5 Things I'm Doing Now to Make the Year Ahead Easier

In case you just met me, I'm a little bit of a planner. I've been called "Type-A", "particular" and yes, even "anal retentive". Truth be told, I probably have a decent amount of un-diagnosed OCD tendencies. But I'm okay with that - planning is my super power.

If planning and setting-up systems isn't YOUR super-power, I've got five easy ways that you can set yourself up for a great year ahead!

Simplify Your Life - How To Audit Your Closet

If you're on Instagram or Pinterest, you've probably seen a lot of information about Capsule Wardrobes. In a nutshell, a capsule wardrobe is a minimalist wardrobe approach to a season. The typical capsule consists of about 30-40 pieces that you mix and match throughout the season. While that is very appealing to me, I am all about the options and I purposely buy pieces that are season-spanning to get the most wear and options out of them.

A great alternative to the capsule, is simply auditing your wardrobe. Don't let the word "audit" scare you. All we're going to do is sort through every single piece you own and make some decisions. It's a big job, but the end results are worth it. I audit my own wardrobe each season and the more often you do it, the easier it gets. Whenever we cut unnecessary things from our life, we free up space. Space to breathe, space to move, space to be. The same thing happens with your wardrobe. Getting rid of the things that make you feel bad, will help you to feel good - and that's a very good thing.

Get Your Blog and Business Ready for 2016

It's hard to believe, but 2015 is winding down quickly. Even though we are all busy trying to tie up this year with a pretty bow (not to mention get ready for the holidays), it's in our best interest to take a little time and get ready for what the new year can bring to our blog and our business. That's right, it's time to start doing some blog planning.

If you are one-woman (or man) business as I am, then you wear all the hats. That means that planning, record-keeping, billing and marketing are all on your list. Not to mention the day-to-day pieces of actually running your business. But if you take a little time right now to set some things up and get organized, you can start 2016 off on the right foot.

5 Ways to Get Organized for the Holidays Right Now

I like to take each holiday as it comes. What that means for me is that there isn't any Christmas, until Thanksgiving is over. Now, if I happen to see the perfect gift form someone in August, I buy it. But our Christmas tree and lights don't go up until the turkey is put away.

With that said, today kicked-off the beginning of the holiday season for me. That means I need to get myself organized so that everything that needs to happen before December 25th, happens. If Christmas isn't your holiday, these tips work for Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and the Winter Solstice too.

Be Unstoppable This Holiday Season

I wrote this post as part of my participation in a blog tour for The Motherhood on behalf of the makers of Children's MOTRIN® and received compensation to thanks me for taking the time to participate, However, all opinions expressed are my own.

It's true . . .all across America, Christmas Trees are going up. As I sit here looking at my calendar, I cross off Halloween, and see Thanksgiving coming up in just 4 weeks. But I can't get the "Oh My Goodness Christmas is Coming" mantra from my head. What about all those Americans that don't even celebrate Christmas - to have 2 months of decorations, music and endless advertisements? It can make even the most sane person start to twitch.

How do you get through it? The shopping, the decorating, the guests, the gifts . . .the list is ENDLESS!! Not to mention the pressure to make it all perfect. Here are the things I am planning to do this holiday season to stay #unstoppable:

Eat, Drink, Rest
Our bodies cannot survive on stress (and cookies) alone. We need to continue to plan and enjoy well-balanced meals. We also need to stay hydrated, so that means drinking plenty of water each day. And that ever elusive rest. Getting a good night's sleep can make or break us the next day, so be sure to go to bed at a reasonable time each evening that you can.

Let it Go
I know that term is a little over used right now, but Elsa may be onto something. For the first time in 20 years, I did NOT send Christmas Cards last year. Truth be told, I only missed it a tiny bit. Not one person asked me where my card was, or complained about not getting one. So take a few minutes and think about your list (see my next tip). What things on your list can you truly let go without diminishing your holiday experience?

Make a List and Check it Twice
Even if Christmas is not your holiday, take a tip from Santa and make a list of all the things you'd like to accomplish this holiday season. Now go back through that list and mark all your MUSTS with an "A" or a star or a number "1". Can you fit that all in? See if there's anything you can move to your B-list, or better yet, let it go (see above tip). Keep this list with you - on your phone, in a little notepad, somewhere handy so when you find yourself with an unexpected block of time, you can get something accomplished.

Update the Calendar
In partnership with your list from above, mark ALL important events and to-dos on your calendar. School plays, concerts, neighborhood caroling, tree lighting ceremonies, all of it. Keep it updated as things change. Take the opportunity of a clear afternoon to check off some to-do's. Organization can be your best friend during the hectic holidays.

Live in the Moment
This is my best tip for staying unstoppable this holiday season. I vow to remember to live in the moment. That may mean not taking a picture and posting it to Facebook - it's ok, because I will get to see and enjoy the look on my child's face when they light the tree. It's important to acknowledge and appreciate your own needs and feelings throughout the holiday season. Taking care of ourselves is the best step to taking care of all the rest.

This is my Holiday Survival Plan. I hope you'll join me on the journey and keep me posted on what's working for you.

What makes you unstoppable as a mom?

The makers of Children's MOTRIN® are asking moms to post their tips and tricks to the MOTRIN® Facebook page under each week's Kelly Ripa question video. For every post, Children's MOTRIN® will donate $1 to Safe Kids Worldwide, a global nonprofit that provides moms with the tips they need to help keep their children safe. You could even win weekly giveaways of $100 gift cards, just for posting! *

What are you waiting for? Good Luck and stay #unstoppable!

catch you soon -

 *NO PURCHASE NECESSARY, OPEN TO LEGAL RESIDENTS OF THE 50 UNITED STATES AND D.C., 18 AND OLDER. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED. Promotion ends 11:59pm ET on 12/28/14. Sponsor will donate $1 for each approved Submission made as part of the promotion, with a minimum donation of $30,000 and a maximum donation of $50,000. For Official Rules, and complete details, visit www.unstoppablemoms.com. Sponsor: McNeil Consumer Healthcare Division of McNEIL-PPC, Inc. To learn more about Safe Kids Worldwide, visit safekids.org.

How-To Organize an Emergency Supply Kit

I love organization. I take great pride in figuring out great organizational strategies, implementing them, and then sharing them with you! While this is a sponsored post in collaboration with Milkman, I hope to arm you with some simple ideas that help make your life run a little more smoothly.

One area that is not currently organized in my home, is my Emergency Kit. I have all the basic pieces, but they are spread throughout my house, rather than organized in one specific place. Winter is coming. You may remember last year, when I had to flee PA with my kids for power and heat in NJ with my parents. Well this year, I want to be ready.

In an ideal world, you should get a large plastic container with a lid to keep your Emergency Kit in. This will protect it from critters and moisture. Plus, if you need to move location, it travels more easily. Once you have your container, what should you put in it?

According to FEMA, your Basic Emergency Supply Kit should contain the following items:

• Water - FEMA recommends one gallon per person per day, for at least three days. For us, that would be 12 gallon water jugs. Obviously these do not fit in our container.
• Non-perishable Food - Tuna, soups, Milkman Instant Lowfat Dry Milk, protein bars, jerky and fruit leather are all good choices.

• Battery-Powered or hand-crank radio -You may also want to consider a NOAA Weather Radio and don't forget extra batteries.
• Flashlight and extra batteries
• First aid kit
• Whistle - You may need to signal for help.
• Dust mask, plastic sheeting and Duct Tape - Depending on the type of emergency, you may need to shelter in place.
• Moist towelettes, garbage bags and plastic ties - These can come in handy for personal sanitation.
• Wrench or pliers - Handy of you need to turn off your utilities.
• Can opener - Select a manual can opener to keep in your kit if you've put canned foods in there as well.
• Local Maps - in case you need to leave the area.

Once you have all your supplies together, keep them in a handy place - like your basement or garage, clearly labeled. I have a few blankets in mine as well. Don't forget to add any baby items or medications if necessary. With a little luck, we won't need any of these things this winter, but it never hurts to be prepared, and being organized makes it that much simpler.

Do you have an Emergency Supply Kit? If so, what's in yours?

catch you soon -
I received compensation for the time I spent preparing this post. As always, all opinions are my very own. 

Packing for a Trip Without Bringing Your Entire Closet | What I Wore #ootd

Last week, I traveled to Atlanta, GA for the Type-A Parent Conference. I do a fair amount of traveling (always looking for opportunities to do more) but most of it is by car. I rarely fly, so the idea of packing for four days, while keeping it light (under 50 lbs seems SO easy-but not so much) and versatile, can be a little overwhelming! My 2 biggest tips?

• Get Organized
• Keep it Simple

To get organized, I use a packing spreadsheet. Stay with me here. I sketch out a grid of the days of my trip, then divide the days by Daytime, Nighttime and Extra. I simply plug in the pieces I plan to wear at each time. This lets me see any gaps, duplicates or opportunities to pack less (or more) at a glance.

To keep it simple, I try to pack in a color-scheme. I find versatile, classic-style pieces work best in the Mid-Life Mom wardrobe.  For this trip, I went with a black, white and cranberry color-scheme. I added in a traditional leopard print (shoes) and also a black and white leopard print cardigan for variety (I never wore the cardigan).

What I Packed:
3 jeans (white, dark denim, black)
1 pants (black and white polka dot)
3 t-shirts (cranberry, white and black)
3 cardigans (black, black and white leopard and cranberry)
2 blouses (white shirt, black and white polka dot top)
2 tanks (black and white)
1 jacket (black)
1 scarf (cranberry)
2 bags (1 tote bag and 1 small bag for evening)

I only needed seven outfits for my trip, but I could have easily made several more with this combination. Here are some highlights from what I did wear during the conference.

I wore this for my trip to Atlanta:

Jeans - Coldwater Creek

T-shirt - Lands End

Cardigan - Ann Taylor (in stores now)

Shoes - Target (this season)

Bag - Vera Bradley

Necklace - Tiffany

For my first day at the Conference, I went casual and comfortable:

Jeans - Ann Taylor Black Skinny Jeans (in stores now)

Top - Ann Taylor (last year)

Cardigan - Ann Taylor (in stores now)

Shoes - Aerosoles

Necklace -Tiffany

The second day of the conference I stayed with my comfortable and casual style:

Jeans - Ann Taylor Dark Denim Super Skinny Jeans (now in stores)

Shirt - Ann Taylor (now in stores)

Shoes - Aerosoles

Bag - Vera Bradley

Scarf -Ann Taylor (now in stores)

Necklace - Tiffany

For an evening look, I went with basic black:

Jeans - Ann Taylor Black Skinny Jeans (now in stores)

Tank - Chico's

Jacket - Ann Taylor (clearance rack find)

Shoes - Life Stride/DSW

Necklace - Ann Taylor

So with a few basic pieces in mix and match colors, it's easy to create several outfits and looks to last through your whole trip.

What's your best fashion tip for traveling?

catch you soon -
This post is linked up at The Pleated Poppy and at Get Your Pretty On

 

Menu Plan Monday - 2014 Week 39

When you're in a regular meal planning routine, staying organized and planning meals can be pretty simple (if sometimes uninspired or even down-right boring). But once that routine - at least for me - is broken, all heck breaks loose.

I'm just back from the Type-A Parent Blogger Conference in Atlanta, GA. It's Meal Plan Monday, and I haven't been to a store in over a week and am not planning to go until tomorrow. Tomorrow's trip will only be one of the two regular weekly stops I make for my weekly meals.

So I call this "living off the land". We live in the suburbs of Philadelphia, and a greedy groundhog eats any plants we try to plant. . .so we are far from farmers. But for me,"living off the land" is trying to make a meal plan mostly from what I have currently on-hand. That's where I find other blogs and the Meal Plan Monday linkup to be so valuable for ideas.

After raiding the freezer and pantry and making a small produce and meat list, here's what we have on our Menu Plan for this week:

Monday - Pasta
Tuesday - Mini Meatloaves, Broccoli Trees
Wednesday - Flank Steak, Baked Potatoes
Thursday - Salmon, Buttered Noodles, Spinach (we did NOT have this last week)
Friday - Pizza Night
Saturday and Sunday - TBD

What are you having for dinner this week?

catch you soon -
This post is linked up at I'm An Organizing Junkie for Meal Plan Monday

Refresh Your Routine for Back to School

I don't know about you, but for us, this week brings back to school time. That means our laid-back summer vacation routine, is out the door. I need to make sure I have two kids ready to leave the house at two different times heading to two different schools.

I'm working on teaching my kids to prepare as much s possible the night before. Both my husband and I do that as well. Bags get packed and lunches get made the night before. Water bottles and snacks are set-out and ready to go. I like to do a quick schedule check so everyone is on the same page for the day.

Menu Plan Monday - 2014 Week 33

Summer is quickly winding down, but we're planning to enjoy these last three weeks of carefree afternoons with no time constraints. There are 33 Weekly Meal Plans for 2014 up on the blog, for you to review and use to plan your own ideas for family meals. I am no super-chef. They all use ingredients found at your local store, and require a minimum of muss and fuss in your kitchen.

Let me know what ones you add to your own weekly meal plan!

Here's what I'm planning for this week's meals:

Monday - Ribs and Hot Dogs, Green Salad, Pasta Salad
Tuesday - Taco Tuesday, Corn, Guacamole
Wednesday - Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Potatoes
Thursday - Easy Dinner like Nuggets, (Summer Camp Family Fling Night)
Friday - Leftovers or Pizza Night
Saturday and Sunday - TBD

What's for dinner at your house this week?

catch you soon -
This post is linked up at I'm An Organizing Junkie for Menu Plan Monday.

Menu Plan Monday - 2014 Week 32

Around here, we have one more full month of summer to enjoy before back-to-school. One more month of lazy and easy evenings with simple dinners, backyard fire pits and fireflies. My plan is to take advantage of these last nights - enjoy unhurried time with my family, and make easy food that is good for us.

Sounds like a dream - right? This week I have a few busy nights, so I'll be doing any prep or pre-cooking in the late afternoons, then just finish up or re-heat for dinner.

Here's what's on our plan this week:

Monday - Easy Greek Frittata, Green Salad, Crusty Bread
Tuesday - Ravioli
Wednesday - Zucchini Boats
Thursday - Ribs and Hot Dogs, Pasta Salad
Friday - Pizza Night - homemade/grilled
Saturday and Sunday - TBD


What's on your meal plan this week?

catch you soon -
This post is linked up at I'm An Organizing Junkie for Meal Plan Monday.

Organization Tip for Back to School - School Binders

The first day of school is quickly approaching . . . are you ready? To help get you ready,  I am sharing one of my all-time BEST organization tips (I've been using it for 9 years!). Creating a School Year Binder for each child. Keeping school papers organized should not be a difficult or time-consuming task! This is life-changing - are you ready??

While you're out buying school supplies, get a binder to represent each of your kids, for yourself. You may also want to pick up dividers or Post-it Tabs to separate the sections. Each member of our family has long been assigned a calendar color. This calendar color translates into other areas of household and schedule organization, such as the School Year Binder colors.

Menu Plan Monday - 2014 Week 31

Summer vacation is officially half over for us - but that means there is still plenty of summer left for meal planning some delicious, easy meals. I'm keeping my meal plan organized this summer, with some no-meat meals and things that are easy to prepare. We are also taking advantage of fresh vegetables and fruits for snacks, and to round out meals.

Here's what's on our plan for this week:

Monday - Homemade Chicken Tenders, Broccoli
Tuesday - Quinoa Stuffed Peppers
Wednesday - BLT's, Leftover Potato Salad (from the weekend)
Thursday - Parmesan Crusted Talapia, Sauteed Spinach
Friday - Pizza Night
Saturday and Sunday - TBD

What's on your meal plan this week?

catch you soon -
This post is linked up with I'm An Organizing Junkie for Menu Plan Monday

Menu Plan Monday (and my 4-Step Process) - 2014 Week 30

Meal planning doesn't have to be difficult. After all this time, I've boiled it down to a basic four-step process:

1. What's our schedule look like?
2. What do we have on hand?
3. What recipes and meal ideas fit our schedule?
4. What do we still need to round them out?

From steps 1 -3, I pick recipes/dishes and write them in the "Dinner" space on my calendar. From step 4, I make my grocery lists(s). That's really all there is to it. Some weeks I feel more creative, and some  weeks we have very basic, uninspired meals . . .but everyone gets a healthy meal and we don't waste too much food or money. It's not glamorous or perfect - but it works.

This week is pretty basic:

Monday - Grilled Pork Tenderloin, Buttered Noodles, Broccoli
Tuesday - Taco Tuesday, Guacamole, Corn
Wednesday - Boys Night Out
Thursday - Homemade Chicken Tenders for the boys/Chicken Caesar Salads for the adults
Friday - Pizza Night
Saturday and Sunday - Burgers and Dogs on the grill, Baked Beans, Potato Salad

What's on your meal plan for this week?

catch you soon -
This post is linked up at I'm An Organizing Junkie for Menu Plan Monday

Menu Plan Monday - 2014 Week 29

For our meal plan this week, we are taking it easy. That means 2-3 nights on the grill (pizza is a maybe), one night of "fast" kid food like nuggets, and one night of easy assembly. The only item I need to pick up from the store is the salmon and fresh produce. I love starting the week off organized and with a plan in place.

Here's our plan for the week:

Monday - Flank Steak and Shrimp on the grill, Caprese Salad
Tuesday - Nuggets and fruit for the kids - family event
Wednesday - Salmon over Asparagus packets
Thursday -Quesedillas with chicken, avocados and corn
Friday - Pizza Night
Saturday and Sunday - TBD

What's on your meal plan this week?

catch you soon -
This post is linked up at I'm An Organizing Junkie for Menu Plan Monday.

Menu Plan Monday - 2014 Week 28 (with a recipe)

All organized for another week of menu planning. This week is filled with "real food" and easy dishes to throw together. Here's what's on our plan this week (scroll down for a yummy Pasta Salad recipe too):

Monday - Salmon, Broccoli
Tuesday - Greek Frittata, Salad, Bread
Wednesday - Rigatoni with Peas and Bacon
Thursday - Leftover Buffet
Friday - Pizza Night - homemade on the grill
Saturday and Sunday - TBD

Over the 4th of July, we decided to have a cookout. Since it was sort of last minute, I threw together a quick Pasta Salad from things I had in my refrigerator. It came out really well, so I'm sharing my "recipe" with you:

Farm Market Pasta Salad

Ingredients and Directions

• Cook 1 lb, short pasta - Farfalle, Small Shells, Rotelle, etc., drain.
• Chop miscellaneous vegetables. I had grape tomatoes, celery, a green pepper and red onion. You could use steamed asparagus or zucchini and any color peppers. Corn from the cob would sweeten this up as well.
• Add salt and pepper to taste.
• Toss all ingredients in a large bowl with your favorite Italian Dressing (homemade, bottled, etc).
• Chill and Serve.

What's on your menu plan this week?

catch you soon -
This post is linked up at I'm An Organizing Junkie for Menu Plan Monday.

Meal Plan Monday - 2014 Week 27

One week into summer vacation, and organizing my meal plans is going well. There's more time to make dinner, with no homework or after-school activities. But we're eating more simply (more salads) and later (no one wants to stop playing). I prep anything I can during the day, so I only have to toss it on the grill or stick it in the oven when we're ready to eat.

On cooler nights, with no bugs, we eat outside on the back patio. Then it's hot and buggy, inside with the AC on. Summer living is easy living.

Here's what I have planned for dinners at our house this week:

Monday - Ribs and Hot Dogs on the grill, Potato Salad, Corn
Tuesday - Pasta and Meatballs
Wednesday - Grilled Pork Tenderloin, Broccoli, Baked Potatoes
Thursday - Pizza Night
Friday - 4th of July BBQ
Saturday - TBD - Leftovers
Sunday - TBD - Leftovers

What's on your meal plan this week?

catch you soon -
This post is linked up at I'm An Organizing Junkie for Meal Plan Monday

Menu Plan Monday - 2014 Week 26

Here we are, officially half way through a year of menu ideas. It wasn't so hard - was it? All it takes is a little planning and a little organization. With no homework or afternoon activities to coordinate, summer menu planning can be easy.

My plan to make summer menu planning even easier, is to grill as often as possible, stick to lots of fresh (local) ingredients that don't require a lot of prep and think "outside the box" for what makes a "dinner".

Here's what we have planned for this week:

Monday - Chicken Skewers, Broccoli and Caesar Salad
Tuesday - Taco Tuesday with Guacamole and Corn
Wednesday - Parmesan Crusted Talapia with Roasted Tomatoes and Asparagus
Thursday - Grilled Pork Tenderloin, Corn Salsa and Salad
Friday - Pizza Night
Saturday - Leftover Buffet
Sunday - Ribs, Hot Dogs and Potato Salad

What's on your menu plan this week?

catch you soon -
This Meal Plan is linked up at I'm An Organizing Junkie, for Menu Plan Monday.

Menu Plan Monday - 2014 Week 24

I'm typically off the Menu Planning grid for the weekends. On our plan, Friday is homemade pizza or take-out night and then Saturday and Sunday dinners are typically leftovers. I figure if I am organizing, planning and preparing dinners Monday through Thursday, we can live it up a little on the weekends.

Well this past weekend, for a campaign I was working on, we made some Shrimp and Beef Kabobs on the grill - they were YUMMY! And we got the kids into the act to build their own Kabobs too. It was a fun and tasty evening in the backyard - complete with some Mojitos for the grown-ups.

This week, we have a plan with some new recipes (Greek Frittata and Sausage and Peppers) and an open and cook (Trader Joe's Nuggets) night too. Tuesday we will be eating ballpark food as my oldest and his Middle School band gets to play the National Anthem for the Reading Phillies' Game.

Here's what's for dinner at our house this week:

Monday - Greek Frittata, Salad, Bread
Tuesday - Phillie's Game
Wednesday - Sausage and Peppers over Pasta
Thursday - Nuggets for the kids - Baseball Night
Friday - Pizza Night (mom's night off)
Saturday and Sunday - TBD

What's on your meal plan this week?

catch you soon -
This post is linked up at I'm An Organizing Junkie for Meal Plan Monday.

Menu Plan Monday - 2014 Week 23

It's beginning to feel a lot like summer around here, even with a few more weeks of school. I'm starting to get organized to move our meal planning into easy entrees that can be put on the grill and require a minimum of fuss. I'm planning to spend as much relaxing time outdoors with the family this summer as possible.

I'd love to hear some of your favorite backyard meals - here's what we have planned for this week:

Monday - Grilled Pork Tenderloin, Broccoli Foil Packet (on the grill), Roasted Potatoes (on the grill)
Tuesday - Chicken Caesar Salad Sammies - grilled chicken
Wednesday - Honey-Glazed Salmon (grill again?), Fresh Green Beans and Coucous
Thursday - Spaghetti and Meatballs
Friday - Pizza Night
Saturday and Sunday - TBD

What's on your menu plan this week?

catch you soon -
This post is linked up at I'm An Organizing Junkie for Menu Plan Monday