The Right Bag For Your Trip!

With the holidays rolling in many of us will be travelling to spend time with our loved ones.  Before you start your packing, be sure that you have the right bags for your trip!

Toiletry Bag:  No matter how long or short your trip is, it is important to have your toiletry in order! My best friend gave me mine years ago as a Christmas present, and it quickly replaced her as the companion I can’t live without! This Kate Spade godsend is not only made with a material that can handle shampoo spills, but it also comes with a separate bag for your makeup. What’s not to love!

Weekend Getaways: My go to weekend tote is this expandable bag from Longchamp.  Not only is it great for short visits, but it’s also great for longer trips. Throw it in your check-in bag (it barely takes up any space since it folds up to be the size of a pocketbook), and on your way back you have a second check in bag ready to be filled with all your new purchases!

The Perfect Carry-On: Making sure your carry-on fits in overhead bins is important, but you also want to make sure that the piece is easy to move and “carry-on.”  This is why I avoid duffle bags when flying and opt for this easy to roll Samsung.  The four wheels allow you to rush to your gate without having to put effort into lugging a heavy bag along with you.

Long Trips: There are a lot of companies out there that make great luggage.  I would avoid hard cases simply because your luggage runs a strong chance of looking battered and beaten after just a trip or two.  Samsonite, Tumi, Brics, and Swiss, are all wonderful.  Recently I discovered Lipault.  What makes them great? So many things!  The material they are made out of is strong, durable, and most importantly…lightweight!  The line comes in so many fun bright colors so spotting your bag on the carousel will be a breeze.  The best part of this line is that the luggage is collapsible, making them super easy to store when not in use!

So take some time to get your luggage in order before your travels and above all…enjoy your trip!

Creating the Perfect Playroom

Playrooms can be a difficult area to organize.  What’s the point, if your kids are just going to wreck it in 10 minutes! I think the key to a successful playroom is to have the clean up be kid friendly and EASY.  If your children aren’t able to easily dump their toys back into the bins/areas that they belong by themselves, then it’s just not going to function.

Artwork:

Children’s artwork can really pile up.  Tossing your 5-year-old’s finger painting project feels cruel, yet your refrigerator can only hold so much.  Above are two great solutions. Simple IKEA curtain rods can help you display your children’s artwork in almost any area of your home.  Clipboards are also a fun way to showcase their projects.  You can change the pictures on either frequently so your home décor is always fresh and new!

Multipurpose Items:

Storage bins are necessary for any playroom.  Using them for toy storage is great, but they can be used as a great learning tool as well.  Help your children learn the alphabet by painting letters onto the bin.  It’s also really helpful for children to learn how to group.  They ca now just dumped all the Lego’s into the Lego bin.  Sort them by color to add to their learning experience. It’s simple, easy, and most importantly, there is no excuse for why they can’t help you clean up!  Bins on casters can also serve as seating for your little ones!

Organizing Toys:

Cars, cars, and more cars!  Consider using magnetic strips to control the toy car chaos. 

Puzzle pieces stored in their boxes tends to take up too much space. These zipper pouches not only condense the space needed to store your puzzles, but it also makes it easier to keep all your pieces together!  

Store like items together.  It keeps things organized and easy for your children to not only find what they are looking for, but they can also put things away easily.

Chalkboard paint is great! Tiny little chalk pieces littering your floors are not.  Use decorative drawer pulls as a creative and beautiful way to keep your stray chalk pieces within reach

Stuffed animals can overtake the whole room.  Try this cute idea of creating a zoo for your wild animals. 

Maintaining Your Home

Getting organized isn’t just about clearing out clutter.  It’s about taking care of your belongings.  In order to truly enjoy all the beautiful things in your space, you need put effort into maintaining them.  Here are some ways to maintain the various parts of your home:

Garden

Keep your gardening tool rust free by filling a gallon bucket or trough with sand.  Mix in motor oil -- enough to dampen the sand, but not to soak it through. Whenever you return a tool to the shed, knock off the biggest chunks of soil, and then plunge the tool's head into the sand a few times.  Large shovels can then be wiped clean and then stored as you normally would.  The sand will keep tools clean and sharp, and the oil will keep them rust-free.

Garage

A few pieces of coal stored along with your metal tools can help keep the tools from oxidizing and forming rust

Kitchen

The small appliances do a lot, yet they are often neglected. They can last you years, as long as they are well cared for and maintained. In general, you can wipe them down with a cloth dampened with mild dishwashing liquid and water.  Be sure to dry them with a soft cloth or paper towel. You don’t want your blades to rust! Baking soda is also an excellent all-purpose cleanser. Place felt glides underneath countertop appliances to protect them and make them easy to move around.

Closets

Don’t forget to pay attention to your closet and all the things in it!  Cedar blocks are a great solution for those of you who don’t have cedar lined closets.  This will help keep moths away and your clothes smelling fresh.  It’s also a good time to polish up all of your dress shoes.  For those of you who wear high heals, it’s a good idea to take your heals into the cobbler periodically to add rubber to the bottom of your stilletos.  Not only does it make it easier to walk in, and your shoes last longer, but you won't make that obnoxious clicking sound as you walk down the street!

Don't forget to take the time to sit back and enjoy your home!!