Janice, Author at Cut Clutter With Scissors

Back to School Tips

July 24, 2012 / Janice

Everywhere you look there are “Back to School” products being advertised. It just seems like yesterday that the kids were running down the street to catch the bus.

The first day and even the first few weeks of school can be total chaos if you don’t plan ahead. Below are a few tips to help you get organize now plus take advantage of those “Back to School” sales.

Clothes Shopping

Although my boys are grown now, I remember those crazy days with getting ready for the first day of school. It always seemed like they grew an inch or two over the summer. That made shopping for school clothes a challenge especially in the early years. Because I knew it would stay warm enough for them to wear shorts until at least mid-September I didn’t go out a buy too many winter clothes (pants or long sleeve tops) yet. Some years they grew out of their jeans every few months! I wrote about it in this blog post.

School Supplies

Now is the time to take advantage of the sales on school supplies. Just remember to only stock up on basic supplies you know the kids will need. It’s also a good idea to keep these basics in neutral colors so they won’t become an outdated design before the school year is over. Go ahead a buy a few things with this year’s popular character on it. Just limit the amount and if money is tight stick with pocket folders and other lower cost items. The more expensive items like 3-ring notebooks and backpacks, if bought in basic colors, can usually be reused for a couple of years.

School Papers

If you didn’t go through all the old papers from last year yet take time now to do it. It will be a good feeling to have those decluttered and organized before all the new school papers start entering your home at high speed. It will help your children start off the new year more organized without last year’s clutter laying around. The article “Decluttering Children’s School Papers” gives you step by step instructions to help you.

To a lighter load along the way.

Janice

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Planning for Your Vacation

July 17, 2012 / Janice

July and August are big vacation months. I know I’m looking forward to taking my vacation at the end of this month. But before I go there is a lot of planning to do ahead of time to make sure everything goes smooth.

The main thing people want during a vacation is to have some fun or relaxation and not worry about what could go wrong. So a great offence is the best defense. Think about what could go wrong now and plan to prevent it as much as possible.

Here is a list of some of the common worries and what actions to take before leaving on your trip. Below I have listed several websites and articles for more information.

Do you worry about:

Forgetting to pack something?

Make a list of all the clothes, toiletries, and other items each person in your family will need for each day of your trip. Don’t forget to put both day and evening clothes. Many items should be listed more than once. Make a master-list for each person. This will be your packing list. From this list you can make a shopping list if you still need some items.

Will the planned activates go as planned?

Hopefully they will but a little planning ahead of time could make all the difference. Check online for the times and day the place is open before you leave for your trip. You don’t want to show up on a Tuesday only to find out that is the one day that tourist spot is closed. Also be sure to check out entry fees (amount, cash, or charge) and possible coupons. Many coupons are available online only and those few extra dollars per person can really add up the savings.

If you are driving will you find your destination without getting lost?

GPS systems work great but are not perfect. Whether you have one in your car or phone it’s probably a good idea to have a hard copy backup. That means using Mapquest, Google Maps, or another map service to route out your driving. I print out directions and a map for each point A to point B I’m going to. Then I clearly label the top of the paper with the “From” location and the “To” location plus the date I will be driving it. This goes in my travel planner and has saved time, stress, and gas money on many trips.

Take the worry out of the vacation by taking care of the little things before hand. That will free up your time during the vacation to have fun and/or relaxation.

Here are some sites to help you with packing checklists. Just remember to pack light. Most airlines not only charge for luggage they will charge extra over a certain weight. The key is to stick with the basics and be willing to wash out some clothes at night in the bathroom sink if necessary.

http://www.vacation-lists.com/

http://traveltheworldguide.com/what-pack-for-vacation/

If traveling with children has you worried about them getting bored or anxious during the trip check out the links in this blog post. There are lots of easy travel games and ideas to keep them busy for a long time.

http://organizebythemonth.com/are-we-there-yet-travel-games/

To a lighter load along the way.

Janice

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One Easy Way to Prevent Clutter

July 12, 2012 / Janice

If clutter and organization are a problem for you (most likely since you’re reading this blog) then I’m sure you’re always looking for an easy way to solve that problem. Even if you take the time and effort to clear out the clutter it’s so hard to keep it from coming back. After all, we have to buy food, clothes, and household items on a regular basis. Then there is the incoming mail, school papers, gifts, etc.

We can’t prevent everything from coming into our homes nor would we want to. But we do have the power to control many things that might become clutter if we take a little time to plan ahead.

One of the easiest and simplest ways is to use a shopping list. Yes, I said a shopping list. I know that sounds boring and ruins the fun of shopping. But, most of the items that become clutter are purchased on impulse and without planning.

Creating a habit of making a shopping list every time you go to a store will help reduce the chance of bringing clutter into your home now and in the future. This really is an easy habit to create if you have the right tools always available. I use a white board on my refrigerator for grocery and other household items I’ve run out of or want to buy. I also make sure I have pen and paper to transfer that list to take with me. I know a lot of people are using their smart phones to make the list. It doesn’t matter what you use as long as you make that list before going to the store.

Think about it. How often have you stopped at the grocery store without a list and bought items you thought you needed. When you got home you found there were several cans/packages of that item already on the shelf or in the freezer. If you use it up before the expiration date then that’s great. But if you don’t get around to using the item (because you have too many) before it’s expired then you’ve not only created clutter you’ve also wasted money.

The same thing holds true for clothes shopping, back to school shopping, or any other kind of household shopping. If you make a list before you go to the store you’ll know exactly what you need or want. No guessing involved! That will reduce the times you purchase something that ends up as clutter. Therefore you’re preventing clutter from entering your home to begin with.

Remember, a bargain isn’t a bargain if it ends up as clutter!

So make that list. Check it twice. Then you’ll find it so much easier to keep your home nice.

To a lighter load along the way.

Janice

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Ideas For A Fun July

July 3, 2012 / Janice

We’re in the heart of summer and there are so many ways to enjoy it. Below are some of the special events that are celebrated during the month of July. First the month starts out with a bang on The 4th of July. Then there’s National Hot Dog Month, National Ice Cream Month, National Watermelon Month, and even National Baked Bean Month. You would think that all we do is eat during this month!

Well, below are links with information and recipes to celebrate these events. If you have children or grandchildren pick a date and plan on a festival to enjoy their favorite foods. Get them involved in picking out the recipes and then making them. It will be a fun time for all!

Fourth of July:

If you are planning to set off fireworks here is some information you’ll want to read first. Every year around the 4th of July the emergency rooms are filled with burn injuries. Learn how to prevent them before you set off those fireworks.

http://www.fireworksafety.com/

National Hot Dog Month:

All those summer BBQ’s seem to include the little (or not so little) red dog, grilled to perfection. But there are lots of other ways to cook those hot dogs. If your up to experimenting with recipes here are a couple of links to get you started.

http://www.recipe4living.com/articles/national_hot_dog_month.htm

National Ice Cream Month:

Is it any surprise that National Ice Cream Month would be in the middle of summer? The 3rd Sunday in July is National Ice Cream Day but pick any day to celebrate with your family. Make homemade ice cream with or without an ice cream maker. The links below have recipes and instructions on how to do it. Oh, the simple pleasures of life don’t have to cost much. Just a little planning ahead can make a memorable sweet experience.

http://www.ice-cream-recipes.com/ice_cream_month.htm

http://www.southernliving.com/food/entertaining/ice-cream-desserts-00417000074424/

National Watermelon Month:

What would summer be without a cold juicy watermelon to bite into? July is also National Watermelon Month. Now is the time to buy those big red fruits and experiment with different ways of eating them. Find a couple of recipes from the link below that look good. On a day when it’s too hot for the children to play outside just pull out a recipe for all of you to make together.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/topics/watermelon/index.html

National Baked Bean Month:

Beans go great with those hot dogs and hamburgers. Check out some of the links below for recipes to make them special.

http://www.classbrain.com/artholiday/publish/article_355.shtml

http://southernfood.about.com/od/crockpotbeans/r/bl15c11.htm

July can be a long boring month if you have children at home with nothing to do. It’s not too late to make this a fun and active summer. Check it this post for lots of ideas. “Vacation In Your Own Home Town”

To a lighter load along the way.

Janice

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July 4th Foods–Yum!

June 28, 2012 / Janice

Many holidays are celebrated with a meal or two that have lots of special foods. Looking forward to eating those foods is part of what makes the holiday fun.

The Fourth of July is no different. All the summer vegetables and fruits are at their best. Their cool refreshing taste in the heat of the summer help balance out all those heavy hot dogs, hamburgers, ribs, and baked beans that are a part of the meal.

If your not sure what to cook or want some new ideas I’ve listed below plenty of links with mouth watering recipes. Don’t forget the decorations to complete the festive celebration.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/4th-of-july/package/index.html

http://www.watermelon.org/Recipes/Default.aspx

http://recipes.familyeducation.com/slideshow/recipes/51053.html

http://familyfun.go.com/4th-of-july/4th-of-july-recipes/

http://www.cookinglight.com/entertaining/holidays-occasions/4th-july-recipes-00412000071753/page24.html

http://www.bhg.com/holidays/july-4th/recipes/

Happy eating!

Janice

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