Author: pdd-dev

  • 10 Ways to Improve Your Sex Life

    Who would have thought that being organized could improve your sex life? The truth is that when you work, manage a house, and have kids, “extra” time is not something that comes easily. But with some thoughtful planning, you can (and should) definitely make more time for yourself and your spouse.

    improve your sex life

    Check out what you can in order to improve your sex life:

    1. Clear the clutter. Your bedroom should be a refuge from the real world, where you go to relax at the end of the day. When you walk into your bedroom, you should feel a sense of peace and calmness. If your bedroom doesn’t convey that feeling, it’s time to make some changes.

     

    2. Remove the kid stuff—and the kids—from your bedroom. There will always be those nights when someone has a bad dream and needs a little comfort from mom and dad. But your bedroom should not be a playroom. If you have to keep a few toys in the room, find a way to hide and contain them in a nice bin or basket with a lid.

     

    3. Have a chore list for the entire family and commit to it. When you establish your family as a team working together, you eliminate the stress of daily chores.

    Sit down with the whole family and make a list of all the week’s chores. Have everyone volunteer for the ones that they would like, then move on to negotiating which person will do the remaining chores. Assigning chores places the responsibility with you again. Instead, work as a team to distribute all the tasks, so each member of the family feels ownership.

    Establish a deadline for the weekly chores and a person responsible for checking to make sure that another has completed the work. That includes someone making sure that Dad took out the trash or that Mom has made her bed.

    Set rewards for work well done. The rewards might be money, special outings, or family game nights. Pick a reward that makes sense for your family.

     

    4. Schedule time for sex. If you and your family are scheduled to death and all you do is come home at the end of the day and crash, then chances are that you won’t have or make time to have sex. If you would like more time for sex or at least for the possibility of it, then put it on the calendar.

     

    5. Take time for pampering. Some days early on in motherhood, showering may be the only answer to “What did you do today?” Make time for self-care, whether that’s showering, putting on something other than yoga pants, getting a haircut, or whatever else makes you feel good about yourself.

     

    6. Exercise. As Elle Woods said in Legally Blonde, “Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy. Happy people just don’t kill their husbands.” Exercise improves your health, your strength and endurance, and your mood. You may not have time for workouts every day, but do what you can. Something is always better than nothing.

     

    7. Goody Drawer. Many different things can be part of your goody drawer. Sex accessories are the obvious, but for many that is not the answer. For some, mental mood is more important than physical mood, so love notes or pictures of favorite memories of the two of you together can help rekindle the spark. A healthy sex life is about more than just sex.

     

    8. Turn off the business talk. It’s important to know when to stop talking about business. Make sure you have enough time to talk about other things and just chat with your spouse. Business conversations will have the opposite effect on you and probably just make you think more about finances, or your to do list. You and your partner won’t relax.

     

    9. Idiot proof your family calendar. Having one calendar that everyone can access transfers responsibility to the individual to take care of his or her own to-do list. When everyone knows what they have to do and when and how to get there, fewer miscommunications happen. A missed appointment or practice can lead to arguments and resentment. Setting up the game plan for the day ensures that at the end of it, even if you’ve all been running around separately, you worked as a team to accomplish your family goals. Everyone is happier and less-stressed.

     

    10. Have a date night. Take some time to do something different with your spouse: go out for dinner, go to the movies, theater, whatever makes you both get dressed and ready to spend some quality time outside the house.

    Always make time for yourself and your spouse. Sex life is important in a marriage, making partners happier, boosting their intimacy, and building confidence and trust between them.

    If you liked today’s post, you’re welcome to use it in your own newsletter or blog as long as you include the following blurb: Tara Rudo, Life Strategist, helps executives, entrepreneurs and busy families focus on what’s important. Get our FREE weekly tips and advice at www.NoMorePiles.com.

  • 9 Ways to NOT Waste Time While Waiting

    I have three kids and a job, so that means I am constantly driving someone somewhere and waiting.  Plus, I am an organizer, so I hate to waste time.  Here are 9 ways I have found to not waste time while waiting.  Between sports activities, client sessions, doctor visits and then the more fun unexpected things like cavities, physical therapy or early school closings for heat, I find myself waiting in check out lines, carpool lines, outside clients’ houses or doctors’ waiting rooms at least once a week.  I could view this as lost time and get frustrated at all the time I am WASTING…….OR, I can look at it as found time in my day!

    Here is a list of 9 things you can do while waiting:

    • Make your own doctors appointment. When was your last check-up? Often when taking care of our family we forget to take care of ourselves. We have created a Health Care checklist on our website, just click here to download it.
    • Take advantage of all the Good Housekeeping magazines at your disposal and search for a new recipe for your family. Snap a picture of the recipe or scan it with your phone. (yes there is an app for that!)
    • Send a text or email to that friend you have been meaning to call. Set up a time to meet.
    • Send a text to your spouse or partner. You would be amazed the effect a simple “I love you” text will have.
    • Check your calendar. Make sure you have not forgotten any important dates. Check for overlaps or missed appointments or important events.  While you are at it schedule “ME” time!
    • Use your smart phone for more than Candy Crush. Check out the app store for new apps.  New apps are constantly being introduced, you never know when the app you have been looking for will pop up.
    • This may be the only “ME” time you get all day! Don’t waste it!  Go ahead and read a book or even take a few minutes to meditate.
    • Plan your next party or dinner with friends.  Write up the guest list and create the menu and shopping lists.
    • Do a brain dump.  There are always about 10-40 things going on in my head and putting them down on paper not only reduces the stress of having to remember, but it allows you to schedule those tasks on the calendar or create a to do list for the next day.

    If you hate wasting time as much as I do, follow this next tip.  Next time you are headed out the door, be prepared with your phone fully charged and put a book and notpad in the car so that when you are stuck waiting, you can make the most of your time!

    If you liked this article, you’re welcome to use it in your own newsletter or blog as long as you include the following blurb: Joan Robinson, our Senior Project Manager, helps families get organized and declutter so that they can focus on what’s important. Get our FREE weekly tips and advice at www.NoMorePiles.com.

  • Top Four Reasons Chronically Disorganized People Don’t Hire Organizers

    When you boil it down, there are two types of disorganization: Situational and Chronic.  Situational disorganization happens after a life event (Move, New Job, Marriage, Divorce, Death of family member, New Baby) and is usually temporary.  The Chronically disorganized usually have a life long struggle with organizing or can stem from an injury, illness or a brain based condition like ADD, ADHD, dementia or Alzheimer’s. I am going to share with you the top four reasons chronically disorganized people don’t hire organizers.

    improve your sex life

    If you have tried numerous times to get organized and can’t, you have a pattern of disorganization.  You are probably not showing hoarding behavior and your situation isn’t bad enough to be on one of those TV shows, but your disorganization is probably getting in the way.  You have probably paid late fees for some of your bills, failed to send in a permission slip for your child’s field trip or even missed a deadline at work.

    Every day, I run into people at the gym, my kids’ school and networking events and when people find out what I do, they often say, “Wow!  Can you come to my office (house, etc)?”.  Then, when I tell them that I would be happy to and that they should give me a call, they don’t.  When 43% of people say they would categorize themselves as “disorganized” and all the statistics out there show that being organized saves time and money, increases your chances of work promotions and reduces stress, I would think that you would WANT to get organized.

    Here are the four biggest excuses as to why you haven’t picked up the phone to get some organizing assistance:

    1. I don’t have the time. I am so busy that I just can’t take a whole day (or series of days) from my work to organize. 

    The average person spends 2-3 hours per week searching for things.  So, spending a day with us will only cost you the 4-6 hours that you would have lost anyway searching for things AND you won’t lose those 2-3 hours per week in the future.  The loss of office time in the short run will save you hours every week in the long run.  We can spread out your sessions over several months so that you can work around your schedule.  Plus, we offer maintenance packages so we can help you stay on top of things so you never get back to where you are now.

    1. I am too embarrassed to let you see my office. I am sure my office is the worst you have ever seen. 

    I have been in business for 14 years and helped hundreds of clients.  I am positive that your office is not the worst I have ever seen.  We do what we do because we LOVE to help people just like you make huge improvements in their lives.  When you see a disorganized space, we see a finished, functional space that is a pleasure to work and live in.  Plus, it is worth the pain of letting me help you to stop the months or years of embarrassment coming in the future if you don’t take the time to get organized AND learn the skills to stay organized.  Your disorganization may have cost you clients, raises or even a promotion or two.  Stop letting it get in your way so that you can be the organized, confident rock star that you are meant to be.

    1. It costs too much to hire professional organizers. 

    With Consumer Reports saying that you can increase the value of your home by 3-5% by decluttering and getting organized, https://tinyurl.com/n65krne and employers saying that they are 30% more likely to pass over someone for a promotion if they appear disorganized, it is costing you WAY more money to stay the way you are, than to hire professionals.  And, that doesn’t factor in the money you have wasted by throwing out expired food, late payments on bills or buying items you already own but couldn’t find.  Yes, hiring organizers costs money, but it is an investment in your physical, mental and financial health and often reduces tension in your relationships as well.  Think of us a personal trainers for your stuff and life.  We help you “lose weight” (declutter), “strength train” (learn skills to help you stay organized) and provide the support and accountability to maintain what you have achieved.

    1. I can do it myself.  I don’t need to hire anyone.

    I also hear people telling their spouses that they don’t need to hire and they SHOULD be able to do it themselves.  No, they can’t or No, you can’t!  If you could, then you would have already done it and you wouldn’t be seeing negative consequences of the disorganization.  You need help!  This is not a failure for you as a person, this is a recognition of an area where you need to “build muscle” and a professional can help you figure out a system for how YOUR brain works and learn the skills to help stay organized.  Having an appointment on the calendar, me showing up at your door and you having paid money for the session, will all keep you focused on getting the job done.

    Stop letting excuses get in the way.  Get organized and make the commitment to work your systems so that you stay organized.  It will reduce your stress, save you money and make you look like the rock star that you are in every other part of your life!

    If you liked this article, you’re welcome to use it in your own newsletter or blog as long as you include the following blurb: Tara Rudo, Life Strategist, helps families get organized and declutter so that they can focus on what’s important. Get our FREE weekly tips and advice at www.NoMorePiles.com.

  • A Day in the Life of an Organizer Mom

    Here is a day in the life of an Organizer Mom.  I am not Martha Stewart.  My house does not look like a Pottery Barn catalog.  I am not perfect.  I don’t have it ALL together, but I am organized and that makes a difference.  It’s true, I do practice what I preach but as you will see, stuff happens. I have found that the more organized I am, the easier it is when the unexpected arises.  This is just a glimpse into what a normal day is like in my world.

    5:00am: My Fitbit alarm goes off way before the kids get up. I check my phone for texts, emails and Facebook posts. Respond to anything urgent. Today I do a bit of yoga before I get a shower and get myself ready.

    6:15am: I wake the kids up (Julia 15, Caroline 13 & Drew 7). Make sure everyone is up and getting ready.  Set out “snack baskets” so the kids can make their lunches.  Grab pie dough out of the freezer for dinner tonight.  Make sure all the kids have forms and money they need. Pack my lunch.

    6:50am: Drew realizes he is wearing his uniform not his gym uniform. CRAP! I forgot it was Thursday! Caroline thinks he should be wearing his regular uniform because it’s open house day at school. Fabulous! Now I have to search through old emails, ask Facebook and text another mother to find out what he needs to wear.

    7:00am: Receive confirmation that he should be wearing his gym uniform. He changes and disaster is averted.

    7:00-7:25: Wait with Julia for the bus.

    7:30: Get Caroline and Drew ready to walk out the door.  Confirm with the kids that the sitter is picking them up from school. My husband takes kids to school.

    7:35: Finish getting ready.  Pack my workbags and double check that I have everything I need for work and meetings. Double check I have my power cord for my computer because I forgot it last time.

    7:55: Head into the office

    8:30-1:00: Work in the office.  Lot’s of brainstorming today, creating new packages. The internet is down so it’s like working with one hand.  Ugh!

    1:15: Arrive early for the meeting to make copies.  Call the babysitter to remind her to pick the kids up.

    1:30-3:00: PTO meeting at The Harbour School.  Meeting runs late so I don’t leave school till 3:15.

    4:00: Arrive home and start prep for Chicken Pot Pie at Caroline’s request.  While making dinner, help Drew with homework.  Stop several times between both because he has a particularly challenging assignment.  Drew complains a lot and homework is taking twice as long. The girls bombard me with forms that need to be filled out and information that I need to read. I can’t concentrate to look at these forms now, so I do a quick check to make sure nothing is due tomorrow. The papers go in the folder to review tomorrow during my planning hour. I set aside one hour every Friday to review paperwork, review the calendar, meal plan and make my grocery list.  Is it happy hour yet????

    5:00: Homework is done. Take a minute to check email, FB and calendar for the next day.  Send out emails about PTO board meeting.  Text Julia’s Waiver Aid about meeting tomorrow. Make a quick call to Tara to discuss another blog post. Work on this post for a few minutes. Waste 10 minutes trying to figure out something on my computer, nothing has been the same since my hard drive was replaced.

    5:20: Dinner is ready to go in the oven.  Now it’s time for a glass of wine. Ahhhh…. Check out a few recipes and work on meal plan and grocery list to get a jump start on tomorrows planning hour.

    5:50: First sip of wine because I was too distracted by the children arguing.  I also realize that dinner is not cooking fast enough.  May not be ready at 6:00. Sigh.  Call for Julia to take a shower before dinner since now she will have time.  Notice Drew’s book bag is in the middle of the living room floor.  Call for him to put it away, otherwise tomorrow morning will be running around trying to find it

    6:00 Nope, dinner is not done. Go on FB to share Tara’s blog post.  Check my Fitbit app and realize I am behind my buddies in my Workweek Hustle step contest.  Walk around my dining room table several times to get a few extra steps.

    6:20 Crap. Dinner is still not done.  Continue to walk around dining room…..

    6:30: Dinner! Finally.

    7:00: Cleaning up dinner.  Phil texts and says he is on his way home. Once everything is cleaned up, I hop on the treadmill and try to catch my competitors.

    8:00: Say goodnight to the kiddos. Phil puts them to bed.  Log another 30 mins on the treadmill

    8:30: My favorite time of day, bath time.  I enjoy a long soak in the tub while watching TV.

    9:15: Hop into bed and try to keep my eyes open for a bit longer.  Who am I kidding I’m asleep by 9:30.

    And….it all starts again in the morning.

    If you enjoyed reading about a day in the life of an organizer mom, let us know.  We are considering making it a multi-part series.  This day in the life was written by Joan Robinson, our Senior Project Manager at No More Piles.  If you liked this article, you’re welcome to use it in your own newsletter or blog as long as you include the following blurb: Joan Robinson, our Senior Project Manager, helps families get organized and declutter so that they can focus on what’s important. Get our FREE weekly tips and advice at www.NoMorePiles.com.

     

  • Three Things No One Wants to Organize

    Usually, I love to organize anything I can get my hands on. Unfortunately, I have found over the 14 years that I have been in business that there are 3 things no one wants to organize, but they are three critical situations that need the most organizing. They are: Surgery, Long term illness and Injury. These three situations often cause disorganization within a household. The disorganization adds stress, clutter and extra work to an already stressful situation.

    These situations can come as a surprise, but during your lifetime, you will encounter at least one of them, so it is best to do a little research and get organized now so that you can be prepared.

    Paperwork
    The first area that we see fall into chaos when life throws us a curve ball is paperwork. I highly recommend that you put as many bills as possible on automatic payment which will reduce the paper bills coming into the house. Second, make a list of the monthly bills with account numbers and monthly due dates. This will allow a spouse, parent or child to easy know what to look for.
    If any of the above happens, it usually involves lots of medical paperwork. Getting a separate file box for just these papers will make your life easier for both filing and matching up the bills with the insurance forms. A small file box like this one or even a rolling cart will help you with easy access and portability. In the event of a long term illness or surgery with long recovery, having a rolling file cart that can be wheeled will allow you to have a mini-office near the bed or couch to keep you productive (if you want to be).

    Don’t Keep Secrets
    Somewhere on your computer or on paper, you should have a list of any medications that you are on, who your doctors are and your computer passwords. A trusted friend or family member should have access to this information. This information can allow that person to pay bills, check your calendar or email to reschedule or cancel appointments and give your doctors up-to-date information.

    Research Services
    Even if you think you won’t need them, make a few phone calls or do some internet research on grocery delivery places, home health care agencies, transportation services, pet sitters/walkers, home cleaning services, so that you have an idea of what is available to you and what it takes to get started. You can probably get groceries the next day, but getting nursing care or a home health aide may take several days to set up. This is especially important if you are dealing with an aging parent and don’t live close enough to help easily. www.AngiesList.com is a great place to start finding service providers with reviews from customers.

    Ditch Your Pride
    Reducing stress will help you heal faster or maintain your health longer. If you have family or friends that want to help you, LET THEM! Make a list of all the things that you want to have done and ask them to pick something off the list. It could be as easy as bringing you your favorite soup or watering your plants or picking your kids up from school or practice. People often feel helpless when someone they love is sick or hurt and they really want to help. It makes them feel good that are doing something to help no matter how small. Letting them help will reduce your stress and keep your household from going into chaos while you get healthy. There are even websites like www.carecalendar.com, www.mealtrain.com or www.takethemameal.com to easily coordinate whatever a family needs, allows people to sign up for what they can do and sends reminders.
    If you don’t want to rely on the kindness of family and friends, hire help. Concierge Services, Professional Organizers and Daily Money Managers can help with many of these tasks. You can find these on www.AngiesList.com and www.NAPO.net.

    Your Physical Space
    Depending on your needs, you may need to rearrange your home to accommodate your injury or illness. You may need to make wider paths in your home for a walker, crutches or a wheel chair. You may need to clear a room to set up a hospital bed. In addition to accommodations for your physical well being, you may need a guest room set up for overnight family and friend helpers.
    A little planning and forethought can go a long way in alleviating some of the stress involved in highly stressful situations like surgery, long term illnesses and injuries. Asking for advice and recommendations from friends or family members who have gone through similar situations or doing some research can help you take a little control over the uncontrollable.

    If you liked this article, you’re welcome to use it in your own newsletter or blog as long as you include the following blurb: Tara Rudo, Life Strategist, helps families get organized and declutter so that they can focus on what’s important. Get our FREE weekly tips and advice at www.NoMorePiles.com.

  • 25 Things To Do When You Have A Two Hour Delay

    The dreaded two hour delay.  You whole day hasn’t gotten derailed, but the morning sure has.  Here are 25 things you can do when you are home with the kids for 2 extra hours in the morning.  You can stay productive and get some things done that you either haven’t thought of or have put off for too long.

    1. Make breakfast with your kids.
    2. Plan your child’s next birthday party.
    3. Download pictures off your camera to your computer.
    4. Update your holiday card list (and then throw out last year’s cards)
    5. Two loads of laundry
    6. Fold and put away 5 loads of laundry that are washed and dried but haven’t made their way back into the closets and dressers
    7. Strip all the beds and remake them.  The kids can definitely help with this one and it fosters team work trying to get that fitted sheet on the mattress.
    8. Clean out two drawers of your desk, kitchen or bedroom.
    9. Go through the spring/summer clothes and make your shopping list of items to replace or round out your wardrobe.
    10. Prep and load the slow cooker pot for dinner tonight.
    11. Meal plan for the upcoming week and create your grocery shopping list.
    12. Research vacation ideas (although your research may be clouded by the need to escape to somewhere warm)
    13. Do a workout at home.  Check out Fitness Blender  for free online videos.
    14. Create your training program for an upcoming race.  Hal Higdon’s website has training programs for 5k up to a marathon.
    15. Give yourself an at-home facial.  My personal favorite is Arbonne’s 3 step ultimate facial.
    16. Look ahead at your calendar and schedule your babysitters.
    17. Check calendar for upcoming birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, baby showers and shop online.
    18. Create your packing list for spring break
    19. Schedule your doctor, dental, eye doctor and mammogram appointments
    20. Call your parents, grandparents or a friend that you haven’t spoken to in a while.
    21. Write and send a thank you or thinking of you note to someone.
    22. Clean out your refrigerator.
    23. Go on www.abcya.com with your elementary school kids and play some educational games.  My kids are currently loving the geography ones in preparation for their upcoming school Geobee.
    24. Do your nails.
    25. Roll over and go back to sleep.   Or, just let the kids sleep in and enjoy the silence.

    If you liked today’s post, you’re welcome to use it in your own newsletter or blog as long as you include the following blurb: Tara Rudo, Life Strategist, helps working moms and families focus on what’s important. Get our FREE weekly tips and advice at www.NoMorePiles.com.

  • The Blizzard Effect

    Blizzard-2016-300x225
    I had everything planned.  I started the first week of the year with lots of business planning.  I blocked several days to really dig in and get all my personal, marketing and writing goals set for 2016.  I was motivated, energized and ready to jump in to 2016 with both feet.

    Then, the blizzard happened.  It started with an early dismissal on Friday of my two children.  There goes a productive Friday.  Then, with 30+ inches of snow in the next 36 hours, we hunkered down and enjoyed our family time.  I cooked and baked.  We entertained our neighbors and kids and had a few glasses of wine since there was no way anyone was driving anywhere.  It was a fun weekend!

    I knew that we weren’t going to have school for a few days, so I proceeded to reschedule my Monday and Tuesday clients.  I thought I would make the most of the days at home and get some writing done in the office and create the back log of articles and blog posts that I would love to have and never make the time for.  DID NOT HAPPEN!

    I spent Monday and Tuesday making hot chocolate every hour for the kids coming in and out of the snow.  I spent those two days drying the seemingly endless amounts of wet clothing, socks, gloves, hats, coats so they could head back outside.  I was called in as head referee for the snow balls fights and to make sure everyone got turns on the “best” sled and reminded them not to walk over the top of the igloo that Dad helped them build.

    Blizzard-2-300x225
    By Wednesday, I was in a blizzard depression.  I was tired after 5 days of snow and being stuck inside with the kids and the noise.  I love the outdoors, but I can only take so much of freezing temperatures and back-to-back days of sledding and shoveling.  I was annoyed that I had now rescheduled my entire week.  I was tired of trying to head into my home office in the hopes of getting some stuff done only to get interrupted.  By Thursday, I wished I lived on a tropical island and would never see snow again.

    I had just lost a whole week of productivity.  I know, I know, I should have enjoyed the time that I had with my kids because they won’t be young forever.  Blah, blah, blah.  I just spent the two weeks of winter break spending lots of quality time with the family.  So, after 7 straight days of being home with the kids, I just wanted to go to work (and them to go to school)!  Plus, on top of that, I felt that I had lost all the energy and motivation that I had to really take 2016 by the horns.

    I walked into my office Monday morning when thankfully schools were back in session and on time and took a long hard look at the vision board that I had created.  I realized that I was not going to get anywhere by blaming the blizzard.  The blizzard had slowed me down (losing a week of productivity), but it certainly wasn’t going to stop me.

    The Blizzard Effect can happen under many different circumstances that are outside our control.  It could be an illness, the death of a loved one, a layoff or some other unexpected event.   We need to be flexible and forgiving of ourselves when we get derailed and then “put on our big girl panties” and get back on track.

    Watch out 2016!  I’m back!

    If you liked today’s post, you’re welcome to use it in your own newsletter or blog as long as you include the following blurb: Tara Rudo, Life Strategist, helps working moms and families focus on what’s important. Get our FREE weekly tips and advice at www.NoMorePiles.com.

  • Joanie’s Busy Day Beef Barley Soup

    Today I thought I would share with you my favorite Beef Barley Crockpot Soup recipe.  This time of year always gets a bit crazy.  Work, school, & afterschool activities make getting dinner on the table a challenge. It’s also the perfect time for a hot bowl of soup. This is my No Fail slow cooker soup for when I have no time to make dinner but want a hot meal on the table for my family.  Don’t be afraid to buy pre-chopped frozen vegetables to cut down on prep-time. If your family likes veggies, add what they love. This soup is so yummy and filling I’m sure your family will love it.  Enjoy!

    before-Barley-soup

    Joanie’s Beef Barley Soup

    8 cups beef stock

    1 pound stew beef

    1 onion diced

    1 cup chopped carrots

    ½ cup barley

    1 – 14.5oz cans of diced tomatoes

    1 cup frozen peas

    1 bay leaf

    Salt and Pepper to taste

    Throw everything but the peas in a slow cooker on low for 8 hours (or high for 4 hours) and walk away. 30 minutes before dinner, throw in the frozen peas and give it a stir.

    Yes, it’s that easy!

    Serve with a fresh salad and bread. Serves 4-6.  If you have leftovers, pop them in the freezer for a quick thaw and eat meal another day when you don’t feel like cooking.

    If you liked today’s post, you’re welcome to use it in your own newsletter or blog as long as you include the following blurb: Joan Robinson, Senior Project Manager, helps working moms and families focus on what’s important. Get our FREE weekly tips and advice at www.NoMorePiles.com.

  • Get ready for Joaquin!

    By now you have gotten wind of Joaquin (no pun intended).  Now it is time to get ready for Joaquin to arrive.  It is reported that he has the potential to be one of the biggest storms we’ve seen in years. The good news is that you have time before the storm hits.  You can’t avoid losing power, but you can prepare. So here is a list of what we are doing to get ready
    My basement shelf for emergency supplies

    • Stock up on bottled water, enough for at least 3 days
    • Stock up on non-perishable foods
    • Be sure to have your manual can opener on hand
    • Check your flashlights and have candles handy
    • Have a battery operated radio on hand
    • Be sure you have batteries for flashlights and radio
    • Have emergency numbers on hand, such as BGE
    • Make sure all your devices are charged (especially the ones that entertain the kids)
    • Make sure your battery back up is charged, if you don’t have one now is a good time to purchase one. We just saw them in a 2 pack at Sam’s club this morning.  https://www.samsclub.com/sams/cp-bundle-cgp30-b/prod16810555.ip?origin=search_page.rr1&campaign=rr&sn=SolrSearchToView&
    • Make sure the gas tank in your car is full
    • Have cash available
    • Make sure all you have enough of your prescriptions to last at least 3 days
    • Do your laundry now! Don’t get stuck with no clean clothes
    • Break out the board games. Have some fun with the family.
    • Most importantly make sure you stock up on wine!

    Don’t wait till the last minute to purchase your supplies because they will be in high demand and will go fast.  We hope that you and you home are unaffected by the storm and if not be sure to keep the number for our friends at Flood Department on hand 301-829-2600, in case your basement needs some help after the large amounts of rain.

    If you liked today’s post, you’re welcome to use it in your own newsletter or blog as long as you include the following blurb: Tara Rudo, Life Strategist, helps busy people focus on what’s important. Get our FREE weekly tips and advice at www.NoMorePiles.com.

  • To Host or Not to Host

    bbq pic

    There are many occasions throughout the year where you will have the opportunity to party. But, to host or not to host, that is the question.  Right now, we are one-step away from the busiest celebration season of the year: Summer and all the fun and events it brings. After all, we have Memorial Day BBQs, Graduation parties, 4th of July and with all the great weather, there is always a good excuse for a Friday night BBQ. For some, hosting a party is an impulsive decision, for others, a mental struggle. There are several things to consider and many others to plan, if you go ahead. Therefore, I recommend asking yourself these three main questions before deciding whether to host:

    1. Do I have the time to pull everything together before the event?
    2. Do I have the space to comfortably fit the number of people I will invite?
    3. Do I have the money to spend on this event?

    If the answer to any one of the above questions is no, then do not host. You can stop reading here and go ahead with your day.

    If you are still reading, then you must have decided to host. YAY, party time!  Now, it is time to start planning and organizing. This is the only way to minimize unforeseen situations, provide the best time for your guests and make sure you have fun too.

    1. Plan the menu. In the case of a small gathering, you may want to ask your guests about food allergies or dietary preferences, so that you can avoid conflicts. On the other hand, in a large gathering, you will want a variety to cover all tastes and preferences (like having meat and veggies options).

    You can do the main dishes and ask your guests to bring sides and dessert. Be thoughtful in your assignments to set the party up for success. Don’t assign appetizers to your family member that is always late. Don’t ask your friend that can’t cook to make something challenging. Most importantly, keep your menu simple enough or to things that can be made ahead of time so that you can enjoy your party and not spend the whole time in the kitchen.

    2. Sit down vs. buffet. This should be decided based on the number of people attending being able to sit at a table and by the formality of the event.

    3. Real dishes vs. paper/plastic. It all depends on the type of event you are hosting. Using paper/plastic dishes minimize the risk of breaking something (something to consider especially when you have kids around) and also make the cleaning much easier, which is something to think about it when you have a large number of guests. If you have a more intimate party with a small number of guests, the real dishes will save you some money, but will also add to clean up time. Real is always more elegant, but you will need to weigh elegant vs. easy clean up.

    4. Beverages. Do you plan to serve alcohol? If so, the first thing to consider is what you are going to serve (wine and beer or full bar) and consider the number of guests and the duration of the event. When you think of a full bar, the general rule is: 50% will prefer wine, 30% beer and 20% mixed drinks. If it is just wine and beer, consider that 60% will prefer wine and the rest, beer. Usually, a person will consume 2 drinks in the first hour and 1 drink/hour in the following.
    For non-alcoholic events (or as options for children and non-drinkers): soda, water, juice or sparkling water. You could even create a punch or mocktail that both kids and adults can enjoy like an Arnold Palmer (ice tea and lemonade) or a large dispenser with flavored water (water with cut limes, lemons, cucumbers or oranges)

    dispenser

    5. Background noise. If there is an important sporting event or the Preakness, you may have the TV on. Or, are you going to have music? If so, what type? Make sure that everything is working, your stereo is set up and that important game is part of your TV package.
    Not sure what kind of music you want, check out Pandora or download the app. You can search genres and you can find a pre-built station that will suit your tastes. Pandora has stations for Dinner Party, Classic Rock BBQ or Laid Back Brunch and many more that continuously play a variety of artists that fit that theme.

    6. Stock your house. Fully stock your bathroom with extra toilet paper, wipes, feminine products and air freshener. Put extra trash bags in the bottom of the trash can so that the bag can be easily changed when it is full. Have extra napkins, paper towels, dish towels handy. Guests will want to help and if you make it easy for them, you will get extra help!

    7. Entertainment.  If you are having an outdoor party, you may want to have a few games to keep people busy.  Corn hole, croquet, frisbees, volleyball or even just some footballs to toss around can keep fidgety guests and kids entertained for hours.  If it is a night party, kids would love some glow sticks, flashlights or a few jars to catch lightening bugs.

    Planning before will allow you to fully enjoy your party without having to keep checking every moment if everything is ok!

    If you liked today’s post, you’re welcome to use it in your own newsletter or blog as long as you include the following blurb: Tara Rudo, Life Strategist, helps working moms and families focus on what’s important. Get our FREE weekly tips and advice at www.NoMorePiles.com.  Image courtesy of tiverylucky at FreeDigitalPhotos.net