Laundry Room Run Down

In my family, we use two different laundry soaps—one for my sensitive skin, the other for heavier washes and stained clothing. Now, of course I’m going to immediately complicate things, but if you’ve been following me for very long, you might have an inkling about what I might suggest here. YES. Bins. They are really your best organizing tool on most fronts. Here are my suggestions for all of the fancy laundry items that you want to look great and function well:

So, first off, laundry pods are definitely the way to go. You avoid the mess of powder and liquid and they work remarkably well. I put my two separate laundry pods in bins with labels. It makes your laundry loads so much easier to organize and they look great stowed away in cute bins or baskets.

Here’s my next bin suggestion—get a cute bin for all of your small laundry necessities. Mine includes Shout packs for nasty stains with a toothbrush to scrub, a Tide stick, lint roller, and a lingerie wash bag. What else do you keep as an absolute laundry survival tool? Add it to the bin along with anything else that needs a home and follows suit.

Get a jar for that extra money that comes falling out of your family’s pockets. Someone should be collecting from all the hard work! Follow my mom’s rule—you leave it, it’s hers! Even if the change doesn’t land in your wallet, there are lots of helpful things to save for. The jar is just a nice place to keep it.

Remember to leave your comments below. Oh, and don’t forget to catch my guest post on Very Jane. It’s one of my favorite online spots right now and I give some great tips on organization that take only 10, 30, and 60 minutes each week!

DIY Homework Station: More Worth than its Work

With “back to school” in full swing, I propose that before the grind of daily homework, early bedtimes, and the added complication of extracurricular activities, you consider incorporating a station complete with all the materials your little ones need to start the year off on the right foot. A homework station made from a shower caddy and/ or rolling utility cart is a great option to keep all of your children’s supplies together to make cleaning up compact and effective. Utilize all the space and nooks of the bin. It also helps to set the mood for homework time—when the bin comes out, they know that it’s work time! This is what I filled my homework station with:

·       A cute tape dispenser, stapler and extra staples.

·       Crayons and markers—let them pick out their favorites.

·       Mechanical pencils. Don’t forget to include extra lead, this will help derail excuses.

     Calculator. Get your kids their own so they aren’t distracted by your iPhone.

·       Pens (if they are allowed to use them in their classroom).

·       Scissors

·       Don’t forget post-its!!

·       Card games—optional. Sometimes homework drags on and on and they need a break. Let them take a 15 minute break when they get frustrated before they come back to their work. I like card games over video games and they seem easier to pull them away from in order to get back on task. They also allow them to culminate creativity with ease—it relaxes them and lets them really rest their brain.

For your storage system, I also really like the tiered units! Find a good use for the top tier, make sure it’s filled with something you access often and need handy on a daily basis. The second tier is great for books, coloring books, and activities to make homework breakdowns less frequent. Remember that switching back and forth from right brain to left brain really helps to keep them engaged, especially when homework hours get long. The bottom tier of your unit can be used for blank scratch paper or doodling paper.

School starts this week for most of us so all of these supplies are on great deals! Add them to your list and build a functioning homework station. It will make homework hours so much more organized productive. Leave a comment if you have any other suggestions to add!

Beach Bag Deconstruction

One major summer tip for sun soaked days is to have your swim bag packed and ready at all times. This may seem slightly over zealous upon first thought, but staying packed allows you to enjoy maximum summer fun with a “just add water element” which is always convenient. Make the most of these last summer days with these simple tips for packing your bag.

·       First, start with a bag that is large enough to hold it all and that is made of material that can withstand all of the elements of summer: sun, water and sand.

·       Always keep your favorite towel clean, rolled and nestled inside.

·       Sunscreen. ALWAYS keep sunscreen in your ready-to-go bag. Don’t forget your face, ears and lips!

·       A good pair of sunglasses. I love polarized lenses, but anything is better than nothing.

·       Your miniature bag with headphones, of course!

·       My personal favorite item: chair clips. These keep your towel in place on your lawn chair when soaking up that delicious golden sun.

What are your summer swimming bag essentials? Comment below!

Carry-On Organization for the Devoted Traveler

Since the inception of my business I have had more and more clients take advantage of my willingness to pack up and travel to them. This puts me on the road A LOT, so you can imagine that I’ve become quite the pro at preparing and packing for a light and easy travel. Since I’m the queen of living and breathing from a suitcase, I decided to launch my YouTube channel with a video of my favorite carry-on packing tips. I had a blast making this first video! Check out the live version of this post and subscribe to my channel, YourLife Revamped, for upcoming videos and tips.

5 Tips for Packing your Carry-On:

*When selecting your attire, opt for putting together full outfits in advance. This should include an optional jacket, shoes and accessories.

*Roll your clothing to prevent wrinkling and capitalize on extra space for blankets, toiletries, or last minute items.

*Pack your shoes in a separate bag to protect your shoes as well as your clean clothing.

*Pack an extra bag that is designated for dirty clothing. This makes unpacking and post-travel laundry so much easier.

*Bring extra pillowcases. This one is personal because there is nothing better than using my own familiar yummy case when I’m in an unfamiliar place, but I highly recommend implementing this into your packing routine.