Twists on Tree Trimming

The turkey has been carved and the pumpkin pie is all gone, and we feel we’re in the full swing of the holiday season.  Now it is time to turn our decorating attention to Christmas. 

I am a fan of taking your favorite Christmas decorations from years past and mixing them with new pieces throughout the years as you expand your collection.  We often end up with so much in storage that we can pick and choose from our own reserves each year and still give the current Christmas season its own personal touch.  So whether you are bringing out every plastic storage container you own that’s marked “Christmas,” stashing some new selections in your shopping cart, or a mix of both, here are some ideas for what will be trending this Christmas season.  

Traditional red and green will always be a timeless Christmas staple.  If you want to change things up a bit, consider a metallics theme.  Trimming your tree with gold or silver or a blend of both can add elegance to the mix.  Add in some sparkle elements in ribbon you wrap around the tree, glittered or jeweled ornaments, or fancy baubles in your centerpiece, and you take the theme up a notch.  Another popular route is a monochromatic theme.  Choose one color, and make it the primary shade of all your ornaments and the facets of your table centerpiece.  Popular choices aside from red or green include white and shades of blue.  If a walk on the wilder side is more your decorating style, a theme made up of bright shades of hot pink, turquoise, lime green, and purple can be a real pop of color around the tree, over the mantle, and down the dining table.  Straying from the traditional for one year or a few in a row can shake things up and give each Christmas season a new ring to it. 

Whether you pull your beautiful pre-lit tree out of storage or create your own Charlie Brown moment by picking out the perfect evergreen pine on a local lot, it’s what goes on the tree and across the table that can be the icing on your Christmas cake.

 

DesignInMind column; appeared in the Valley Morning Star November 25th.

 

 

 

Pack It Up

Holiday travel can be a whirlwind of packing the luggage, cramming the car, or holding your breath through airport security in hopes that all your liquids do continue on the trip with you.  If you’re like me, you need “all your stuff,” and the desire to be prepared leaves you toting more luggage than you can easily roll.  The key to a great packing job and a smooth start to your trip is all in the prep work.

First of all, start early.  A last minute rush can lead to shoving clothes in a suitcase and arriving without everything you need and with a wrinkled mess to boot.  Making a list of the number of days, nights, and coordinating clothing needed for each facet of the trip allows you to check things off as you put items in the suitcase.  For toiletries, make a master list of everything you use, print it on cardstock or laminate it, and store that in your suitcase.  When packing up bathroom items, you won’t miss a step that way. 

For hard case suitcases that have a zipped-off compartment on the “lid” that takes up half of the suitcase’s interior, I have learned a packing trick for women in particular.  Pack shoes, purses, jewelry bags, hair styling equipment, and cosmetic cases and bags in the main area of the suitcase, and pack the clothing in the top portion that will be zipped closed and folded over on the base to close the suitcase.  The inclination to start packing the clothes first leaves the bulkier items in the lid, and this can make the suitcase harder to close, while smashing your clothing.

When packing, put as many things as possible inside smaller bags within your luggage.  This makes airport security more private should your bag be opened, and it makes unpacking in a hotel room or guest room more organized.  Pack undergarments and socks inside small zipper bags.  Wrap nice necklaces inside tissue paper, and place each inside a jewelry bag to avoid tangles.  Put shoes inside drawstring shoe bags to keep them off your other items.  To avoid wrinkles, roll up shirts and pants instead of folding them, which reinforces creases.           

 For the savvy traveler, consider the extras you can take along to make your stay more comfortable.  If you are staying with family, you may want to bring a digital alarm clock for a familiar wakeup and the ability to see the time display during the night.  If you are staying in a hotel, bringing a small sound machine can help buffer hallway and elevator ding sounds with white noise to give you a more solid night’s sleep.  For an airplane ride, pack comfort essentials in your carry-on like your own small travel blanket, neck pillow, tissues, hand wipes, and snacks.  Taking a tote bag carry-on you can leave under the seat in front of you instead of the overhead compartment keeps everything within reach the entire flight. 

Plan, pack, and make progress for fun, relaxed, ultra-prepared travel this holiday season!     

 

DesignInMind column; appeared in the Valley Morning Star November 18th.

 

 

Cents and Scentsability

The feel of a home goes beyond what you see; your other senses pick up on subtleties that add to your perception.  Thinking back on holiday memories, you may see piping hot dishes surrounding the grand turkey serving tray, or spirals of whipped topping rising above your favorite slice of pie.  And it is likely that the smells of the holidays wafting from the kitchen, the dining table, and maybe even the outdoors play a role in how you look back on Thanksgivings and Christmases gone by.  You can give those scents a boost and play up the holiday fall factor in your home and treat your family and your guests to more than what you dish up.

Wall plug-in scent diffusers can work around the clock for you to spread a light fragrance through the air.  Bottles of room spray can be spritzed in the dining room before dinner or in the entryway before guests arrive, but the scent can dissipate pretty quickly.  Scent warmers have grown in popularity.  There are versions that hold a waxy disc over a burning tealight candle that melts and distributes the fragrance, and there are wall plug-in versions that use a light bulb to accomplish the same task.  There of course is always the traditional route of scented candles to create a warm glow and inviting scent at once.  To pull some double duty, utilize bottles of body spray that are fall-focused and use them as a room spray as well.  At quite the price cut off of perfume and cologne, body sprays and mists can make for a very pleasant addition to any room in the home just by a quick spritz and a little coin.  Any of these methods can add that extra dimension of fall scent as you host guests this Thanksgiving. 

 The scent options are seemingly endless, with various stores carrying a slew of spray options to candle selections.  To play up a traditional fall scent, look for versions that have words like "autumn," "fall," "leaves," and "woods" in the title.  These typically are reminiscent of earthy spice notes.  For the more dessert oriented sweet smells, you can never go wrong with a vanilla based fragrance.  Also see what you think of scents centered around cinnamon, cookies, cranberries, candy, pumpkins, and other fall spices.  You can choose a signature scent and offer it up throughout your home, or pick a couple of varieties that blend well together and use them in different areas for some variety as you move from room to room.

You can also think outside the candle holder and opt for more natural additives.  Pour some vanilla in a shallow baking dish or cake pan, and pop that in the oven on low, or alongside a batch of cookies.  The heated liquid will diffuse the scent right out into your kitchen.  Roast shelled nuts on a cookie sheet to use in a dessert or in candy making, but take advantage of the smell that is generated for a time. 

Play up your sense of smell and indulge in the many scents of autumn, all while minding your holiday cents this Thanksgiving.

DesignInMind column; appeared in the Valley Morning Star November 11th.

Making Your November Plans

We have entered into November!  And it’s amazing to think that Thanksgiving is just three weeks away.  To avoid the last minute struggle to pull off a polished turkey day, now is the time to get planning. 

By now, you likely want to have “the family plan.”  Are you staying in town or traveling?  Which branch of the family is going to another relative’s home?  If these are things that have not been discussed with your spouse, your parents, or other family members you gather with, now is the time. 

If you are traveling, the main details to be on top of are travel arrangements and food.  Ensure your family is well equipped with appropriate luggage.  If the family vehicle is in need of service, beat the last minute rush and take care of things like an oil change or tire rotation in advance.  If you are flying, confirm your flight reservations and collect all the travel documents in a plastic document case you store with your carryon bag.  If you are arriving with a food dish or dessert, plan for your groceries ahead of time and have a transportation plan in mind.  Disposal baking trays can be handy and do not require you to hang on to a glass baking dish for the trip home.  If you will be buying your groceries and making or baking on-site, make your full grocery list ahead of time and remember to take your recipes with you. 

If you will be playing host or hostess this year, plan indeed.  Write out your guest list and start planning for table seating count.  Do you have enough - or will you need to make arrangements for – chairs, chargers or placemats, and place settings?  If company will be staying over, work on your sleeping arrangement to accommodate your guests.  If your children will need to double up to offer up one bedroom, prep for that.  Start putting together guest sheet sets inside the matching pillow cases for easy retrieval, along with gathering and laundering blankets and other bedding.  Stock up on guest toiletries like extra toothbrushes, shampoo, and shower gel.  Have household extras on hand for the influx of guests, like laundry detergent, dish washing liquid, and paper goods.  Coordinate with guests about who is responsible for what dishes and start your menu plan and grocery list.  To make the week-of run most smoothly, write out a plan for tasks to accomplish each day, such as when to shop, thaw the turkey, pick out serving dishes, set the table beforehand, and so forth.   

The more you plan in advance, the more time you will have to enjoy your company and soak in the start of the holidays.  It is a time to celebrate, reflect, and acknowledge all you have to be thankful for.  A good jump start can be just what you need to give you the time and space to do just that. 

 

DesignInMind column; appeared in the Valley Morning Star November 4th.

 

           

Just Desserts

“Sugar and spice” is quite nice this time of year.  With a sugar rush right around the corner, tempting fall desserts and the unofficial start of hostess season is on the brain.  You may not load up door-to-door, but there are plenty of sweet treats to be served up right at home.

If you are planning a little get together, the simple theme of “just desserts” is a rather tasty one to carry out.  Bake up several batches of the cookie or cookies of your choice, and let the kids decorate with icing, sprinkles, and candy.  It’s an activity and dessert in one.  The same goes for dipping mini Granny Smith apples in melted caramel or chocolate and then rolling them in cookie crumbs, crushed nuts, or sprinkles.  Smaller apples provide the best apple-to-coating ratio, in my opinion.  For a twist on the traditional stick in each apple, stake a sturdy piece of Mesquite branch to give them a Southern touch.

Other individual desserts that are fun to whip up are cupcakes that you ice and decorate to match your theme, along with contemporary cake pops on a stick.  Whether you make each look like a pumpkin, give it a face, or add your own creative flair, you end up with a perfect portion that was as fun to make as it is to devour.  For a salty mix-in for your menu, make paper funnels and fill with popcorn, assorted nuts, or dipped pretzel sticks.  Put together a few of these selections, and you have created a spread fit for an after-dinner party for a few friends or just for the family.

To round out your array of desserts, serve simple bottled sodas over ice.  Put that ice in a large, cutout pumpkin you turn into a custom ice bucket with a little carving know-how.  Fill small bowls or glass candle holders with candy corn or other small pieces of candy, and scatter them among your trays and plates of other goodies.         

This is just the beginning of a season that caters to the food lovers in all of us.  Start with the sweets as you anticipate the savory dishes that are just weeks from greeting our dining tables! 

DesignInMind column; appeared in the Valley Morning Star October 28th.

 

What's In Store: Saving Money This Season

Each season brings key items that savvy shoppers can capitalize on by buying at the right time.  Today, the summer sales are gone, and the holidays are just around the corner.  By tuning in to what products get deeper discounts in the fall, you can get a jump on Christmas shopping or update some home purchases at a better price.

October, November, and December is prime time to purchase items that stores consider out of season.  Here in the Valley, we can also take advantage of national chain store pricing that caters to the needs of northern shoppers, even when the details do not necessarily apply locally.  For example, the fall is considered a good time to go shopping for a lawn mower.  While cold climate areas of the country are prepping for a snowy season, stores are clearing their lawn mowers and making room for snow blowers.  To make this item move, the price heads south. 

 The same theory applies for seasonal clothing.  Now is the time to scour the sale racks for swimwear, shorts, and short sleeves.  Stores are trying to clear these items out to make more room for sweaters, long sleeves, and jackets.  We can essentially wear summer clothing year round, so why not take advantage of the seasonal shift at our area clothing stores?  We can spend time outdoors throughout the year, but because the winter is known for cozy time spent indoors, spring and summer accessories like patio furniture and grills are discounted in the fall and winter to make inventories move to prep for next year’s styles.    

With the Christmas season approaching, you can start making your list and checking it twice to plan for buying holiday discounted items.  Black Friday is known for the price slashing on high dollar items like electronics.  Pre-holiday sales can start to appear on pots and pans and bakeware to attract holiday hosts who will be cooking up a storm in the months to come.  Toys are another hot ticket item that starts to reveal lowering prices now to get shoppers’ attention so they remember hot spots to shop at come November.       

Look over sales circulars in the mail and the paper, keep an eye out for sale and clearance tags in stores, and do a little online comparison for products on your wish list.  By buying at the right time, you may just end up with a plumped budget and the items you wants at the same time.     

DesignInMind column; appeared in the Valley Morning Star October 21st.

Soft Seasonal Swaps

Beyond your tabletops and front porch, there are other soft spots at home to add in touches of fall shades with their seasonal feel without overdoing it or investing a lot of money.  Think about ways in which you can change out décor items that offer you a warm, cozy look and feel now and can be easily switched back for the next season.

Window drapery panels can be swapped with no sewing and no custom fitting.  If you hang ring clips from your drapery rods, you can switch the fabric panels as often as you like when you use flat bed sheets instead of custom drapery panels.  Use twin flat sheets or queen sheets for a fuller look, iron them, and hang them from the clips.  Flat sheets can be sold separately from a regular sheet set, and you can select colors and print choices that extend beyond what you would ordinarily use in your bedding.  Consider fall shades like browns, dark oranges, reds, and yellows.  Add in some thrift store throw pillows in complimentary colors, and you’ve changed the look of a living area on a budget. 

For a seasonal swap, change out family photos hung in a collection of frames with fall craft paper or fabric and faux leaves.  Cut scrapbooking paper or fabric remnants to match the frame display sizes in two or three different patterns.  Remove some leaves from a craft store swag.  Arrange each behind the glass to display a different look until Christmas time. 

Other soft fabrics can go a long way to add a fall feel to your rooms.  Drape a lush throw blanket in a warm shade or print over the arm of an upholstered chair, a coffee table ottoman, or the foot of your bed.  Get those placemats out of storage and add them as another layer under your chargers and place settings.  Or cover the table in a tablecloth and let it stay that way through your Thanksgiving dinner.  Put out cloth napkins for show to further soften the look of your dinner table.   

If you have more than one set of towels on hand for each bathroom, put your most seasonal set on display.  Chocolate brown, sage green, or cream colored towels add a fall touch over everyday white.  If you have darker bathroom rugs put away, bring them back out, too. 

Look around your home and contemplate what other simple swaps you can make to give each room a little different look for the next couple of months.  Some low cost purchases or a little digging in your storage space can both elicit some visual variety for fall in your soft surfaces.        

 

DesignInMind column; appeared in the Valley Morning Star October 14th.

 

   

Seasonal Stockpiling

Periodically, home décor just needs a little updating.  At some point, we all end up with those one-time-use decorations that are now taking up valuable storage space.  Yet investing in staples that can stand the test of season after season is a good use of your decorating dollar.  Here are some good finds to keep an eye out for this fall:

Glassware – Vases, bowls, and cake stands can be mixed with tablescapes and other home décor scenes year round.  These are top staple pieces to pick up on sale and clearance and use again and again.

Candlesticks – Candlesticks can make a comeback and add value to centerpieces and other tabletop decorations by adding height and color.  They can also be easily spray painted to match your scene-of-the-season and still get a do-over next year.

Seasonal Ceramics – Yes, real pumpkins go a long way to spruce up front doors and dining tables to boot.  But after Thanksgiving, they have to make their permanent exit.  Investing in a few pumpkins, gourds, pinecones, or other fall go-to pieces in ceramic, metal, or another material can create a larger collection through the years that can keep turning up repeatedly, while still looking new.

Fall Swags – Though I am not a proponent of using store bought leaf swags (vines) just as they come off the shelf, I am for stocking up on discounted swags to add to my leaf collection.  I pull individual leaves from the swags to hand position within a fall centerpiece.  By mixing leaves from various groupings I’ve acquired over the years, I end up with more depth in the variety I display.  And faux leaves don’t die on you. 

Place Setting Chargers – It’s nice to add a new set of 8 or 12 chargers to your collection on occasion.  Metallics like gold, silver, and bronze can be used for other seasons as well, just as colored chargers or chargers made of alternate materials like wood and shell.  Depending on your decorating themes, chargers can be reused spring, summer, fall, and winter, offering a different look every time.

Stockpiling some fall décor items now that you can surely reuse for years to come stretches your décor budget and gives you more variety to play with next time.  Some of the prettiest centerpieces and home decorating themes can come from the many ways in which an extensive collection is laid out again and again, always with a fresh twist.      

 

DesignInMind column; appeared in the Valley Morning Star October 7th.

 

 

 

A Bright Idea

Lighting in a space goes a long way to provide that feeling of warm, cozy, and inviting, or bright, fresh, and energetic.  The lighting you choose for different areas serves varying purposes to finish off a space with the feel you were going for.  The best lamps and overhead lighting in the proper settings can really help your home shine.

The kitchen needs adequate light, because it is full of work surfaces on your countertops and kitchen island.  You need brighter light that hones in on the spaces on which you cut, chop, stir, and mix.  “Can lights” in the ceiling create a more contemporary option, as they highlight spots throughout the space while being flush with the ceiling.  For larger kitchens, these work very well, spreading out your lighting versus having one central fixture.  If you do have a kitchen island, a large overhead fixture or pendant light can be decorative as well as functional to shine down on the kitchen’s centerpiece.  Upper and lower cabinet lighting takes light to the next level.  Strips of lighting mounted above and below your cabinets both cast a nice glow toward the ceiling as well as directly lighting your countertop surfaces.  When just one set or the other is illuminated in the evening, the soft light is perfect when the kitchen is not in full service. 

Lamps add light in spots not covered by overhead fixtures, all the while being decorative accent pieces.  When selecting lamp bases and shades, since stores often offer you mix-and-match options, consider their height as well as their style.  Lamps on end tables in living room seating need to be at a height that has their shade doing its job: casting the light up, down, and then out.  If someone is sitting on the sofa beside the end table and lamp, they should not be able to directly see the bulb, as that would cast a harsh, too-bright light in their face.  The same principle applies to bedside lamps.  Lamps that are too tall or too short for these locations make for a less-inviting, squinting environment.  Lamps that are placed behind seating on a sofa table can have the lowest recommended watt bulb installed, because these lamps are more decorative than read-by-the-light functional.

Stand lamps are fitting for the corner of a room or in a key spot along a wall, because their function is to cast light up from their elevated top.  Small, decorative pendant lights over a kitchen bar spotlight that eating surface while being reminiscent of a coffee bar or restaurant counter.  Bathroom lighting, whether one central fixture or decorative lighting over the sink and shower, should reflect the feel you’re going for in that space, whether that’s a relaxing retreat or an energizing main stop in your morning routine.  Your home’s lighting should be your desired meeting of form and function.  Now that’s a bright idea.      

 

DesignInMind column; appeared in the Valley Morning Star September 30th.

 

     

The Perfect Wedding

I am thrilled to share that the design of my life is changing.  I am officially engaged to be married!  This is a most exciting time, as I have been blessed with a wonderful man who will, in a few short months, be my husband.  So if you will indulge me, I foresee aspects of wedding planning popping up here and there in my future columns.  For today, I would like to share some thoughts on how we view “the perfect wedding.”

For me, “the perfect wedding” is far less about “the big day” and so much more about the life that leads up to it.  Yes, the little girl fairytales of the dress, the cake, and the flowers are memorable elements along the way to developing our creativity and imagination.  And I would not trade my memories of how I viewed being a bride dating back to even my kindergarten days.  Those were some of the earliest starts to my love of design and creating.  As I look at my little nieces now, I wonder how what their little eyes will be taking in during the months to come will start to shape their picture of their walk down the aisle one day.  And yet, my hope is that what we convey as a family shines more light on Who designed the path that is leading up to my walk down the aisle to my future husband.

My perfect wedding will be possible because we serve a Risen Savior Who has loved me so much that He has had a plan for my life that has been diligently carried out since before I was born.  So many things have come together in His perfect timing to get to this day.  That doesn’t mean I was always patient, or that I always knew exactly where I was headed.  However, my trust was, and is, and will continue to be in that the Lord’s design for my life is what is perfect.  His plans, His vision, His timing – those are beautiful things to follow after. 

Here in the Valley just like everywhere else in our nation, we have young people pursuing an education without quite knowing what steps beyond that will be possible.  We have families spreading themselves thin and seeing that their finances are not carrying them as far as they have in the past.  We have marriages that are struggling under the weight of expectations not reached.  We have youth so focused on today that the consequences for tomorrow are not acknowledged.  And yet, we have hope.  We have the opportunity to hand our lives over to a Heavenly Father Who loves us more than we can fathom.  We have the privilege of letting the Master Designer unfold a path in front of us and walk with us along the way.

A decade ago, I could not see how I would arrive at this chapter in life.  But I knew it was coming.  I will be working behind the scenes to ensure that the little girl fairytale elements come to life on our wedding day.  Yet, as a couple, we will know that our perfect wedding really is wrapped up in the moment we stand before our family and friends and vow before Christ that He chose us for each other, and that we will choose to love one another as only our Creator could have designed.     

 

DesignInMind column; appeared in the Valley Morning Star September 23rd.          

 

Krystal Krenek and Tyler Stenseng

       

Investing in Your Curb Appeal

“Curb appeal” encompasses how well the state of your home’s exterior is showcased for all passersby to see.  There are many elements to consider on the checklist of maximizing your curb appeal and showing off your home’s best side. 

 A manicured lawn is always going to go over better than an overgrown mess lacking attention and consistent maintenance.  A lawnmower and an edger go a long way, as does some proper landscaping.  Simple landscaping can give the front view of a home quite a boost, including hedges or bushes to soften the front line of a home and beds that include flowering plants or xeriscaping with drought-tolerant vegetation for low maintenance ease. 

The front door is the main focal point, so drawing positive attention to it makes a nice statement.  A couple of coats of paint in a bold shade like yellow, teal, or red can be a surprising welcome.  If your home has shutters, a fresh paint job can also freshen up the exterior.  Black shutters on a gray home are dressy, and other neutral-shaded homes can rightly be accented with everything from white shutters to shades of blue or chocolate.  Matching trim paint to shutters highlights the architectural details of a home’s shape and provides a cohesive look all the way around. 

Outdoor lighting lets your home shine after the sun goes down.  Sconce lighting fixtures mounted on each side of the front door do double duty for appearance and safety.  Lighting your front porch area can also be accomplished through can lighting installed in the ceiling over the porch or “up” lights lining the front perimeter between your home and hedges.  If you have a front walkway, it can be outlined with freestanding, solar powered stake lights or have two decorative pole lights at the end of your sidewalk by the curb. 

The little accents can go a long way as well.  An attractive mailbox, modern house numbers, a wide welcome mat, large potted plants or topiaries flanking the front door, and decorative outdoor pillows in Adirondack chairs or a porch swing can all come together to tell the neighborhood that your home is cared for in and out, and you have style to spare.  Eye-catching curb appeal says a lot about the value of your property as well as how you value the warm and welcoming place you call home, stylish home.        

 

DesignInMind column; appeared in the Valley Morning Star September 16th.       

 

 

The Big News . . .

How Good Are Your Greens?

September is a transitional time here in the Valley.  If you stick to the rule about “no white after Labor Day,” you’re ready to put away the things of summer and usher in the things of fall.  However, it does not feel quite like pumpkins-and-fall-leaves time just yet.  But I am ready to change out the summer tablescape for something I would like to call “pre-fall.”

“Eat your greens; they’re good for you” – we’ve heard that advice forever.  Greens are good; they can be used on the table for more than just eating, too.  I feel there are several greens that are more season-neutral and can help fill in the gap when sand and shells are on their way out and acorns and gourds are yet to come.

Palm fronds are large and can make a simple and bold statement simultaneously when wrapped inside of a few tall glass cylinder vases.  They can be incorporated into a dining table centerpiece or used like pillars on a sofa table.  Moss, which comes in several varieties like reindeer, Spanish, sheet, and sphagnum, can line vases, cake stands, and trays and be a stylish base for a variety of decorations.  Light green hydrangeas and peony buds make versatile foliage that can mound over short vases and be attractive arrangements in a grouping or as a single piece. 

Boxwood is a trending greenery style that is found in preserved decorative pieces and wreaths that can accent shelving décor, tables, and entry doors.  Grasses come in a slew of varieties, both natural and faux, and can be potted and used as a scattered centerpiece or individual accent pieces of décor.  A green that does double duty – both for eating and decorating - is green apples.  Fill bowls or glass cylinder vases to set out on the kitchen island or counter or on a buffet or foyer table.  Artichokes and pears are other filler options for the same simple decoration. 

So oranges, reds, yellows, and browns – the shades of fall – are too cool-weather for our area just yet.  But greens are good to go at any time.  They can take you from post-Labor Day to pumpkin weather without breaking a sweat.  

 

DesignInMind column; appeared in the Valley Morning Star September 9th.

 

 

                             

Labor Day Weekend: Say Goodbye to Summer

Labor Day weekend is considered to be the final bow of summer.  As we await a more traditional feeling of fall here in South Texas, we also say goodbye to the annual three month stretch so centered on sun, water, and relaxing.  Here are some thoughts on giving summer a proper sendoff:

1.  Spend part of your long weekend engaged in an activity that has been the go-to pastime this season: at the beach, in the pool, in the backyard.  Whether you’re building sand castles, making laps, or grilling to perfection, enjoy your summer favorite before new options take its place in the months to come.

2.  Fire up the grill for some sizzling hamburgers or hotdogs and serve with sweet potato fries and all the trimmings.  It is a holiday weekend after all.

3.  Set up a lemonade bar along with your charcoal choices tomorrow.  Offer a few varieties of fruity syrups as optional mix-ins to dress up your pucker-up thirst quencher.

4.  Make your own popsicles with juice and fruit pieces in a popsicle mold or with paper cups, foil, and craft popsicle sticks.  Make a matching batch or a different variety to suit every taste.

5.  Check out some local sales’ selections for seasonal decorations, paper goods, and accessories you would be willing to put away now and pull out next June.

6.  Add summer produce staples to your grocery list to savor their flavors before their prime harvest windows close, like watermelon, peaches, strawberries, and the like.   

7.  Host a build-your-own bar that dishes up banana splits, ice cream sundaes, or floats in place of dinner one night.  The kids would be happy to skip straight to dessert.

8.  Camp out in the backyard just for the evening and tell ghost stories, roast marshmallows, look at the stars, and other campy activities that elicit summer memories.

9.  Start saving money now for the holidays – gifts, travel, and family events.  Putting aside some disposal income now will reserve it for special occasions just around the corner.  

10.  Get ahead and start making some to-lists for fall: projects around the house, decorating ideas for October, Christmas card photo concepts, and so forth.  The full swing of fall will be here before you know it, so choose to be prepared.      

Saying “so long” to summer is bittersweet as we reflect on the hot weather fun we’ve had while looking forward to savoring the fall season.  Marking this sentiment is fitting this anticipated Labor Day weekend that turns the page on another satisfactory summer. 

 

DesignInMind column; appeared in the Valley Morning Star September 2nd.

 

 

 

Designing Your Back-to-School Plan

Time management is of the essence when back-to-school is on the brain.  With multiple kids going in multiple directions, keeping track of schedules, activities, homework, and meals needs more than planning; it needs some designing. 

To keep over-scheduling at bay, have a realistic plan for how much your family can truly take on at once.  That may mean cutting back on extracurricular activities if last year left you feeling overextended.  Keep a master calendar and write in everything that takes up blocks of time: travel, parties, events, meetings, practices, games, and so on.  If it helps, schedule downtime so there is unstructured time to just let everyone “be,” like free weekends or a cleared weeknight.  Have a definite plan for how paperwork moves through your home office area to ensure notices from school come to you and not just the bottom of book bags and birthday party invitations make their way to both the calendar and the shopping list.    

Think ahead to keep last-minute rushing from wrecking your mornings.  After afternoon homework, have the kids pack their backpacks for the next day and store them in their appointed spot so there is no hunting post-breakfast.  If they play sports or participate in other activities, get all that gear together the night before and pre-load the car.  Pick out outfits the night before just before bath and bedtime routines are fully in motion.  That includes laying out everything – belts, jewelry, socks, shoes, and hair accessories.  Those last minute decisions can eat up precious time during busy mornings. 

Type out a master grocery list with columns of your regular household food items and products, print several copies, and highlight things as you run low or run out.  That way, you always have a consistent running list that makes trips to the store organized and thorough.  Pack as much of the lunchboxes as you can after dinner before you clean up the kitchen.  Keep a drawer or part of a shelf in the refrigerator designated for your prepped lunchbox containers.  

Designing a plan to keep your family on track and on time as school gets back in gear will make this fall-to-summer swing so much smoother.  Stay organized and prepared to keep last minute, late-making tasks off your to-list altogether.          

DesignInMind column; appeared in the Valley Morning Star August 26th.