clear clutter and do some organizing with my daughter and then on to doing other fun things. I have never been to Atlanta and never thought I would be going there so I am very excited.

Because I don’t like paying for checked bags when I think they should be free I needed to purchase a different carry on bag. I looked far and wide (traveling at least 3 miles from my home).

First things first, to pack a carry on bag it is essential to clear clutter when packing. Everything that is packed has to be analyzed.  None of, “I’ll take this just in case I need it”. I kept a close eye on the weather so I would know what kind of clothes to pack.

The product I am reviewing today is the luggage I purchased. Both of these pieces of luggage cost under $60.00. The gray one was $20.00 less.

The gray one is super light weight, the red one weighs about (I guess) one to two pounds more. This matters when lifting them into the bin overhead.

The gray one has wheels that go forward and backwards. The red one has wheels that rotate 360 degrees.

The red one looks a bit smaller than the gray one. I packed both suit cases to see if there was a difference in size. Looks can be deceiving.

I chose the red one because I wanted one with wheels that rotated so I can pull it along beside me. I hope I made the right decision, time will tell.

You know what? That is just how it is sometimes when we clear clutter. We do the best we can and find out it wasn’t the best way and we have to come back later and put things in different places and do things differently. And that is A-Okay! Have you ever had to do that?

The Best Dollar I Ever Spent

Thursday, October 1st, 2009 by admin

Clutter control for your home and lifeThis is the best dollar I have every spent—it was exactly $1.00.

I bought this little coin purse on the street in New York City about 12 years ago. I needed someplace for my coins and on impulse I bought this from a street vendor.

I use it every time I travel as it takes up little space and it is just the perfect size. Every time I use it I say, “this is the best dollar I have ever spent”.

As a professional organizer I’m always curious what others use to help with clutter control. What is the best dollar you have ever spent?

Clutter control for your life

Warm And Fuzzy

Wednesday, August 5th, 2009 by admin

Clutter control for your home and lifeThis doesn’t have anything thing to do with getting rid of clutter or organizing, I just wanted to share these two little warm and fuzzy stories with you.

When we were at Bryce Canyon last week we were getting in the car after leaving the visitors center and my daughter comes running past us saying “I just found some money where those people pulled out of the parking space and I have to catch them”. She came back disappointed as it wasn’t them who had lost it. Into the visitors center she went to report she had found money and gave them contact information in case anyone asked if any money was turned in. (It was about $20.00).

clutter control for your homeThen on to Zion’s Canyon we went and as we walked into the visitors center at the end of the day there by the bench I saw a man’s wallet. My daughter turned it in to the ranger who wanted her name and contact information. (We don’t know why as we certainly would see it again).

It feels good to do the right thing dontchathink? What have you done lately that has made you feel good about doing the right thing?

Clutter control for your home

Project Accomplished In Getting Rid Of Clutter

Friday, May 29th, 2009 by admin

clutter control for your home, office and travelsI love the ocean and I love going to beaches. I collect sea shells everywhere they wash up on shore and I have been known to buy a few shells. When I was in Martha’s Vineyard a couple of years ago I saw a little suitcase with sea shells glued all over it. I thought with all of my shells I could do that and save myself over $400.00. (That is not a typo).

Clutter control for yoru home, office and travels

I am working on getting rid of clutter in my home and this project had moved to the top of my list. I took the shells from a cupboard, a couple of drawers and I bought for $3.00 a little suitcase. It took me about 3 hours to do this project over two days.

I am so happy that I have finally accomplished this goal and it feels soooo good getting rid of clutter. Now all of my shells are in one place and I can enjoy the memories this brings back of my trips to different places when I look at it. And I no longer have shells here and there. They are all in one place and I no longer need to keep collecting.
Getting rid of clutter is all good.

What clutter have you gotten rid of lately and how did you do it?

clutter control for your home, office and travels

Pill Bags Cut The Clutter When Traveling

Thursday, April 23rd, 2009 by admin

Clutter control when travelingIn case you missed reading the comment from Ellen on my Organizing on The Go blog here is an excellent suggestion from her on how to pack all of your meds when you travel that will help with clutter control when on the road.

•Ellen from Calahan Solutions.com said:
“A new favorite bag is Ezy Dose(R) Pill Pouch. These little zip-close pill bags have a writable space to record the day of the week and whether the pills are for morning, evening or other. About half the size of snack-size plastic bags, they eliminate the need to take pill bottles or plastic daily reminder systems while traveling. At about 3 cents per bag, I save mine for reuse”.

She said she buys hers at Walgreens but they may be available at other stores that sell Ezy products. They also make other pill organizers.

Thank you for this timely clutter control tip. Summer is just around the corner and traveling will be made easier with these little pill bags.

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Organizing Tips For Those On The Go

Monday, April 6th, 2009 by admin

Organizing tips for clutter controlMore travel tips from a very experienced traveler from the UK:

“I have small bags for everything. Some are cheap, pound shop, (dollar store) cosmetic bags. And the list has the color of the bag and what is in it! My husband calls me the bag lady! I keep some of these bags always packed together in another bag (!!!) when not traveling.

Marilyn’s comment: Bags are a wonderful organizing idea. When we need to get an item out of our suitcase it is easy to pull out the item we are looking for without making a mess of everything in the suitcase. One of my favorite little bags was one I purchased in Japan at the Yen (dollar) store. I wish I would have bought more. I also use every size plastic bag available. The snack size are great for jewelry or medications. The jumbo are wonderful for clothes.

What is your favorite bag and how do you use it?

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