10 Shortcuts to Keep Kids Organized This School Year

With only a few weeks left before school starts, it’s time to start preparing for the new school year. Starting the year off with an organizational plan will definitely get your whole family off to a great start. This means less stress, calmer mornings, efficient evenings, and less tardiness. Get the whole family on the same page so your school day routines will be even better. We’ve got some A+ shortcuts to getting organized!

1. Prep for the next day the night before

This eliminates a lot of the “where is…” and “what should I…” questions that can make a morning frantic. Clothes and accessories should be laid out and ready to wear. Backpacks should have everything needed for the next day, including homework that is due and forms that have been filled out. Devices should be charging overnight, ready to unplug and put in their backpack. Prep their lunch as well.

You may have heard that decluttering is beneficial to your mental and emotional health. An extra bonus of decluttering is that it can actually save you money, and in some cases, even earn you some. All that extra stuff in your cabinets and closets, counters, shelves, hallways, garage, attic, and storage unit is potentially money in your pocket. Read on and feel inspired to save by paring down your things and getting organized.

decluttering

7 Things to Get Rid of Before Moving

Moving to a new house presents a perfect opportunity to remind yourself of what you have accumulated over time. Some people unknowingly accumulate several identical pairs of shoes, hoard unused clothes, or fill their closets with half-finished crafts. Basically, these items are non-essentials, and you shouldn’t take them to your new home. Unfortunately, because of the sentimental value of these items or other reasons, most people find difficulties choosing what can remain and what they should throw out.

Why You Should Declutter Before Moving

Decluttering before moving is important for the following reasons:

Reduce moving costs – professional moving companies charge for moving services based on the total weight of your items. The more items you have, the more the cost. Decluttering can save on your moving budget.
Saves on packing supplies – fewer items mean you will need a few packing supplies, such as boxes, wraps, and duct tapes.
Better for the environment – fewer items to pack means few packing materials and minimal landfill waste.
Less time spent packing – eliminating non-essentials before packing saves on time and effort used when packing.
More space in the new house – moving to a new home with reduced closets translates to more storage space.

moving

Our Take on Rick Steves’ “Packing Light” Philosophy

Renowned travel expert Rick Steves’ mantra has always been, “You’ll never meet a traveler who, after five trips, brags: ‘Every year I pack heavier.'” He’s a big proponent of traveling with a carry-on measuring exactly 9″ × 21″ × 14″, and nothing more. I know, right?!?! It seems kind of insane and yet it’s actually quite doable if you put some thought into the process. However, I’d also say that it’s not always necessary to pack this light. I’ve traveled both ways: 1) using Rick Steves’ philosophy (and actually using his own brand of carry-on backpack), and 2) using a big, heavy suitcase plus a carry-on! There’s definitely a time and a place for each style of packing.

packing, Travel

How Cleaning and Organizing Can Benefit Your Mind and Body

by Elizabeth Bacharach
April 7, 2022
from Shape.com

Dusting, disinfecting, and decluttering on a regular basis can boost your mood, increase your focus, and double as low-intensity cardio. Read on to learn the secret to scoring these perks.

There’s nothing quite like coming home (or maybe just closing your laptop) after a long day of work and…cleaning.

Yes, you read that right.

While some people may exercise to destress or turn to meditation when feeling overwhelmed, I channel my inner Monica Geller and get to work dusting, discarding, disinfecting, and reorganizing my apartment. But I don’t need to be in a mental funk to start reorganizing my kitchen drawers with enthusiasm. I’ve actually been very into cleaning and organizing since an embarrassingly young age. Only now as an adult, however, have I realized that it’s actually my favorite form of self-care.

cleaning, decluttering, organizing

Cool, Fun Father’s Day Gifts for Every Type of Dad

There are so many awesome types of dads out there, and getting him a Father’s Day gift he’ll love can be a challenge. Whether that special dad in your life is into gadgets, golf, travel, fashion, geekdom, camping, or wine, there is something out there that will light up his face and get him to tell a classic dad joke. We’ve got a list of things we think are pretty cool—you might get him one of these, or just be inspired to shop around some more.

Father's Day

How to Properly Clean and Disinfect Your Bathroom

After the kitchen—which should be the cleanest, most germ-free room in your home—the bathroom should come as a very close second. After all, it’s where you clean yourself up! Because of the presence of steam, unpleasant odors, bacteria, and water, your bathroom is susceptible to invisible, deeper levels of uncleanliness and germs that will take more than just basic spray-and-wipe cleaning. Read on for the lowdown on how to properly clean and disinfect your bathroom.

cleaning

Mother’s Day Gift Ideas for (Almost) Every Mom

Not gonna lie…I love putting together our gift guides for special occasions and holidays. It gives me great ideas for gift-giving while hoping to inspire our readers with theirs! Here is this year’s list of gift ideas for almost every mom out there. I hope you find something for that special mom in your life.

mother's day

Should You Remodel or Move?

from Zillow.com

If you’re asking yourself if you should remodel your home or just move on to a new one, there are probably a few things about your home you don’t love — and that’s no surprise. No home is perfect! But when you’re asking yourself that question, you’re really asking: Can my dislikes be changed with a remodel? Would that make financial sense? Is remodeling worth the hassle?

With low inventory nationwide, more homeowners are renovating their current homes instead of moving. According to Zillow research, 76 percent of Americans surveyed would rather use a set amount of money to upgrade their home to meet their needs rather than use it as a down payment on a new home.

Everyone’s home, budget, real estate market and priorities are different. So, settling the remodel-versus-sell debate always varies, depending on who you ask. But, if you’re trying to make the decision for yourself, follow these five key steps.

1. Determine whether remodeling or moving is more cost-effective

You’ll incur costs no matter which path you decide to take, and what makes sense for you might not make sense for another homeowner. For some homeowners, moving is cheaper. For others, it makes more financial sense to renovate the house they already have. To find out the more affordable option for you, make sure to consider all possible expenses in order to make an accurate side-by-side comparison.

Read the whole article on Zillow.com.

moving, remodeling

What to Bring (and What to Leave at Home) for Your Vacation Rental

We love staying in hotels when vacationing. With room service, daily housekeeping, and various cool amenities, you get to feel spoiled and luxurious. We have also discovered, when traveling with family or a group of friends, that a vacation rental can be hugely advantageous and fantastic. There’s so much more room to spread out and carve out some privacy, there’s a kitchen and dining room so you don’t have to eat out for every meal, and there’s a washer and dryer so you can pack less clothing. If you’ve got a rental with some cool features, such as a hot tub, swimming pool, game room, or a beach/lake nearby, then it’s even better. Here’s our guide on what to pack and what to leave at home when heading out to your fabulous vacation rental.

packing, vacation

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