Quick Tips for Getting Organized

Volume 8 – December 2007

Toys
With over 4 million toys recalled for lead this year it’s no wonder everyone is cautious about purchasing toys for the holidays. But what can you do about it? Here are some quick tips from the September issue of Parenting Magazine:
Don’t buy jewelry from vending machines.
Avoid fake pearls and jelly bracelets.
Call the manufacturer if you are unsure about a product.
Toss any metal jewelry you can’t be sure is lead-free
Call your doctor if you think your child has been exposed to lead or has swallowed something containing lead
Visit the Center for Environmental Health at www.cehca.org for companies that make lead-free kid’s products.
Stay on top of recalls by visiting www.toyinfo.org

Manners
During the most wonderful time of the year the subject of re-gifting often comes up. What do I do with the pink hand towels that don’t match my blue bathroom? Can I give the candle from Aunt Suzie to my co-worker for her birthday? In my humble opinion, re-gifting is fine but there are two LARGE stipulations. The first is that you still properly and warmly thank the giver. It is always generous of someone to think of you in the first place and gift giving can be a tricky nail to hit on the head. Of course, if the gift is clothing and it is way too small or large, kindly let them know and see if they would like to exchange it for you. They may have purchased it on sale or there is no gift receipt. Anything other than clothing, smile and say thanks! The second stipulation on re-gifting is to not re-gift as a way to clean out your closet or save money (even though you might). When you give any gift, the gift should be suited to the recipient. Thought and care should be taken when re-gifting, just like when you purchase something from a store.

Heath
Shopping, wrapping, decorating, spending, traveling, parties and food are not all happy, fun words for some this time of year. If the stress of the season is weighing on your shoulders here are a few things to help you de-stress and remember “this too shall pass.”
1 - Get some exercise. Take a walk, jump rope, get moving. 20 minutes of exercise triggers your body to release endorphins, the feel-good hormone.
2 – Turn up the music. Play music that is uplifting to you and crank the volume!
3 – Get some sun. Sunlight helps enhance the effects of the mood-stabilizing hormone serotonin in your body.
4 – Breath. Take some really deep, cleansing breaths and let the oxygen refresh your brain.
5 – Hang out with a friend. Community or social support is a great way to keep a perspective and have some fun. Don’t go life alone!
6 – Laugh as much as possible. It’s the best medicine for the body!
7 – Get a massage. If you can’t afford to have a professional massage, ask your spouse or friend to rub your shoulders, upper back, arms, hands or even feet!
8 – Have sex. Sex releases endorphins that help you keep a positive frame of mind and mood. Caveat – I recommend doing this with your spouse. It will help their holiday mood as well. 

Travel
This is the time of year for travel and going with kids can be a challenge. Here are some quick ideas to help keep everyone happy:
1 – Have a special bag with little gifts that they haven’t seen before. Don’t just pack their regular toys since they are use to them. You can either dole out the gifts “as needed” or just give them the whole bag to enjoy.
2 – In our home we rotate toys so when we take a trip I just go to the “hidden” stash and pull out some toys that we already have but that our daughter hasn’t played with in a couple of months.
3 – Bring along a travel DVD player, books and small games to play with your child. Consolidate movies by purchasing a travel CD holder and using that for your movies sans plastic boxes!
4 – Snacks are a must. A few ideas: granola bars, raisins and dried fruit, special candy, juice boxes, water, nuts, cheese and crackers (get a small cooler), carrots, apples. Obviously, candy and sugars drinks are not the best choice but consider allowing a treat here and there while traveling. It can be a great incentive for a toddler to “hang on” and nice treat for the older child who never gets M&Ms!
5 – Go with the flow. Remember, this is a fun time of year. Keep that in mind while stuck in traffic or at the airport. Your kids follow your lead so be mindful of the example you give.

Cleaning
Dishes – don’t make the mistake that only the dishwasher can get your dishes clean. If you are a family that leaves dirty dishes in the dishwasher for a day or two before running it; it would actually better to wash by hand immediately after using verses letting dirty dishes sit in the dishwasher for a day. Bacteria grow quickly in the moist, warm environment of a closed dishwasher.

Home Keeping
With all the beautiful decorating everyone does for the holidays, don’t let your pillar candles spoil the mood! Here are some easy ways to make your candles last longer and look beautiful until their end.
-Trim the wick to ¼ inch before you light it. Do this every time and you will avoid having major black smoke from the flame.
-Candle wax has a “memory”. The first time you light it is crucial to setting the stage for every time thereafter. Wax melts OUT first and then down so the first time you light it be sure to allow enough time to let the wax melt out to about ¼ inch from the edge. This will take hours and the easiest way to determine how many hours is by the diameter of the candle. For example, a 3-inch pillar will need to be lit for about 3 hours the first time. This may seem a tedious step but trust me; it will help your candle burn cleaner and without folding in on itself in the long run.
-If you do the above step first, you will notice the second time you light your candle it will burn out to the previously melted spot and then start to go down.
-Avoid drafts to keep your candle burning evenly; especially for the first light.

*As with any fire, don’t leave children unattended around a lit candle.
*Be sure to blow out ALL candles before leaving the house or going to bed.
*Don’t ever put lit candles on your Christmas tree.

Decorating
Decorating for the holidays doesn’t have to cost a lot. Try one of these quick projects this season!
1 – Print a picture on transparency film (normally used with overhead projectors). Take a clear glass container and wrap the “picture” around the glass. If you want to give it a frosted look, wrap the glass container with a piece of vellum paper first and then attaché the transparency picture. Use clear or double-sided tape and finish with a ribbon around the bottom. Fill with a candle and enjoy.
2 – Take a clear vase or bowl and fill with unshelled nuts, fresh cranberries, ornaments, ribbon, shells, stones or anything that strikes your style fancy. Add a candle and you have a lovely centerpiece.
3 – Hang ornaments from your chandelier with ribbon. Hang at different lengths and enjoy. This also looks lovely hanging in a window or arching doorway.

Gift Wrapping
Here are some unique ways to wrap your gifts this holiday season – think reduce, reuse & recycle!

Old calendars – with 2008 next month, repurpose that beautiful calendar you enjoyed all year.
Newspaper – especially for a larger gift or gender friendly gift! Add fun ribbon in any color and it’s a smart choice
Old maps – make a great wrapping for kids and adults of all ages.
Fabric – leftover material from a project or even a lovely napkin or tea towel makes a soft and unique wrapping.
Photos – use them on the outside instead of a bow
Wrap up – with twine, ribbon, long cords or anything that is unique and wrapable!
Accoutrements – add some fresh twigs from your tree or holly, attach a pinecone or poinsettia leaf. Have fun decorating your packages with what you have around the house and garden! Of course, a fun ornament is a nice touch also. 

Party!
Some ideas for fun holiday parties:

BYOM – Bring your own mug. Have a fun drink party with hot chocolate, tea, coffee and cider. While everyone is enjoying the drinks they can tell stories about their unique mugs.
Have everyone vote on their favorite story and have a prize ready! To gather the vote you can have a basket everyone puts a piece of paper with their “winner” written.

Cookie exchange – everyone brings 2-3 dozen cookies on a platter. You provide the table, and take-home bags or containers. Then everyone goes around the table and takes at least two dozen home. Count on everyone nibbling and eating while they are there. Have drinks and games and your party is ready to roll!

White Elephant – everyone brings a wrapped gift of something they already have from their house. Place all the gifts under the tree and have each person draw a number to see who goes first. The first person picks any gift they’d like and opens it in front of everyone. The second person can either pick a new gift from under the tree or take #1’s gift. If they take #1’s gift then #1 picks a new gift from under the tree and opens it in front of everyone. The third person can either take #1 or #2’s gifts or a new one. This continues until the last person goes!

Toy Drive – have a party where everyone brings a toy for a needy child. Have a big box wrapped like a gift and let everyone place the toys in the box. Donate the toys to a local shelter or church.

If you like to send me your tips for consideration please email me at
kim@smartmoms-smartbusiness.com.


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