This summer, my family will be entering entirely new territory—Boy Scout and Girl Scouts’ sleep away camp! You could say the excitement and nerves are taking over my home for my 11 and 14-year-old. 

The Girl Scouts sent over a packing list which was tremendously helpful for a new sleep away camp mom. Fortunately, we were also able to ask a friend who went last year, what were the top items we should be bringing? 
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So for the past month, I have researched and ordered large roll away duffel bags for each of the kids. The cheapest bags I could find were the big plastic footlockers. But in my mind, all I kept thinking about was where I was going to store these huge pieces, so instead, we bought the “body bags” as my kids like to call it.
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We went down the list and determined what essentials needed to be bought in advance online and what could be purchased at the store. In my case, I have one child going one week and another leaving the following week. Many of the items such as the headlamp, bunk sheets, alarm clock, and fan, I bought in neutral colors, making it easy for them to share. 

From my experience, and from what I hear from other parents, at any sleep-away camp or sleepover adventure, you’ll want to follow these tips!

• Write an extensive list of what your child needs, and highlight or circle the items that should be purchased ahead of time or ordered online. 

Now that you’ve established what you need, buy it! Once the items have arrived at your home, have your kids try on anything that you may need to return: water shoes, hats, bathing suits.

• Start labeling! Since your kids will be in a cabin tent with other children, everything needs to be labeled. Start sooner rather than later.

You might like using oil-based markers for the larger items. You could use Sharpies to label the items as well, but they tend to wash out after multiple uses. I like to place duct tape on water bottles and lunch boxes, and then I add Sharpie to make it clear who it belongs to. You can find vinyl fabric labels from Avery on Amazon or Mabel's Labels—which work perfectly for camp.  
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• Now it’s time to pack! Put essential items such as sheets in a backpack, that way, you will have it on hand if the duffle bags are put on a cart.

All personal hygiene and bathroom products can go in the shower caddies inside the duffel bag or simply place it in the trunk. That way it’s already good to go once your child arrives at camp.

• When packing for camp, you have a few options. The first is rolling up a complete outfit into a Ziploc bag, including socks & underwear. You can also pack outfits in a packing cube. Most packing cubes can hold about six outfits, so this is a great tool to condense your kid’s luggage. 

In my case, I am going to bag each outfit in a Ziploc bag, with a separate bag for towels and washcloths. Extra socks and underwear and bathing suits and any extra clothes will be packed away in their own cubes. This way, all my daughter has to do is pull a black bag out, put the clothes on, and when she’s done wearing it, she can put it back in a zip lock bag or throw it in her dirty laundry bag!

• Double-check the list to ensure you didn’t miss anything. Gather any medicine that is needed and be sure to keep it in original containers. Hand it to the camp counselors with instructions as soon as you drop your child off. 

 

• Make the trip to camp fun and exciting, not sad! Before you leave, make sure to sign up for any communications the camp offers so you’ll be in the know during the duration of their stay. 

I also think it’s a fantastic idea to leave your kids with addressed envelopes so they can mail you a letter home. And most importantly, enjoy the break and know that your kids are having the time of their lives! 

• Once the kiddos come home, wash everything, and put it right away. Enjoy the last days of summer together! 

Want to get the house in shape while the kids are at camp? Now’s the perfect time to book a maintenance check! Even a well-organized home will build up clutter and mess over time. Let’s chat about how you can straighten up the spaces you already love. ​

In-between running to and from clients, I have been snatching a minute here and there to enjoy the beautiful weather we’ve been having. I love this time of year before the humidity arrives.

I also love summer – trips to the beach and lazy days at the pool. With two kids though, it’s not quite as easy as it once was, so being organized is key. Whether you’re hitting the pool or beach, there are some items that you can have packed ready for either venue:

• Sweat and waterproof sunscreen
• SPF lip balm
• Hats, sunglasses, rash tops
• Spare rash tops, especially for babies when they get wet. Mine likes to take his off and then it’s too sandy to put back on so will get a clean one out of the bag.
• Cooler- for drinks and snacks (think about getting one with wheels)
• Kid friendly snacks & scissors to save your teeth from opening those bags
• Towels (bring two for each person if you are going on a day trip - one for the journey home in the car)
• Goggles – fun for pool games and essential for the seas as salt water burns little ones’ eyes
• Hair ties, brush and even a detangler (wet, knotty hair anyone?!)
• Money is always good to have for those ‘just-in-case moments’
• Spare diapers, swim diapers and fold up portable potty if needed
• Baby wipes
• A bag for trash. I find that a grocery bag is great for all the trash that is accumulated
• Bag for the wet clothes, as well as other wet items.

 
While at the pool, all you need in addition to the above is a few pool toys (floats, sunken ‘treasure’), the beach requires a few more items especially if a baby is involved.
 
My top, top essentials are:

• Blanket or fitted sheet
• Beach chair/s, unless you are happy to sit on your towel on the sand
• Some sort of shade – a beach tent or umbrellas. I love this SportBrella
• Beach toys
• Baby pool – excellent for containing a baby (especially a crawling one) and for babies to play with their toys in
• Bug spray

I take either a spray bottle, watering can, or a bucket to wash off sandy hands and feet. I love capturing the fun, so I take along a water proof camera. As there is a little more ‘stuff’ required for the beach, I swear by using a beach cart such as the Wonder Wheeler.  

I also have a ‘car-stash’ of summer essentials:

• Change of clothes for each child (Have you gone to the park and there is splash pad and the kids are wet and you don’t have a change of clothes?)
• Swimming suit
• Hat
• Sunglasses
• Sunscreen
• Towel
• Baby wipes
• Hand sanitizer
• Snacks

• First aid kit (somehow my daughter always needs a band-aid on the beach!)

We all dream about the day we can turn our lives into an endless vacation. But scientists have actually proven that as much as this fantasy lives in our mind, we probably wouldn’t enjoy it too much if it became a reality.

Why?
​
Because having the freedom to do nothing all day doesn’t bring us joy. Purpose does—a reason to get up in the morning, a goal we’re working towards, challenging ourselves to become better than we are today. That’s what drives us.
This summer, it might be easy to let the kiddos run wild after a long school year. But after a little while, the joy of summer break will wear off, and you’ll hear nothing but, “mom, mOoOom, momma, mommy!!,” all summer long.

Maintain order, have fun, and help your kids create goals this summer with these tips!
​

• Keep a schedule and stick to it! Sure, maybe the kids don’t have to wake up at the same time as during the school year, but their schedule should stay relatively the same. There’s nothing harder than getting them back in the groove come August and no-one wants to do all their summer reading the last week of summer vacation-a schedule will avoid that conflict.

 

• Start a book challenge by taking the gang to the library. Using charts and stickers, track how many books your kids read. At the end of the summer, enjoy a pizza or ice cream party to celebrate.

 

• Work together to create physical goals that will keep the kids active. From learning to ride a bike to practicing shooting hoops, it’s so important to get the kids off the couch by engaging them in activities that get their blood pumping.

 

• As a family, pick a charity or organization you’ll donate your time to each week. Watch as your kids grow once they see the impact they can make on the world around them.

 

• Create a family goal list of places you want to go, things you want to see, and experiences you want to enjoy together!

Creating goals with your kids over the summer is an easy way to keep them engaged, out of trouble, and full of purpose—100% ready to take on the new school year.

If you have a goal of getting your house in tip-top shape before the new school year, I’d love to chat!

Whether you’re in need of maintenance services, organizing sessions, or seasonal clothing changes, let’s work together. 

We all dream about the day we can turn our lives into an endless vacation. But scientists have actually proven that as much as this fantasy lives in our mind, we probably wouldn’t enjoy it too much if it became a reality.

Why?
​
Because having the freedom to do nothing all day doesn’t bring us joy. Purpose does—a reason to get up in the morning, a goal we’re working towards, challenging ourselves to become better than we are today. That’s what drives us.
This summer, it might be easy to let the kiddos run wild after a long school year. But after a little while, the joy of summer break will wear off, and you’ll hear nothing but, “mom, mOoOom, momma, mommy!!,” all summer long.

Maintain order, have fun, and help your kids create goals this summer with these tips!
​

• Keep a schedule and stick to it! Sure, maybe the kids don’t have to wake up at the same time as during the school year, but their schedule should stay relatively the same. There’s nothing harder than getting them back in the groove come August and no-one wants to do all their summer reading the last week of summer vacation-a schedule will avoid that conflict.

 

• Start a book challenge by taking the gang to the library. Using charts and stickers, track how many books your kids read. At the end of the summer, enjoy a pizza or ice cream party to celebrate.

 

• Work together to create physical goals that will keep the kids active. From learning to ride a bike to practicing shooting hoops, it’s so important to get the kids off the couch by engaging them in activities that get their blood pumping.

 

• As a family, pick a charity or organization you’ll donate your time to each week. Watch as your kids grow once they see the impact they can make on the world around them.

 

• Create a family goal list of places you want to go, things you want to see, and experiences you want to enjoy together!

Creating goals with your kids over the summer is an easy way to keep them engaged, out of trouble, and full of purpose—100% ready to take on the new school year.

If you have a goal of getting your house in tip-top shape before the new school year, I’d love to chat!

Whether you’re in need of maintenance services, organizing sessions, or seasonal clothing changes, let’s work together. 

​Congratulations! Someone close to you has Graduated High School and is College Bound!
 
The go-to gift is always Money or Gift Cards, of course,
but what about including something exceptionally useful with your financial gift?

We, as professional organizers, are always looking for the practical and simple gifts.
Here are a few we have found to be incredibly useful (and love to recommend) for the college bound student:
 
Label Maker: Best Gift Ever! You will be shocked at how useful it will be.
https://www.amazon.com/DYMO-LetraTag-Handheld-Labeling-1955663/dp/B01BD6DRI6/ref=sr_1_5?crid=P56R0T4C5SQ7&keywords=label%2Bmaker&qid=1650989364&rnid=1248943011&s=office-products&sprefix=label%2Bmaker%2Caps%2C83&sr=1-5&th=1
 
Tool Kit: Have they ever even used a hammer or screwdriver? Include some DIY lessons
https://www.amazon.com/Best-Choice-40-Piece-Purpose-Household/dp/B073TRFB7B/ref=sr_1_7?keywords=college+dorm+tool+kit&qid=1650989463&refinements=p_72%3A1248909011&rnid=1248907011&s=hi&sr=1-7
 
First Aid Kit: Boo-Boo’s still happen to College Students!
https://www.amazon.com/First-Aid-Only-Piece-All-Purpose/dp/B000069EYA/ref=sr_1_6?keywords=first+aid+kit+for+dorm&qid=1650989503&sr=8-6
 
Laundry Necessities: Detergent/Dryer sheets/Stain Stick and a great hamper
https://www.amazon.com/StorageManiac-Foldable-Laundry-Reinforced-Handles/dp/B00FZHAIAK/ref=sr_1_7?crid=1KS7XUV19UK78&keywords=collapsible+hamper+for+dorm&qid=1650989810&sprefix=collapsible+hamper+for+dorm%2Caps%2C66&sr=8-7
 
Command Hooks etc.: Don’t want to end up paying any fines at end of semester-protect those walls
https://www.amazon.com/Command-Clear-Variety-17232-ES-Hangs/dp/B07712B9JG/ref=sr_1_4?crid=3B475N76I3NAH&keywords=command+hooks+and+strips+variety+pack&qid=1650989904&sprefix=command+hooks+and+strips+var%2Caps%2C67&sr=8-4
 
Organizing Calendar: The overlooked necessity!
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B091M58GB5/ref=crt_ewc_title_dp_1?ie=UTF8&smid=A2FE12E3V6UBSH&th=1
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07RYP1SRV/ref=crt_ewc_title_dp_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A3B004UD81OKDR
 
Congratulations to All and Here’s to a Safe & Simplified Summer!

​Have you considered hiring a professional organizer but for one reason or another you have decided against it? You are not alone!  Many people think that hiring someone to get or keep them organized is foolish and unnecessary.  The reality couldn’t be further from the truth.  Professional organizers are here to help you get your home in order, in a way that works best for your lifestyle. 

Many people outsource their house cleaning and lawn maintenance so why are people so reluctant to hire an organizer? 

 I will do it myself! 
This is the most common reason people are reluctant to hire a professional organizer.  Yes, you can just do it yourself, but…will you?  How long have you been talking about organizing your kitchen, office, basement, attic, garage, or closets?  How many times have you started the project then stopped because you got overwhelmed or frustrated? How many times have you succeeded but 2 months later the clutter was back?
A Professional organizer can help you through the organization process.  The first thing we do is to talk to you about what you want.  Our team listens to you and together, we make an action plan.  We guide you through the process from start to finish, help you decide what stays and what goes, and provide you with support and guidance for maintaining organization. 
With a professional by your side, your organizing project will get finished in a timely manner leaving your space & mind feeling rejuvenated and refreshed! 
 They’ll make me get rid of everything! 
Professional organizers are not heartless people who believe that purging is the only way to get you back on track.  Part of our job is to listen to you and offer support and guidance. This will help you make the best decisions based on how you live, and want to live, your life.  The final decision on whether to keep, donate, or toss items is always up to you.  
When you make the choice to donate, we offer suggestions on the best options for donating useable goods to local organizations who need what you no longer want.  When something cannot be reused, we help you to use environmentally conscious practices for recycling and disposal.     
  ​​I’m going to have to spend so much money! 
Hiring a Professional organizer is an investment - an investment in your home, your quality of life, and your time.  When you become organized, you’ll find that you are less stressed and have more time in your day because you have an easier time locating the items you need, when you need them. 
Once we begin the organization process, and we use what you already have to organize your belongings, you’ll discover that you have more closet, cabinet, and shelf space than you knew!  If you should need to purchase items such as bins or containers, we will make recommendations based on what will work best for you and your space.