Relax!

For many of us, September is the least relaxing month of the year.  There’s the chaos of back to school, getting into a routine, and saying goodbye to the unscheduled days of summer.  So, to make your transition to fall as smooth as possible, try these steps for simplifying your life, so you can really relax!

Plan

The first step to make time for a breather is to actually plan for one.  This might sound strange, but if life is busy enough, you might have to literally schedule that hour in your day to leave the house for a solitary coffee break or a quiet walk, the same way you schedule lunch with a friend.

Disconnect

Try to occasionally disconnect from your phone, whether its during the one hour at the gym, or ideally, at least an hour before bed.  Checking your phone constantly can increase stress in all areas of your life, and setting aside certain time periods to answer texts and emails and then disconnect for a little bit can help you stay calm.

Say No

Occasionally say no to social engagements that are actually inconvenient for you to attend.  The hosts will understand, and it will help to clear your schedule.

Write It Down

Sometimes keeping track of everything that you have to do in your head gives the illusion that there’s more to do than there actually is.  Keep a to-do list and a detailed calendar so you never forget a task or appointment, and have a realistic grasp of what you actually have to do.

Create Systems

This means planning ahead for everything.  Create routines for carpools, menus, chores, or even weekly dates with a spouse, so you never have to think about it.  

Exercise

Cardio is good for calorie burning, but try some yoga for one of your workouts this week to get in the mode of deep breathing and relaxation.

Solitude

Try to occasionally take some time away from family and friends, and clear your head.  This will help you realign your life with your goals, and recharge before returning to the craziness that is everyday life.

As a young girl, there was nothing I loved more than going to Jaffee’s, my local stationery store, to shop for school supplies. The promise of new notebooks, pristine pencils, and a set of dividers was all I needed to feel pure happiness. As professional organizer, my adult equivalent of school supply shopping is a trip to The Container Store, a veritable playground of organizing possibilities! You can only imagine my delight when I was asked to host an event at The Container Store for a group of bloggers last week. As part of the program, I walked around the store, sharing some of my favorite products∗which I’ve listed below…

Shoe Box, item 10008759
The Little Black Dress of Organizing, I use these to contain action figures, packing tape, sunblock, and cookie cutters.

Bisley 5 Drawer Cabinet, item 10053877
I’ve recently used these vibrantly colored file cabinets in a teen’s room for electronics and papers, and a child’s room for art supplies.

Large Lacquered Rectangular Box, item 10055485
These high style boxes provide the perfect hiding place for batteries, remote controls, or decks of cards (multiple colors available).

POP Canisters by Oxo, item 10042844
Once you store dry goods such as flour and sugar in these functional, sleek canisters, you’ll wonder how you ever lived without them (multiple sizes available).

Dream Drawer Dividers, item 10023483
Drawers stay tidier when they’re divided into sections. Separate your underpinnings or your short sleeve t-shirts from long sleeve t-shirts.

Bigso Stockholm Document Box, item 10049716
Use these boxes to store your child’s sentimental items through his/her school years. You can store all but the current year, but they look nice enough to display (multiple colors available).

Small Duo Bin, item 10057626
For items that you reach for often, these bins are modern and chic. I love the shiny black, white, and green.

Clear Divided Tray, Item 201070
I use this neutral organizer in bathroom drawers, office drawers, and playroom drawers.

Apothecary Jar, item 10029279
The inside of your medicine cabinet should look just as neat as your bathroom counter. I use these for hair ties, cotton balls, Q-tips, and grooming implements (nail clippers and tweezers).

Landscape Letter Tray, Item 10047418
These stackable letter trays can be labeled in the front, so you know at a glance which one is holding lined paper and which one is holding white paper.

*I have not been paid or asked by The Container Store to endorse any of these products.  They are products I use frequently with clients.

• Beach bags should be large and lightweight. Even when you travel light, you’ll need a least a few towels and t-shirts.  Avoid any unnecessary hardware on the bag that would weigh it down.

• Use brightly colored cosmetic bags for smaller items that you want to keep dry such as such as your money, cell phone, keys, lip gloss, band aids, hair ties, and ibuprofen.

• Carry only what you truly need.  Bags get heavy, so eliminate what’s unnecessary.  You might want one sunblock for your face and one for your body, but you don’t need any more than that.  You may want to leave your wallet at home and just bring cash, identification, and a credit card.

• Let your children carry some of the load. Even young children can tote water toys, a shovel and pail, and blow up rafts. This shouldn’t be in your beach bag!

• Keep essentials stocked. Leave the sunblock and lip balm packed in the beach bag, so you can be ready for a day at the beach in minutes.

• Plastic bags come in handy. Use one for dry clothes, one for sunblock (in case it drips), and keep a few empty ones for wet bathing suits.   There also great for keeping your book, magazine, or kindle dry!1

• Baby powder isn’t just for babies.  It’s the best way to rub sand off your body before travelling home.

The first year I sent my children to camp, I began preparations several months in advance.  I ordered the camp logo items, purchased horseback riding boots, and soccer cleats (for a child who hates soccer and thinks horses are smelly), and had labels sewn into every last sock. Now, five years later, I pack two days before the trunks leave, and it couldn’t be easier.  Here are some of my tips for organizing for camp without the hassle.

• Forget ironing or sewing on labels. Arm yourself with a Sharpie laundry marking pen or stickers that affix to the label of any item of clothing.
• Go light on the toiletries.  Remember there’s a fully stocked infirmary with band aids, Neosporin, ibuprofen, or anything else your child might need.
• Buy extra socks and underpants. When you’re purchasing the 18 pairs of socks and underpants required for camp, buy an extra dozen of each. Have these in your child’s drawer for when s/he returns from camp.  Whatever makes it home after the summer will be ripe for the trash bin.
• Use plastic travel bags to contain clothing. Put socks in one, bathing suits in another, t-shirts in another.  When things aren’t strewn around the trunk, it will make unpacking easier for your child.
• If it fits in the trunk, it’s not worth the fight. Your adolescent girl will want to take a hair dryer, flat iron, nail polish, and most of the clothes in her wardrobe.  Let her.
• Keep camp specific items separate. Camp towels, linens, clothing with the camp logo, “bunk junk” (small games, flashlights, canteens) should not be integrated into the linen closet, utility area, or playroom.  When packing next year, you’ll have it all in one place.
• Sneakers don’t come home from camp. Tell your child not to bring home any sneakers or shoes except for the ones on his/her feet.  They’ll be so vile, you’ll just be tossing them the minute they get home anyway.
• Schedule the lice check. When your child gets off the camp bus, take him/her for a lice check before s/he enters the house.