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If you’re taking a road trip to celebrate the holidays with family and friends, I encourage you to create not just a packing list but also a “loading list” for the car. Figure out all the things you want to take, and, more importantly, how it will all fit into your vehicle. Doing this now will save you holiday headaches later.

I have a client who road trips to her family every summer, so she thought she knew exactly how to pack the car. But when it came time for her Christmas visit, she forgot to leave room for all the gifts! She had to purchase an expensive roof rack at the last minute as there was no time to mail the haul. The lesson in this is to anticipate leaving extra space—both for the gifts you’re bringing and for the ones you’ll receive from others. Wait to box and wrap the gifts until you get to your destination—they will take up less space and you won’t have to worry about beautiful bows being squished in transit. Or, if you are shopping online, have the gifts shipped directly to your destination.
Remember to plan space for your pets and their favorite items (toys, food, bed) if you are bringing them along for the journey.

And if you are bringing food, plan for the space a cooler will take up. Even if you are not bringing food, you may want to carry a cooler to bring some special leftovers home.

Soft duffel bags are the best choice for packing clothes as they fit into odd car nooks better than rigid suitcases do. And, if you are like me, you don’t travel ANYWHERE without your own pillow, so plan for that as well.
What other tips for road trips can you think of? Share them in the comments below!

What does “Giving Not Gifting” mean? It means it is never too early to start GIVING your things away, rather than buying new things to gift. I think that no matter your age, it is time to consider implementing “The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning.” (Yes, this is a real thing, and I’d highly recommend reading about it!) Why spend more money and time shopping this holiday season when you have items that others love that you can GIVE them? For example, my sister has nice gold jewelry she seldom wears, and when I recently visited her she invited me to choose a piece to give to my daughter. That is GIVING not GIFTING! My sister can get pleasure knowing her fine jewelry is being used and enjoyed, and my daughter gets real gold to wear—win/win!

A lovely client had a small china tea set that she had inherited just gathering dust. She wanted to donate it, but I suggested she give it to her eight-year-old granddaughter to use for tea parties instead. The client was thrilled with this idea! Of course, a few pieces were broken over the years but the set actually got played with and enjoyed, and even stayed in the family a little longer.

A close friend of mine always smells so good. When I complemented her on her pleasant scent she went to her vanity, got the perfume bottle and gave it to me! It was a spontaneous, generous, and thoughtful gesture that meant so much. I have it on my dresser and think of her every time I see it.

So look around your home, what can you GIVE and not gift this holiday season? Let us know in the comments below!

There is no time like the holidays…to start simplifying your life! One way to scale back and create less clutter for yourself and loved ones is to establish a “Four Gift Standard.” The idea behind the Four Gift Standard is a catchy rhyme you may have heard: “One gift you want, one you need, one to wear, and one to read.” These gifts can be as extravagant or simple as you want, but, because they are so few, none will become clutter! Chances are these gifts will be well chosen and happily received.

These four gifts can be person-to-person (in a 3-person family like mine, that would mean 8 gifts each!) or within the whole family. The four gifts can also be themed around an event, interest, or trip. For example, for a Spring trip to Moscow you could gift wireless ear buds for the plane (want), money for the visa to enter Russia (need), silky long underwear (wear), and “Anna Karenina” (read)! Kara Carrero developed a similar rhyme specifically for children’s gifts. It goes: “Something cool, something for school, something to wear, and something to share!” I especially like the idea of something to share, which could include a board game, an outing to a children’s theater, reservations for an afternoon tea, or tickets to a sporting event.

If I was to add my OWN spin on these four-gift rhymes, I would say: “Someone to meet, something to eat, something to wear, something not there!” For me, this would mean funds to visit far-flung friends, a delicious meal out, warm sleep socks, and an activity “not there” in the house, like tickets to a special museum exhibit or vouchers for a trapeze class (which I did a couple years ago and loved!). Whichever way you like to gift, I hope you can find a rhyme that works for you. The Four Gift Standard allows you and your family to scale back and enjoy what really matters this holiday season!

Let me know your favorite rhyme in the comments below!

FDR got it right when he established Thanksgiving as a holiday the fourth Thursday of November in 1941.
Thanksgiving is the perfect non-denominational holiday—every American celebrates it! How can you go wrong with a national holiday that is ALL about sharing a special meal with family and friends? And the best part about it? No one expects a Thanksgiving gift. It is truly about presence, not presents!

Take the “attitude of gratitude” that Thanksgiving is all about and carry it with you throughout the entire holiday season and into the New Year. Sincerely express your thanks to those whom you love, appreciate, and admire, either verbally or through a handwritten note. These simple words and gestures can have a huge positive impact. They remind loved ones that they are an incredible presence in your life, with a token of appreciation that is not a present!

As nice as tangible gifts are, they are not always as meaningful to us as an acknowledgement of what we do and what that means to others. I know teachers often say that a thoughtful letter from a student is much more memorable than any mug, gift card, or batch of cookies. These efforts cost nothing but are priceless to the recipient.

Even better, kind words and cards create virtually NO clutter for the recipient as well! What a win/win! Who will YOU thank with words or a letter this week? Let us know in the comments!

In honor of “Young Readers Day” (today, the second Tuesday of November) I want to encourage every Tip Tuesday reader, young and old, to read for pleasure. And when I say “read,” please know that listening to audiobooks absolutely counts!

In fact, for those that are auditory learners, listening may be the best way to absorb new information (or simply devour some new “chick lit”). Listening to books makes my daily DC commutes go by much more quickly, and did you know you can even listen to things at 1.5 to 2 times the normal speed? I haven’t tried this yet, but I’m told you “get used to” the fast talking.

Many of you know that I participate in not one, not two, but THREE local book clubs. One of the best part of these book clubs is that reading the book is NOT mandatory for participation. This takes the pressure off and gives me “permission” to abandon a book that I am not enjoying. (Looking at you, On the Road by Jack Kerouac!) These groups also often choose non-fiction and biographies, genres that I would not normally gravitate to, but am always glad to discover.

I want to encourage readers to try to borrow books from the library or subscribe to a digital service to help prevent book build-up at home. For books that are only meant to be read once, there is no need to add to an ever-growing home library. If you feel you must own an exceptional classic, then go ahead and purchase it, but treasure it. (For me, that was The Happiness Project, the Tenth Anniversary Edition by Gretchen Rubin!) And finally, for the old books that you haven’t picked up in years (like those from your now college-student’s first grade summer reading list), turn the page! Donate to your local library or sell them through sites like Powell’s Books and Sell Back Your Book. Put any profits toward new audiobooks, which take up no space, or “big-boy” books which you would proudly display on your home’s shelves. (For example, my daughter, now a Classics major, takes pride and joy in her collection of ancient epics.) If you love the look and feel of physical books, then make them an aesthetic focal point in your home.

Let me know what’s on your tablet or nightstand in the comments below!

Do you have an excess of unneeded or expired prescription medications hanging around? I see this type of clutter in almost EVERY home that I organize, so know that you are not alone. Many of my clients simply don’t know how to safely dispose of prescription medications.

The “old fashioned” way of flushing is NOT recommended. The FDA recommends that you do NOT FLUSH ANY medications unless it is impossible to take them to a safe location. Luckily, THIS Saturday, October 27th is National Take Back Day and there are many nearby disposal locations for everyone! Just put your zip code in to the DEA’s handy website to find out where.* If you followed my advice on September 25th and cleared out your medicine cabinet to get ready for flu season, then you probably have some expired meds already gathered up. If not, NOW is the time to do it! Then take them in to your drop-off location, and reward yourself for doing it!

But what if the four-hour window this Saturday doesn’t work for you? See the infographic on mixing medications with your household trash to dispose of them safely.

Or consider purchasing Deterra or MedsAway bags to safely neutralize and dispose of these drugs easily at home.
Let me know which method you are using, and, whatever method you choose, I encourage you to do it this weekend! *A special note for local Arlington, Virginia readers: We have 24/7, year-round disposal options available at three different locations so there is NO excuse for you not to take care of these meds in this calendar year!

I have recently been listening to the wonderful Happier podcast by Gretchen Rubin (and her sister Elizabeth Craft). Rubin is a huge believer in the idea that “Outer Order = Inner Calm,” and this is a constant theme that runs through many of her podcast episodes. The way I explain this concept to my clients is: “The way things LOOK often affects the way things ARE.” For example, drawers and closets all in a jumble make it nearly impossible to quickly choose an outfit and efficiently get dressed in the morning. If every item of clothing is folded, hung, and grouped your closet will look much better, but your daily routine will also FUNCTION much better. Bonus points if all of the tops’ hangers are consistent and the bottoms are on @holdinghangers.

Or take the classic example of an overflowing, messy desk. Organizing your papers, office supplies, and to-do tasks doesn’t only make your space look better. It makes the tasks at hand flow more easily and makes the time you spend more productive.

The same phenomenon plays out in the kitchen too. Spend some time grouping like with like and you will be rewarded with many benefits! You will be able to shop more effectively, cook at home more consistently, and eat more healthily.
Creating order in any area of the home always seems to result in greater peace of mind. Do you find this to be the case for you too? Let us know in the comments!

Do you want to turn away screaming when you walk into your home after a long day out, dreading the sight of messy piles and clutter? OR do you feel the warm embrace of your entryway and immediately relax? (Hint–your answer should be the latter! If it’s not, read on for tips to enhance your entryway’s tranquility.) The first impression you have when you come home can really make a difference in your state of mind. Personally, for years my home was painted a color I detested. Every time I drove up my driveway, it made me a little sad.

Finally, this year, I painted my house light gray and my front door teal and it gives me a little thrill every time I come home from work. What a psychological difference!

How do you feel when you open your front door? Do you see a mess of shoes, jackets, backpacks, and boxes? If so, I encourage you to calm this clutter. Is it possible to use hooks or pockets on the back of the door to store those things away? If there is no coat closet, a bright washable area rug can define a “mud room.” Add shaker peg racks on the wall to hold jackets and bags, and a bench with bins underneath to hold shoes.

What can you do THIS week to make your entryway a bit more welcoming? Let us know in the comments!

Saturday the 22nd was the Fall Equinox, and a reminder for me to get my flu vaccine! That simple preventive measure really seems to make the difference–I have gotten a flu shot every year since 1995, and I have NEVER had the flu!

I hope that you’re all looking after your health, but in case you do get sick, I encourage you to take ten minutes NOW to prepare.

Go to the depths of your linen closet and bathroom drawers and pull out all the old medicines, pills, and remedies. Take a few minutes to toss dried-out or expired items, then gather together what’s left.

Make a list of the products you may need to stock up on, and GET them. The last thing you’ll want to do when you feel ill is go out to the store. Think of this small effort now as a gift to your future ill self, and it will make you more motivated to do it.  After all, you would bring chicken soup to a friend in need, so care for yourself in advance!

What else are you doing to prepare for flu season? Here’s hoping for a flu-free autumn!