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Are You Ready? 7 Shopping Essentials for Black Friday and Small Business Saturday Shopping Success
Are you gearing up for some serious post-turkey shopping on Black Friday and Small Business Saturday? If so, take a minute now to plan for comfort and endurance. Here's 7 Shopping Essentials to be ready:
- Hydrate - Drink fluids before heading out, and plan to take a refillable water bottle with you so can stay hydrated while battling the crowds.
- Fuel - You'll probably eat well before heading out (turkey and fixings or breakfast at a cafe), but make sure to take snacks as well. A handful of almonds or a banana thrown in your bag should do the trick.
- Rx - Organize your medications or vitamins that you need to take ahead of time in a designer pill box like the Style Rx and you won't miss a dose or a deal!
- Tote - Spare a disposable shopping bag and bring your own reusable tote for all your finds.
- Comfort - You'll be on your feet for many hours so choose footwear carefully. This is one time you might want to plan your outfit around your footwear, instead of the other way around!
- List - Know who you have to buy for before you head out, and try to list a couple of ideas to focus your search
- Budget - Set a budget ahead of time to avoid pain and remorse later. Consider setting a limit for the day or per gift so you don't waste time on items that will blow the budget.
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Traveling This Week? 5 Essentials for Your Must-Pack List
Nearly everyone we know seems to be headed elsewhere for Thanksgiving this year. And for many of them that means getting on a plane to their far-flung destinations. But we all know air travel has become a tad less glamorous in recent years, and with so many set to travel it's critical to think ahead and plan for the nearly unavoidable hiccups that come with travel this time of year.
That's why we dug up an old article on travel hacks for packing, dusted it off and are sharing with you our fave ways to pack for comfort, style and the unpredictable.
#6 - If you’re traveling with a lot of jewelry, use a days-of-the-week pill container to keep track of it. -- Our super savvy customers have been doing this for awhile
#7 - Glasses cases can double as a carrying case for iPhone chargers. -- Style Rx pill box case is also perfect for this
#16 - Bring several pairs of underwear in your carry-on just in case your luggage ends up lost. -- Big believer in this one. We'd say throw in a swimsuit too so the first few days of your tropical vacation aren't spent shopping for a new, semi-flattering one
#20 - If you forget the outlet plug-in for your phone charger, check the back of the TV in your hotel room. There’s usually a USB port which will allow you to charge. -- We never knew this one. Great idea.
#23 - Scan your passport, ID and itinerary and email it to yourself in case of theft or loss. -- Just don't lose your phone too!
Plus, see what the LA Times, Denver Post, Philadelphia Inquirer and a CBS affiliate put on their must-pack list this fall and holiday season.
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The Joy of Giving - 4 Tips to Being a Gracious Gift Giver
When we're little it's all about the number of gifts and the bigger the better, right? But as we mature, something starts to shift and we begin to understand the meaning behind phrases such as "the joy of giving". Once you give that one gift to someone that elicits sheer delight you're hooked. It feels so good to make someone else happy.
But in this season of giving, gift giving can become more like a long list of tasks to be crossed off a list - a gift card here, a candle there. So how can we be gracious gift givers even in the midst of this crazy festive season? Here's a few tips to finding that thoughtful, joy-filled gift for those you love the most.
- Meaning - Look for a gift that reminds the recipient of a memory. Perhaps a photo frame with a long forgotten photo, converting an old video on VHS to a CD, organizing a shared experience like a gift card to go zip lining like you did when you first met, or even donating to a charity that your loved one cherishes.
- Practical - Don't underestimate useful gifts that show you care and demonstrate that you're listening and seeking to lighten their load. Maybe arranging a cleaning service for someone who is overwhelmed at the moment or pretty pill box for someone dealing with a new diagnosis, committing to a healthier lifestyle or planning to travel!
- Strong Interest - Take a moment to reflect on what they love to do. If they love to garden or cook look for gifts that support that interest. If their a film buff get them tickets to an upcoming film festival. If they are always volunteering their time, again consider a donation to their favorite charity.
- Experiences - Give something they'll remember long after the gift is unwrapped. Planning a spa visit solo or with your loved one or friend can create a special memory beyond just the original gift exchange. Or let someone try something they've always wanted to do but never got around to planning for themselves such as a hot air balloon ride or a race car driving experience.
Making a List & Checking it Twice - How to have a Sane Holiday Season
Like us we're guessing your pumpkins are still on your porch and there's still a little trick or treat candy left in the bowl. But it turns out Halloween was sooo last month and major retailers are already decorating for the holidays, Santas are taking their posts in malls and radio stations have started cranking out holiday music. Wait! It's still the first week of November!
But as we all know there's no way to stop this train. And while Thanksgiving, Christmas and Hanukkah are still a few weeks away there's usually a great deal of things we want to do (traditions and celebrations) and things we feel we must do (decorating and baking) to fully embrace this season. So how do we fit it all in? Like everything we need to think ahead, prioritize and practice our "No".
Make a List
List out by holiday or week or some other way that makes sense to you what you want and/or feel you need to do for each holiday. Examples are ordering holiday cards, buying stamps, buying outfits for the kids, addressing envelopes, baking cookies, shopping, attending school performances, holiday parties, buying office gifts, selecting hostess gifts, decorating the house, etc., etc.
Check it Twice
Now decide (with your family in mind) which are most important and must dos, and which are things you could step back from entirely or could do less of this year and still have the holiday season you envision. Then map it all out on the calendar and assigning which week, if not which day, you're going to do that activity. Start with parties and school performances where you have no flexibility in when you do them, and then fill in the other priority activities so you can start to see how it all might fit. This will help you start to see where things might get particularly hectic and give you the opportunity ahead of time to make a choice. Decide if you want to still do that To Do or if you can shift it to a different time or even delegate the responsibility to someone else in the family.
Practice your "No"
Looking ahead can help you gain some perspective and avoid some of the craziness that often inevitably invades the season. So don't be afraid to say "No" to some things so you can fully enjoy a few things. It's your holiday too! Tis the season!
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Helping Little Kids (and Big Ones Too) Adjust to the Time Change
No one really wants Daylight Savings Time to end, right? It suddenly gets dark so early and all you want to do is hunker down with a steaming bowl of soup. But we've got to say when it's pitch black at 7am maybe it is time to make the switch. Begrudgingly it's happening this weekend - Sunday, 11/1 at 2am. Don't forget to set your clocks back.
And while the time change is tough enough for adults - even the one where we gain an hour of sleep! - anyone who's a parent knows that it's even tougher with small kids. That's why we loved getting our hands on a few tips (thanks Huffington Post!) on how to ease your kids' (and let's face it, yours too) adjustment.
- Start adjusting sleep schedules now - Theirs and yours. Try going to bed 15 minutes later each evening leading up to Saturday night.
- Adjust meal times too - Eat at 6:15 tonight vs. your usual 6.
- Get your vitamin D - Light exposure is critical to keep sleep / wake schedules in balance so make sure you and your kids get lots of time outside on Sunday, especially in the morning, and ideally for the next few days.
- Prepare your room - Make sure bedrooms have adequate window coverings so they are nice and dark, minimizing early morning bright sunlight. A sound machine is always a good option too in order to minimize early morning chirping.
- Don't engage too early - Despite your best efforts, if your little one still wakes early - assuming they're safe - don't start your day yet. Let everyone doze or relax with a book until an appropriate wake-up time.
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The Ultimate Rx for Better Health - Sleep
Are you ready to face one of the most stressful times of the year? Sure you had October to wind down from the all the back-to-school / post-summer routine craziness, and thankfully Turkey Day is still a few weeks away, but are you ready? Really ready?
We've been talking about how to regroup this month and refocus - easy ways to bring mindfulness into your day, and how to eat better for improved memory, healthy skin and general well-being. But let's face it even if we somehow manage to eat well, exercise and take a moment for ourselves, do we feel that much better? It seems like more and more we're finding out that it really all comes back to sleep.
Sleep? Yes, that magically elusive state that most of us get far too little of - especially if you're a mom of young kids. It turns out that it's often much easier to eat well if we've had enough sleep. Our brains, and consequently our memories, are far less foggy when we've had enough sleep. And research has even shown that our bodies repair themselves while sleeping (hello, better skin!).
It's really not hard for anyone who's suffered sleep deprivation to imagine that just a little sleep can cure a lot of things. Perhaps that's why there seems to be a growing focus on sleep in the media. Nearly all of us get too little of it and could use a fair amount more of it.
So take the first step - now before the craziness of the holidays - and give yourself the permission to sleep. Schedule it into your day, just like your workout. Make it a priority. Set yourself a reasonable bedtime and commit to it. Most of the To Dos on the list can bump a little further out, and with a little rest who knows what you might accomplish! Sleep tight!
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Fountain of Youth | 5 Essential Vitamins for Better Looking Skin
So here's one more reason to treat yourself to a well-balanced diet of whole foods - better looking skin. If improved overall health, energy levels or memory wasn't enough to convince you then perhaps the reflection in the mirror just might. It turns out that there are five key vitamins that we can all incorporate into our diet that will help us care for our skin, and incredibly even reverse some of the damage that we've inflicted on ourselves over the years.
According to this Huffington Post article adding these foods to our plate can give us the vitamins our skin needs to look its best.
- Citrus Fruits for Vitamin C - can protect against and even repair sun damage
- Sweet Potatoes, Kale & Carrrots for Vitamin A - slows the breakdown of collagen
- Fatty Fish (like Salmon), Milk & Eggs for Vitamin D - prevents bone loss and resulting saggy looking skin
- Leafy Greens for Vitamin K - preserves collagen which can reduce the appearance of dark circles (More salad, please!)
- Nuts, Seeds & Healthy Oils for Vitamin E - strong antioxidant which can also provide natural sun protection and be an anti-inflammatory
Better Memory? Eat This, Not That
We overheard a conversation the other day about "mommy brain" - that sleep-deprived state where common words inexplicably slip your mind, rote tasks become more challenging, etc. Two women were talking about how real it is and that while it seems to lessen with time it never really seems to go away. They speculated that something fundamentally changes in the brain when pregnant and it never completely reverses itself.
While many of us have faced this at different points, we often are left to shrug and laugh it off. But there was an interesting study recently that found what you eat could positively affect your memory. Does this mean their might be help for those of us who suffer from mommy brain?
According to the study on Today.com those who ate "a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, nuts and fish...were 24 percent less likely to have cognitive declines compared to people consuming the least healthy foods." There's obviously more research to be done to understand this memory-food connection but in the mean time, it seems to give all of us another reason to think about what we're putting in our bodies. Definitely food for thought!
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Changing Seasons | Approachable Ways to be More Present
It's October. It's Fall. It's a good time to take a much-needed pause after the fun of summer and the craziness of back to school and settle into new schedules. As we shift gears and start to think about the season ahead of us (8 weeks until Thanksgiving, 9 until Hanukkuh and 12 until Christmas), it's a good time now to take a pause and recharge.
That's why this month we're focusing on both big and small ways to take care of yourself. To make sure you're your best self - inside and out and focused on what matters to you most - so you can embrace the holiday season happy, healthy and centered. A gift for yourself!
To kick us off we thought this article on mindfulness was a great place to start. It's from the Huffington Post and it outlines 10 Easy Ways You Can Practice Mindfulness. It's a great quick read and filled with approachable ways to bring mindfulness into your day. We're big believers in #9 Travel or Mix Up Your Routine because it forces you out of your comfort zone and triggers new senses and awareness. But truth be told, we'll be trying all of these this month. After all, couldn't we all stand to be a little more present?
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Clearing the Clutter | Old Medicines? Get Rid of Them this Saturday.
Been meaning to clean out your medicine cabinet and get rid of all those old, half-empty, expired prescription and over-the-counter bottles and tubes that are cluttering up your bathroom but you're not sure what to do with them? Take the opportunity on Saturday to round them up and safely dispose of them at locations across the country (Except for PA and DE who did this a few weeks ago).
Saturday, September 26th is National Prescription Drug Take Back Day. You can enter in your zip code to find a list of locations near you. Collections sites are open from 10am to 2pm local time.
It's a great way to clean up, clear out and make sure medications are disposed of safely. The collection sites make sure that medications don't fall into the wrong hands or contaminate our soil and water.
Feeling inspired? Here's a few other tips for taming the medicine cabinet.
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