My New Erin Condren Life Planner

After seeing lots and lots of photos of Erin Condren Life Planners on Instagram I broke down and purchased one just after Christmas. Now let me just say these are quite pricey at $50 plus shipping! The only way I was able to get one was because I received a Visa gift card for Christmas. My family knows I love to shop and gift cards are my favorite gifts to receive.

I was drawn to the planner because of all the creative ways people decorate them. Lots of washi tape, stickers and colorful pens. To be honest - it didn't take much - I'm obsessed with calendars and stickers!
 
I ordered the "Quick Ship" option instead of a personalized cover page, because I really didn't want to wait more than a couple days for this year's planner.

It arrived yesterday in a pretty box via FedEx in the middle of a snow storm. I was thrilled!

It was even wrapped like a present.

I had also ordered a pen holder and some clips so I can add pages to my binder.

It is all ready for me to decorate. I'm so excited!

The only thing that is disappointing to me is that there isn't really any contact or address pages. There is two tiny pages listed in the perpetual calendar insert, but they aren't remotely enough for me. I will have to turn a couple of pages in my notes section into address/contact pages. I post pictures once I've successfully designed them.

If you are interested in getting your very own Erin Condren Life Planner click here. If you register prior to ordering you will receive a $10 off e-coupon that you can use on your first order.

* This is an affiliate link however I was not compensated at all for writing this post. It is completely my opinion. 

How I Organize a Small Bedroom

I've had problems with my youngest daughter's room for years. It is the smallest and she has the most stuff.  I've tried to control the clutter with a few tricks.

First, she has had this bookshelf/toybox which was a bit babyish. It holds a lot of stuff, but she is 9 now and didn't want it anymore. Plus all the toys in the bottom would get lost or buried under the rest of the stuff. Basically, you couldn't find what you were looking for unless you emptied it all out.

So in my searches for a solution I came across this really great shelving unit at Target for $39.99. It matches the rest of the furniture in her room. Plus it can grow with her or can be used in other parts of the home if she no longer wants it.

Right now she stores some dolls, Legos, books and more in her shelving unit, but in the future she can keep her books, craft supplies, clothes or whatever. It's very versatile.

Utilizing a loft bed was one way I managed to create more space in a small room and control the clutter in her bedroom.   I purchased a junior loft bed that wasn't so high off the ground and then stored lots of stuff underneath. Then I concealed the stuff with cute little curtains, so no one can see all her stuff.

Another organizational quick fix I made was hang little hooks to store all her necklaces on. She has a lot of necklaces that she likes to wear. I decided to hang them up near her dresser and mirror so she could try them on as she's getting dressed.

Lastly I used a over the door shoe container to keep all her shoes off the floor and out of the way. It's an easy dollar store fix and saves lots of space. The over the door containers can also be used for dolls, hair accessories, socks, jewelry, little toy cars and lots, lots more.

These are just a few of the ways I organize a small bedroom. What are your favorite ways?

Help You Child Get Organized for Middle School Success

The school year is under way and you may notice your middle schooler needs some help getting and staying organized. They probably have more teachers, more homework, projects and crazy schedules than they did in elementary school. 

Kids entering middle school can easily become overwhelmed with all the changes. They went from one main teacher to 6+ teachers.  Kids being the oldest in the school back to being the youngest and sometimes smallest.  Plus

Here are a few ways to help you middle school child get organized.

Use a Planner
Many schools require the students to use a planner but if yours does not than find a calendar that your child likes to use. In the planner, make sure they write down their homework every day for each class along with any projects and their due dates.

Many times kids think they can remember whether or not they have homework. Kids may be good at remembering the fact that they do have homework - they just can't remember whether it was numbers 1-21 or 1-31, only odd or even problems, or even when it's due. It's the important details that slip their memory most of the time.


Homework Time
Preferably have them do homework as soon as they get home while all the info is still somewhat fresh in their mind.  Have a small snack while working if they are hungry, but get it done right after school. This helps them avoid being up late into the night working on a project that is due the next day.

Homework Space
Create a space for your child to do their homework and have all the supplies they need. A kitchen table, a desk in their room, etc.  Almost any place will work as long as it's fairly quiet, has room for them to write, and allows them to concentrate.

Another suggestion is to have a box filled with pencils, a calculator, hole punch, dictionary, eraser and anything else they use to do their homework. This box should be close by so the kids aren't getting up constantly to go find the stuff they need.

Also consider having a space for important papers, library books, and class folders.

Calendar
Many middle schools have ABC days or alternating days. Meaning they offer different classes on different days. You child may have Gym on A days, Music on B days and a World Language on C days. Help you child remember which day it is by placing a calendar up where they can see it. Also have them put all the folders and stuff they need for the next day in their back pack the night before. 

I have two kids in middle school and so I write down on the school's ABC calendar my kid's name and which class they have on each day. It's easier than trying to remember A day is gym for my son and chorus for my daughter.

Avoid Over Scheduling
One last thing, as parents you want your kids to be well rounded, but school work should always come first. If they are excelling at school then add one or two extra curricular activities per season. Many kids nowadays rush home from school, head to practice a couple nights a week, squeezing in dinner on the road and then have to stay up late doing homework only to repeat it all the next day.

Face it most adults don't like having to work all day, come home to rush around, eat on the run and than do it all the next day. You get burned out, need some time to relax and so do the kids. Scale back the after school activities.

Having a planner to write their homework in, a set time and place to do homework and a calendar to prepare for the day will help your child be organized for their day at school.

Lending Log Printable

I'm pleased to share a brand new printable I made this week. It's a lending log. It lets you keep track of who you are lending your books and other stuff to.

Feel free to use this with your kids or students. Enjoy!

Click Here to Download and Print

Feel free to print this for your own personal or classroom use and share it, however no permission is given to sell any printables on this site. All rights reserved. 

Must Have Supplies for Back To School

With all the stores having their Back to School sales I thought I would share my must have supplies for back to school. My family has used (and still does) all these products.

Source

Backpack/Bookbag
Choose one that is sturdy and will fit all their notebooks, binders and supplies. Make sure you know what type of backpacks your child's school allows. Some schools do not allow bags with wheels, some require them to be clear, while other schools only allow drawstring bags.

My kids' middle school only allow drawstring bags carried around the school and the one pictured above was the sturdiest one I've found. We've tried many different ones over the years and this hasn't ripped or tore after using it daily for 6 months (so far).  Plus, it was $7 at Walmart. 

Planner
If your child's school doesn't require one, I recommend you purchase a student planner. In it your child should record all his homework as it's assigned. Each night check their planner to insure all their homework and any projects are completed.  This is also a wonderful place to leave messages for their teacher and for them to respond back.

All my kids' schools require planner similar to the ones sold here. Ours are purchased directly from the school for $5 each.

Homework Folder
This works great for elementary schoolers, but it is used in higher grades as well. Basically, you designate one folder for all homework. That way your child only has to check one place for all their homework - not individual binders/folders.

I highly recommend using a 2 pocket poly folder like the one above. They last a whole lot longer than the paper ones that rip pretty quick with daily use. They even come in a variety of colors and only cost $1 or less.

Source

Pencils
This one is obvious - keeping a supply of pencils on hand. I try to make sure each of my kids has at least 3 pencils in their backpack each morning. There really is no excuse to lose 3 pencils.

I also want to suggest skipping the pretty designed pencils because they usually are harder to sharpen. After working with many teachers over the year most recommend using Dixon Ticonderoga brand pencils because they are easy to sharpen and good quality. I realize they do cost a bit more, but I've found them to be worth the cost.

These are obviously the basics and there are plenty more supplies that would help your child be even more prepared for school. These are the brands/products that have worked for our family for quite a while and I know they can help your family too.

Get Your Family Ready Now

I'm not really an alarmist, but all you need to do is watch the nightly news to see the world is going crazy. There is extreme weather, rioting in the streets, financial turmoil and more.

You may live in an area of the world not yet affected by any of these, but it's only a matter of time. Let's face it - there are problems everywhere. The popular saying: "The End of The World As You Know It" doesn't have to be an earth changing event for everyone - just YOU.

I've always been the type of person who feels the need to be prepared. Prepared to keep my family fed, safe and protected.

Here's what I believe. I try my best to create a stockpile of food and water (aka our pantry) for my family. My hubby has gone months where he's was on reduced work schedule and we didn't have money for lots of food. We used our pantry to get us through those times and then in good times we restock.

We also own a couple guns and we know how to use them. These are for hunting and protection.
 
Some situations, such as flooding, fires, etc., require you to leave your home for a safer location. Be prepared with a place to go that is out of your immediate area. We have family that live somewhat close and others that live outside our state completely.

I just want to encourage you to start thinking about ways to get your family prepared for emergencies in your life.

Don't think that anything could happen to you? Watch the video below. (That video only covers June 2013. There is one for almost every month for at least a year or two.)

Stay tuned for regular updates and tips on how to help you protect/prepare your family on a budget.

Freebies on Friday - June 21, 2013

I've included a couple e-books today that I think you may enjoy. One that my son said we don't need I let you guess which (hint, hint...video games). Also included are a couple free samples.

Hope you had a great week! Have a nice weekend and see you on Monday!

e-Books

The 30 Day Organizational Course: How To Organize, Declutter, and Keep Your Home Spotless In Only 30 Days

HOW TO END YOUR CHILD'S VIDEO GAME ADDICTION - THE ULTIMATE GUIDE

Wake Up Successful - How to Increase Your Energy and Achieve Any Goal with a Morning Routine

Traveling With Kids: How to come home with a memory and not a migraine. DeClutter, simplify, and enjoy parenting while traveling. (Travel Well)



Samples

Pedia-Lax Probiotic Yums Sample - These help support digestive health in kids 2-11 and is strawberry flavored. Might be a nice alternative for kids who don't like yogurt, but need some help in this area.

Schick Hydro Disposable Razor for Men or Women 

Lysol Touch of Foam Soap - This one is only available in certain areas. Just enter your zip code and see if you qualify.

Personalized Pen - If you have your own business or work for a direct sales company you can request a personalized pen with your name, business name and phone number. From National Pen.


* Please note the ebook links are affiliate links but at the time of this publication all the books were listed as free on Amazon.com. All the remaining links are not-affiliate links and I am not compensated for sending people to any of them.

School Information Form Printable

Here's another printable I've created. It's a school information form. That way all your kids' school information is in one place. It also includes a spot for their extra curricular activities or their special classes each day.

Hope you like it!

Click Here to Download and Print

Feel free to print this for your own personal use and share it, however no permission is given to sell any printables on this site. All rights reserved. 

Storing Clothes for Younger Siblings

I'm sure I've mentioned before that I have 3 kids. Two girls and a boy.

Well my oldest daughter is currently 13 and my youngest is 8. Being a frugal minded mom - I save my oldest daughter's clothes to give to my youngest when she is able to fit into them. Since there is such a different in their ages I had to find an organized way to store the clothes and a place to keep them.

Keeping them was no problem as we have an average size attic. Under the bed storage would also work.

Organizing the clothes was easy as well. I purchased a couple storage totes (blue plastic 18 gallon size). Nothing fancy, but very strong and durable.

I've been doing this since my youngest was born and have always needed about 4-6 storage totes. It takes up a bit of space, but it saves me tons of money when it comes time to buy clothes.

It's the easiest to sort the clothes by size and season. For example right now I have 5 totes (size 7/8 Winter, size 10/12 Summer, size 10/12 Winter, size 14/16 and up Summer, size 14/16 and up Winter).

I save everything that is still in good condition - no stains, rips, etc. Then when my youngest can finally wear that size she and I go through the saved clothes and she picks out what she likes and what fits.

If the clothes don't fit my daughter when she reaches the size I simply donate or sell them on eBay. Which can happen with height and weight differences varying between siblings.

In the five years between my oldest and youngest trends change, so we try to buy less trendy clothes. We get the basics and then wait to purchase a couple trendy accessories later.

In cases where you only have one child - you can still use this system. Just keep a tote or two and purchase items in larger sizes on sale, clearance or at yard sales. Or better yet ask for hand me downs from friends and relatives with the promise to pass the clothes along when you're done with them.

Kids grow fast and buying clothes can be very expensive. Use this simple system to save your family some money.

Printable To Do List

We'll over the weekend my hubby's vehicle, a 2005 F150, needed to be parked until we get all the parts for a bunch of needed repairs.

I'm normally fine with staying home, but lately I really started to miss my independence.  After 13 years of being able to go wherever I need to whenever I need to - it's a little hard.

So I created a list of all the projects I could do to help get my mind off being stuck at home. Some projects on my list include: massive spring cleaning, lots and lots of craft projects, planting my garden (later in the spring), home repairs such as painting, and working on my sites.

That got me thinking about a really cute printable I created and have been using - so I decided to share it. Hope you like it!

Click Here to Download and Print

Feel free to print this for your own personal use and share it, however no permission is given to sell any printables on this site. All rights reserved. 

Freebies on Friday - April 5, 2013

This week I found lots of neat stuff. First I included a couple ebooks. These cover some topics of interest to me. I love organizing and gardening, but you may not know I'm a massage junkie. Every year I get a professional massage for Christmas or my birthday and beg my hubby for a back massage on a regular basis. If money were no object I would definitely go to massage school because of how relaxing it feels.

Anyways, I also included an ebook on "bugging in". Don't freak out. I think it really applies to a wide range of situations - not just Zombie Apocalypse. LOL

For example, I live on the East Coast of the US and we face hurricanes, powerful windstorms and snow storms and we never know when we will be forced to stay home for days on end because of a storm. This book could help deal with no power, no water, what about food, blocked roads because of downed trees, etc. Emergency situations don't have to be man made they can be natural as well, so for this book keep an open mind. :)

Bugging In: How to Hunker Down and Survive in an Emergency Situation (Stay Alive)
Stress Free Organization For Your Child: How To Get Your Child Involved In Cleaning And Organizing Their Spaces While Still Having Fun
Therapeutic Shiatsu Massage for the Beginner
Smart Gardening: How To Grow Your Best Vegetable Garden (Gardening Essentials Series)

In addition to the ebooks above it like to include other fr*ee stuff I've found online throughout my searches. This week I'm including these really cute American Girl doll  patterns.

My youngest loves her 18" dolls and so I'm always hunting for patterns to make her more clothes. Here are a couple good and fre*e ones I found online.


American Girl Doll - Royal Bridesmaid Dress Pattern
This is adorable and fits 18" dolls.  Easy to understand instructions with photos.

18" doll T-Shirt Pattern
Love this one it has little ruffle going down the front which is optional.

Historical Dresses like those in the American Girl Doll Catalogs

Adorable Drawstring Dress
This is soo cute! I've made this one a couple times. There is also a link on the page in case you don't want to go through the shopping cart. It takes you directly to the PDF.

Hope you enjoyed the fun things I've found today. See you Monday!

Taming Kids Clutter

Do your kids have a drawer like this? Full of a ton of little toys?

My youngest loves little, tiny toys. Polly Pockets, Littlest Pet Shop, kids meal toys, Barbie accessories, etc.

This is what her drawer looked like this morning before she went to school. There is no after picture because it doesn't look much better with half of it gone.

I'm a neat freak and want everything grouped together in nice, neat containers, unfortunately, my youngest is not. She is my messy child. My borderline hoarder.  She collects paper, jewelry, toys of all sizes, shapes and conditions (broken and not), rocks, well almost anything really.

So here is how I help keep the toys to a minimum.

One In One Out
For every toy that comes home they need to choose one from their current toys to give away.

Avoid the Toys
When given an option, we choose not to get the toy that comes with some kids meals. They are usually low quality and my kids never play with them for more than 5 minutes. We prefer the meals that comes with books or games.

Purge
Every few months go through the toys and get rid of anything broken, missing pieces, or that the kids don't care for anymore.  I usually do this when my youngest is at school, but I only get rid of toys I haven't seem anyone play with in a long time, if at all.  My older two kids do this on their own.

Give to Charity
When all my kids were little we would get duplicate toys from the kids' meals. I would save the extras (unopened) and send them into school to be used in a prize box. Doctors and dentist offices sometimes give away small gifts to kids who needed a shot or who had really good dental report. 

My Life as Secretary Mom

Before I had my kids I worked as an Administrative Secretary for 10 years and I was pretty good at it. Since having kids I quit that job to be a full-time, stay at home mom. I've been home for 13 years now and I love every minute of it.

To my surprise, there are some skills I learned from my secretarial job that I use almost every day here at home. Skills that could help you whether you are a mom who stays home or not.
 
Organize Your Desk
Almost all secretaries have their own desk to do their work. Don't have a desk? No problem. Neither do I.  I have a small hanging file box, a 13 section expanding file folder and a sheet protector hanging on my fridge.

My hanging file box is sitting on my kitchen counter and contains folders with medical info, class lists, bill paying supplies, and any important papers my kids brought home.

My expanding file folder sits on top of my refrigerator. Stored inside is every single receipt and bill paid in the corresponding month. This way I'm able to find any receipt or bill pretty quickly.

I also have a multi-page clear sheet protector that keeps the family calendar, the kids' schedules for the day including their special classes (media, art, etc.), school lunch menu, and a yearly school calendar. All these important papers are in one convenient spot for easy access.

Keep a Calendar
We use a printable monthly calendar to record everyone's schedule all in one place.  That way we can see in one spot what we have going on that day.

Get the Boss Ready
One key responsibility of most secretaries is to help their boss get ready for the day. This could mean printing out a report for a meeting, sorting mail or scheduling meetings.

Now I'm not suggesting you let your hubby and children run over you like a mean boss, but there are definitely skills that fit in here. Helping your children remember their homework each morning, making sure they have their library books, musical instrument or running shoes for their day,  reading and responding to notices that come home from school and of course scheduling dental appointments and play dates.

Each school morning I make sure my oldest is awake and getting ready. Then I check her backpack to ensure she has the needed supplies for the day. I also pack a nutritious lunch and stick it near her back pack. Then I wake the younger two and do the same for them.

Keep a Budget
As a secretary, I was responsible for keeping track of the finances. Every penny had to be accounted for and I had to order all kinds of things, make sure they were received in good condition, and of course get approval from the boss first.

I no longer need a boss for approval, but the hubby and I do discuss purchases ahead of time, especially major ones. Like many moms, I'm responsible for almost all the purchasing including groceries, cleaning supplies, home maintenance materials, clothing, etc.

Another part of keeping a budget is making sure your accounts balance with the bank and that all bills are paid in full on time. Hubby and I write everything down on a separate calendar - every bill, every paycheck.  Then we determine which bills can be paid with a certain paycheck.

Of course it is important to pay your bills, make sure your children have nutritious meals to eat and have a organized filing system so you can find needed papers. But you don't need to be a secretary to do that. This is what works for me, I hope it helps you find a system that works for you and your family.

7 Tips for Chaperones

You've signed up to be a chaperone for your child's next field trip. Now you're thinking - "What have I gotten myself into???"

I've been on my fair share of field trips and I must say that I take my responsibilities very serious. These kids are depending on me and you, as their chaperone, to get them back to school safe and unharmed. The teachers and principal is expecting us to keep them behaved and on task.

Most field trip chaperones are assigned 2 to 6 students, depending on their age and where they're going. Since you will be responsible for more than just your child here are a few tips to keep in mind.

1.  Do a Little Research
Know where you are going. Obvious - I know, but humor me. Go online. Find and print out a map. Search for "great things to see at ___".


2.  Get the Teacher's cell phone number
Ask for the teacher's or leader's name and cell phone in case of an emergency. Just in case you get lost, miss the bus, a child gets sick or hurt. It's always better to be safe than sorry.

3.  Keep an Eye on Your Kids
Help make sure your group stays on their best behavior. Encourage them to patiently wait their turn - no cutting in line or pushing.  Everyone is there to have learn and have fun.

Watch the kids in your group closely because unfortunately there are evil people in the world out to specifically hurt kids. You, as a chaperone, are responsible for other parent's kids and they are trusting you to look out for their loved one.  Their lives depend on you.

4.  Pair Up with Other Chaperones
Make friends with other chaperones, and walk around as one big group, if possible. This is really useful if you have both girls and boys in your group. One chaperone could wait outside the restrooms while girls and boys go in. That way the kids aren't alone and wandering around when they are done.

5.  Be on Time
Make a note of the time you are supposed to meet for lunch or back at the bus. Also right down the bus number and what bus company because there could be more than one.

6.  Bring Extras
When traveling with kids it helps to bring tissues or wipes for those messes that are sure to happen. Also consider bring a little extra money or food for lunch or snacks just in case any of the kids lose theirs.

7.  Relax
Remember kids will be kids. Let them have fun and try to find a safe way for them to use up some energy.

Being a chaperone is almost always an adventure - let's make it a great one.

Get Organized for a Less Stressful Move

This past weekend I helped my sister and her husband move. They are moving in with his family while they look for a new home.

One thing I've learned from moving family members and friends over the years is that you need to have a plan.

Start Packing Early
As soon as you find out you will be moving start packing. Anything not used on a regular basis gets put in a box.  Packing up a whole house is a monstrous task that takes a lot of time.

Sort Your Stuff
Put all like items together whenever possible. Try to avoid boxes full of random stuff. It will take you twice as long to unpack if your personal belongs are just thrown randomly in boxes.  Sort by room is the easiest way. Preferably pack items that will all go into the same room in your new place together, so you can label the box "Kitchen", "Master Bedroom", "Guest Bathroom", etc.  The goal is to make it easier to unpack as well as to pack up your current home.

Label, Label, Label
In addition to labeling what is located inside your boxes, it's really helpful to write where that box should go. For example, mark boxes for "storage", "Becky's Room", "Upstairs Bathroom", or "Living Room". This small step will help everyone. Who wants their moving helpers asking you non stop "Where does this go?".

Have Lots of Help
Come moving day get as many people to help you move as possible. If you have the money hire movers and a moving truck. A dolly and or a hand cart are really helpful to have on hand especially for moving dressers, shelves, buffets, and more.

Don't rule out kids helping to move - well behaved ones that is. I say well-behaved ones because it will be more stressful having to deal with unruly or bored kids. Elementary school aged or older can be quite helpful. They can carry lighter items such as bags of clothes, bedding, and small boxes.

When possible, arrange for a sitter for babies and young children who could easily get under foot and possibly hurt.  If you must bring kids and they aren't able to help make sure they bring a toy to keep them occupied. This is the perfect time for a portable gaming system or dvd player.

Let There Be Food
Hopefully lots of people will be helping move your stuff to your new home. These people are going to be working hard and are going to work up an appetite. Be sure to offer plenty to drink, especially  water. Also some food that will curb their appetite such as pizza or fried chicken. The reason for this is it's convenient, you won't need to stop working to cook, plus it's not terribly expensive.


Storage
Once your personal belongings are all boxed up, labeled, and ready to go. Start moving boxes to storage, if you can, or designate a spot out of the way if possible.

If your home is currently on the market and potential buyers are touring your home, seriously consider renting a storage unit or pod.  You will want to stage your home to make it look as big, open and bright as possible. Remove almost all your personal belongings. Buyers need to envision themselves living in your home to buy it.

Only leave the essential items you need to live and a few items to stage the home. Pack up all your collectibles, family photos, most of the kids' toys, and non essential kitchen items. Remember that items in storage aren't gone forever. If you really need an item you can always go get it.


A little planning ahead of time will cut some of the stress of moving. It will be easier to find something when you need it. It will be easier for your moving helpers because they won't have to ask lots of questions. It should make your move go a little smoother and the alternative.

Plan, Prepare, and Save

It's November and according to the retail industry it means the Christmas/Holiday Season. They are betting on you spending a boat load of cash this year on gifts for friends and family. So...unless you plan on cutting out presents all together...you'll need a way to save on what you plan to buy.

Here is the strategy I've been using for a couple years and it has saved lots of money for my family.

Plan
Have a plan - obviously. Create a list of all the people you hope to buy a gift for this year. Now eliminate all the people you can. Do you really need to give a present to the neighbor down the street that you haven't spoken to since summer? How about the all your co-workers? Stick to people who are truly important to you and your family.

Once you have your list go through and assign a dollar amount to each person. Set a budget and stick to it. For example: your niece Olivia $20. You can also allocate a dollar amount to each family instead of each person individually. I assign a certain amount for each mother/father/brother/sister, and another amount for each niece/nephew. The main point is to set a budget and stick to it or stay under that amount.

Now some of you may only purchase for the kids and not buy presents for the adults. You may also draw names so everyone gets a present - sort of like a Secret Santa game.

Prepare
Now that you have your list of people to buy for and how much you can spend you can brainstorm gift ideas. Consider what the person wants and what they actually need. Your child's teacher really doesn't want or need another mug or candle. Just ask them - I'm sure they have at least 5 from last year that still haven't been used. Think about hobbies, extracurricular activities, family life, etc.


Save
Now once you've come up with at least 2 ideas per person start your search. Look through sales ads and online for deals on the gifts you want to buy. We are trying to stretch your dollars as far as they will go.

If you plan on buying online wait for a great deal like those from Black Friday to Cyber Monday. Also consider using ebates.com to earn money on your purchases. I personally love using Swagbucks.com all year - trading my points in for Amazon.com gift certificates which I use for presents. Use the program that works for you, but find a way to earn from your purchases.

Basically make your list of gifts to buy, set a budget, brainstorm gift ideas, and shop the deals. Planning and preparing are the key - know who you need to buy for and what to buy then stick to a budget.

Preparing for a Storm

It's a beautiful 70 degree day here in the Mid Atlantic region of the US. The trees are glorious shades of red, gold, brown and green. It's perfect.

You would never suspect a storm is predicted to hit the area in the next couple days. The weather channels are saying we could get rain, strong, gusty winds and maybe snow.

If you live on the East Coast of the US don't head to the grocery store just yet. The toilet paper can wait. LOL

If you've lived through a storm in the US recently you know power outages are something you really need to prepare for.  Not too long ago a strong wind storm caused widespread power outages that lasted about a week.* Needless to say our power companies can't handle lots of widespread power problems.

The type of storm they are predicting can produce storm forced winds and very heavy inland snow. That's really bad since there are still leaves on the tree and the snow would weigh down branches causing them to break (possibly landing on power wires).

So here's how you can prepare for a storm like this.

Obviously secure all outside furniture. It's time to put the chairs, umbrellas, grills away or put them some place they won't blow away.

Make sure you have enough food and necessities for a couple days. Non-perishable foods only. Peanut butter, soups, crackers, protein bars, tuna, canned goods, etc. Buy nothing that needs to be frozen or refrigerated because without power these foods could possibly and mostly likely will go bad.

Water! Have bottle water on hand. Plus if your septic system works on electricity (many private wells do) make sure you fill your bathtub with water to flush your toilet. Dumping a small bucket of water in the toilet after you go will cause it to flush automatically. Hubby is a plumber ;-) .

Consume most of your perishable foods. If possible, when your power goes out find a friend or family member with power to who can store your stuff for the time being. Before the storm plan meals that can use the meat in the freezer. You need to eat anyways - why not use up some of the perishables now.

Go to the ATM. Keeping a small amount of cash on hand is always helpful. In case you need something from the little grocery store down the street that doesn't have any power either and they can't accept credit cards. It happens trust me.

Fill up the vehicle with gasoline. At the very least make sure you aren't on empty. When the power it out for a couple days (snow or not) you may need to go out and get supplies or food and you need to at least make it to the nearest gas station that has power.

Put any snow removal equipment where you can easily get to it. Don't leave the snow shovel in the shed behind a fence because then you have to dig out the gate to the fence and then the shed door to get to the shovel. Been there done that. When I know it could snow I bring the shovel inside.

These are just a few things that can help you stay prepared during a storm.

My deck during a snow storm a couple years ago.

* http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/June_2012_North_American_derecho

Easy Ways to Organize Your Photos

If you love taking photos half as much as me than you probably have a ton of photos. The problem is how to store all those photos and how to access them when you want them.


Folders
On your computer it is really easy to create a new folder for each month. I recommend naming them "201X-XX". Put the year first followed by the two digit month. For example October 2012 would be 2012-10. This will make all your months show up in order as opposed to alphabetically where August will always come before February. This also keeps entire years together.

This system works best for those people taking basic everyday family photos. If you need a outside summertime photo for a scrapbook page simply look in June, July or August's folder.

Flash Drives
Flash drives or thumb drives work great for people who take a lot of photos at one time. For example if you are taking photos of a special event such as a wedding just load all those photos onto one flash drive.

Another way to use these devices is to put all the photos for a month, quarter or year on one flash drive - depending on how many photos you take and how much the device will hold.

Photo Box
 If you are the type of person to get every photo developed than a photo box is the system for you. Separate the photos by month, quarter, year or even by subject or project. An example would be all Christmas photos in one box or all photos of little Susie in another box.

On a side note if you use a digital camera I highly recommend only printing out the photos you will actually use. Making sure you will be using them in a scrapbook, picture frame or other craft project in the near future. Wasting less ink and paper.

Online
There are three really great sites online that will host all your photos for you. There are lots of sites out there, but these are the ones I've tried and would recommend.

Flickr.com
This is easy to use. There is a 300MB bandwidth limit each month with the fre*e account. You can upgrade to PRO for $1.87 a month. It's pretty inexpensive. My only issue is you need to set each photo to copyrighted otherwise it can be used by anyone under the Creative Commons License. I also recommend setting each photo's privacy settings so it can only be seen by certain people such as Friends or Family.

http://photobucket.com/
This is another easy to use site. There is a unlimited photo uploads and 500 video limit for the free account. There appears to be a 10GB monthly bandwidth limit. The copyright settings appear to be about the same as Flickr.com's. One feature I really enjoy is you can mark all photos so they cannot be copied or shared - you don't have to mark each individual one.

http://www.shuttercal.com/
I love this site. Perfect for your 365 Photo Project. Simply upload a photo onto each day on the calendar. They even give you the option to order a printed daily calendar (month at a time or whole year). Lots of fun!

The main thing is to find one organization system that works for you and your photo storage needs.