Product Review: Shampoo and Conditioner Bars
What would it take to get you to try a shampoo or conditioner bar? Finding a good shampoo can be a dirty job. I had never even heard of a shampoo bar until I started researching round the world travel and packing light. I was leery and intrigued by shampoo bars. Through trials (some with the shampoo tests and some with my luggage sufferings) I have found a few shampoo and conditioner bars that are great for travel! It was not until I stumbled upon one at Trader Joe’s that I decided to try it out. The price was right for the Trader Joe’s Shampoo Bar and the peppermint/tea tree scent was not overwhelming. I tried it a few times before determining it would work for travel and then I cut the bar in half so it would fit in a small plastic container in my travel bag. It met my needs for a shampoo but I really needed a conditioner too. Know what I mean about the harsh effects of hotel water?! For the most part, conditioner bars have complicated storage or usage directions. That’s not what I needed and Trader Joe’s does not make a conditioner bar. I…
Christmas in September
Are you a Christmas prepper or a last minute shopper? Go ahead and play your favorite Christmas album and start Christmas in September. Here are a few tips to help you avoid the financial and emotional stress of last minute Christmas shopping. Start now and stay within budget. First, make a list of those you will give gifts to. Family, friends, coworkers, teachers, and the dog sitter. Prioritize your list and make note of any gifts that need to be mailed ahead of time. Next, write down any gifts you already have or want to buy. I keep a running list and add to it throughout the year if I see or think of things they might like because I will certainly forget it when it’s time to shop. Some years I use a theme to help me organize my shopping. One year it was new games for everyone and another year it was books. This blog post talked about putting together travel bathroom bags for kids. Magazine or monthly box subscriptions are another fun way to spread out the cheer. Then think about the budget you have for gifts. This will look different for each person and each season…
Bathroom Bags for Travel
What are the advantages of having a bathroom bag that is just for travel? Having a travel bathroom bag has been a big help at our house. Ever since the kids were big enough to have their own travel bags, they have had their own bathroom bags. There are so many advantages to this. When traveling, we have a packing list and instead of listing all the toiletries, it just says “bathroom bag” because we keep packed bags ready to go. We have our favorite toiletries in travel sizes, travel toothbrushes, make up, and so much more. The advantages of having a travel bathroom bag are many. It saves time when packing and unpacking and you are less likely to forget essential items. I typically restock mine when I return home from a trip, so its ready go the next time. Time savers can be bar soap that also doubles as shampoo and clothes wash, such as Dr Bonner’s Magic Soap. We buy small waterproof soap containers and cut a large bar of soap in half. There have been times I have had to pack an overnight bag in a hurry, such as heading to the hospital with a family…
Back to School Routines
What does back to school make you think of? For many adults, “back to school” conjures up shopping for school supplies like yellow No. 2 pencils and new folders. Supplies nowadays are ordered at the click of a button and homework routines involve watching YouTube while pretending to work. It’s time to get back to the healthy routines and rhythms of life. Here’s a few tips for setting your family or tutoring clients up for success. Choose a homework spot no matter if your child is 5 or 15. Give them a little say in the matter, even if it’s just what new supplies to add to their workstation. Make it easy for them to get started on school work each day. Choose a new school supply that is not on the list. Let your child choose a fun colored homework folder or a set of colored pencils for home. My kids and tutoring clients are always excited about new dry erase markers in fun colors. (Brainstorming essay outlines, math problems, and to do lists are always more fun on a dry erase board!) Draw up some back to school routines that work for your family. Consider bedtimes that allow…
Travel Review: Ultra Minimalist Travel
What products would you hate to be without if you lost your luggage? If you have been following me for some time, you know I’m a huge fan of travel and carry on bags. I have mastered the art of of packing light for a long adventure. My items multi task, and I like to think I’m a minimalist, but I see no need to try ultra minimalist travel. Turns out the airlines wanted to test that theory this summer. I had crafted my packing list and prioritized what I could fit into my backpack (weighing 18 lbs or less) and a laptop bag for a 3 week European adventure. Saving my crazy travel story of cancelled flights for another time, let’s just say “I saw Europe, I saw France, and the airlines kept my underpants!” I truly became an ultra minimalist when I had to survive with one pair of underwear, a change of clothes, and just my liquids bag when my carry on bag, checked at a destination, got lost. Of course there is travel insurance to cover lost things, but what about when you hit the ground running and don’t have time to shop for basics or…
Start Tutoring and Start Earning Extra Income
What are your roadblocks to earning some extra income as a tutor? What is standing between you and some extra cash? Time? Tools? Training? Need a few extra tools in your kit to feel confident tutoring clients? We each have unique talents and areas of expertise that others need help with. Everyone can tutor something! Now is the perfect time to get set up to start tutoring this fall. My free workshop Tutor Toolkit will push aside the roadblocks and get you going! This short helpful workshop will give you the tools needed to design and individualize tutoring sessions no matter what you teach. What’s in the FREE workshop Tutor Toolkit? In this workshop, I lay out the plan to setting up an hour long session, whether you are teaching, tutoring, or coaching. You get a behind-the-scenes look at my own tutoring sessions and learn from my years in and out of the classroom. You get customizable templates for sessions and the confidence you need to tutor or coach clients, whether you have teaching experience or not. You get tips and tools for remediation, extending lessons, and building rapport, plus games and brain break suggestions. No waiting for the workshop…
March Madness College Spreadsheet
Does March Madness bring thoughts of basketball tournaments or college tours? Brain overload accompanied my first college visit with my daughter, but it got easier after that. What did not get easier was the amount of information we got and how to keep track of it all. We ended up creating a shared spreadsheet of information. This useful college spreadsheet tool helped us track the information, prioritize colleges for application, and organize the application process and products required for each one. We chose to make it a shared document which was also super helpful as we could both add information or check due dates. Having gone through this process several times with my kids and clients, I find myself suggesting a collaborative spreadsheet to others time and time again. While the decision is highly personal, the process is quite standard. Now available for sale, my College Research Spreadsheet tool. This College Research tool will help organize all the information you gather, even suggesting categories you may not have thought about. You can edit the form to fit your needs. This information will be helpful when visiting colleges, narrowing down which ones to apply to, preparing for applications and interviews, and…
Agendas
How can you have more time in your day? Using an agenda (paper or digital) to schedule your week will help you have more time for the things that matter. It really is a magic trick and an insomnia cure! It just takes a few steps, and you’ll be on your way to increased productivity and less mental stress. I’m a big fan of Google Calendar and Asana for my scheduling. (Read this blog post for details.) Write a list of weekly routines, fixed appointments, and regular errands Write a list of weekly and monthly home projects Write a list of habits or hobbies you wish you had time for Write a long term goal or two, and break it down into small tasks Prioritize the events and lists Add them to the weekly and monthly calendar Regularly go over your agenda and make adjustments Rediscover and reclaim pockets of time First, write out a list of your weekly routines, fixed appointments, home projects, and regular errands. Continue the list with a few habits or hobbies you wish you had time for (book reading, exercise class, coffee with a friend, photography class, etc.). Then add a long term goal or…
Product Review: ASANA
How many sticky notes are on your counter or desktop on any given day? Asana is an application designed to help you organize, track, and manage your work. It’s a game changer for teams! If you are unfamiliar with ASANA, it’s a work management tool. I love the project and task features where I can see what I need to do and check it off when I complete it. I use it for home and for work. I LOVE it! All my EVENTS go on my Google Calendar and all my TASKS go in Asana. There’s a free version that you can begin using today, plus lots of tutorials such as this one from Louise Henry or these from the Asana Academy. When a friend shared an Asana board with me a few years ago, I was instantly intrigued. We used Asana to manage event planning for a conference. I felt a bit overwhelmed by all I didn’t know about Asana. After the event, I took some time to watch tutorials and become an Asana Ambassador. Even now, there’s so much more I could be using Asana for. I just keep adding to my knowledge and use of Asana as…
Carry-On Bag Adventures
Are you more like a carry-on bag or a checked bag? Traveling the world with just a carry-on bag, collecting sim cards as souvenirs, is one of my life goals that I’m slowly fulfilling one adventure at a time. It IS possible to live several weeks out of a carry-on bag and a personal item like a purse or backpack. Smart packing on my recent trip to Bulgaria and Albania proved it true once again. Most airlines have a size or weight limit to the carry-on bags so check before you go. Use a capsule wardrobe; take multi-tasking items; and take a few thank you gifts which will leave room for a souvenir or two. Add my bathroom bag, my tablet or laptop, and my coffee thermos, and I’m ready for my next adventure! Capsule wardrobes are a small collection of essential items and accessories that can mix and match and allow you to pack less clothes overall. For most trips I try to take 4 or 5 tops, 3 bottoms, 2 shoes, 1coat/sweater, and 1 accessory like a necklace or scarf. All of the tops and bottoms should be able to be worn together so choose a color palate…
