Final stretch

Hello all!

We are almost 48 hours out from "CRUNCH TIME" for those of us hosting friends and family this year for Thanksgiving! WOOHOO!

I have pulled my turkey out to thaw...cleaned the house...and getting ready to buy our goodies for baking tomorrow. I plan to set my table Wednesday and will post pics then. Until then...

Happy Turkey Day Planning!

Crash! Boom! Bang!

That's right...my computer has finally bit the dust! We knew it was only a matter of time but it is still a bummer. So I missed yesterday's post..today I dusted off the old laptop and to my surprise it still works YAY!

Now, let's get back to some Thanksgiving day talk. I was trying to think of ways to make my table extra special this year and I've decided to make my own place cards. I loved going to my mother-in-law's house each year and seeing the creative place cards she would make.  This year I want to do it too!

There are tons of great DIY ideas out there but I think I am going to do something more on the simple side. I'm shopping today for some heavy card stock and will use my decorative shears to trim the edges of the paper and maybe, just maybe, I will buy a "fancy" pen/marker too!

Here are some other ideas I really like and who knows, I may end up trying one of them out! I really like the wine cork card holder, and the idea of hole punching the name card and adding embellishments.


 I will post pics of mine once finished but for now, tap into your creative side and have fun! Check these ideas out from Better Homes and Garden:
http://www.bhg.com/thanksgiving/indoor-decorating/easy-to-make-place-cards-for-a-thanksgiving-table/#page=1

Tablescapes and fun decorating ideas

Now that all that stressful pre-planning is over with it's time to have some fun with the Thanksgiving decor! I am still deciding on just how my table will look this year but I'm certainly enjoying doing the research for ideas!.

HGTV gives 15 different looks here: http://www.hgtv.com/entertaining/15-stylish-thanksgiving-table-settings/pictures/index.html?i=1
This one is my personal fave. Not so much the wicker baskets but LOVE the candlesticks and fall foliage!

Here is another great source (By Stephanie Lynn)  for ideas : http://www.bystephanielynn.com/2011/11/60-stylish-table-settings-for-thanksgiving-tablescape-ideas-and-inspiration-daily-buzz-moms-9x9.html

Some decorating tips that I follow:
1) Shop your house! You are sure to have some great items on bookshelves, on top of cabinets, etc. Walk around and grab what you see that fits the occasion.
2) Go to your local Dollar Store and load up on the cute glasses, jars, cloth napkins and reinvent them by painting your guests name on the glasses, or tie a home made name tag with jute around a jar and fill with whole walnuts, or acorns. Let your creative juices flow (or steal some cool ideas online like Pinterest!).
3) If all else fails, Simplicity is always elegant. Wash and press your favorite table cloth and napkins. Set your table and let the meal be your centerpiece!

Happy Decorating!

Giving Thanks

In the spirit of the season, I thought I would take a break from all the Turkey day planning and take a moment to share some ideas on how to get the whole family involved in really appreciating all that we have. This is the first year my family will not be going to someone else's house for the big day and also my first year preparing Thanksgiving for my family. I am excited to start some new traditions and look forward to cooking all day in my apron and watching football!

The new tradition we started this year was to create a "Gratitude Tree". I cut out leaves from construction paper in different colors (red, yellow, orange) and each night at dinner we share something we are thankful for. We write it on our leaf then put it on our tree. Pretty simple really, but it makes you stop and think and helps you realize we have  a LOT to be thankful for!

Here are some more Thanksgiving family crafts and activities you may enjoy! Creating traditions are a wonderful way to make lasting memories and really make the holidays special.

She Knows has some great ideas on teaching children about being thankful. Click here for more:
http://www.sheknows.com/holidays-and-seasons/articles/811780/teach-kids-to-be-thankful



Babble also has a great list of crafts to make with kids:
http://www.babble.com/home/25-thanksgiving-crafts-to-make-with-your-kids/

Have fun and give thanks!

Packing it all in-the pantry, fridge, and freezer make-over

So you're all set! Now it's time to make out your grocery list and bring all the goodies home so you can start your feast. The only problem is...where to put all of this food when your pantry is packed? First, let's back up...before heading to the store you need to dig around in your both your pantry and refrigerator and purge of those expired items that are lingering in the way back.

Next, take a look at your spice cabinet and group "like with like". Try to put your oregano, basil, Italian seasoning, etc. together. Put your cloves, cinnamon, allspice, etc. together. This little tip will help you get a fresh look at what spices you have on hand and as you're making your list out you'll quickly be able to jot down those needed and hopefully eliminate those extra trips to the store for forgotten items.

And now on to the fridge/freezer...My least favorite space to organize, I'll admit! The goal here is remove expired items and make room in the heart of the fridge/freezer for make ahead recipes like stock, cranberry sauce, soups, pie crusts, etc.

The MOST IMPORTANT THING TO REMEMBER!  ~ pull your turkey out of the freezer 3 DAYS before Thanksgiving. Place it on a rimmed cookie sheet and put on the bottom shelf of the fridge to thaw. No one wants to forget this one!

Now...for temperature tips and the nitty gritty info check out this go-to guide put together by Real Simple magazine.

http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/shopping-storing/food/store-food-refrigerator-10000000685607/

Timing is everything

So this is what you know:

1) The number of guests

2) The menu is set

3) The table is set

Now what? 

FOOD PREPERATION! I, personally always find myself struggling that last half hour to finish everything at once so that it all comes out hot and inevitably one thing is either forgotten, over done, or sometimes doesn't even get made!

Today, I am sharing some tips and tricks from my personal kitchen and a few magazines you all have trusted with recipes and tips before. First up, my advice:

I always write on a legal pad the menu items straight down on a piece of paper. In the next column I write the temp at which that item needs to be cooked. And on the third column I write the cook time needed.

This is a great way to get a visual of what your oven, stove top , or grill will look like and you can start to plan when you'll need to have certain things ready to put in the oven. And I always, ALWAYS!, prep whatever I can the day/night before to save myself some time the day of the dinner. Here are some more great tips~

Woman's Day magazine offers these tips for keeping your dishes warm while others are still getting cooked

http://www.womansday.com/food-recipes/cooking-tips-shortcuts/3-tips-for-timing-your-thanksgiving-meal-125103

Food Network has a calendar prepared with great go to tips for the "Turkey Day" countdown. They can be found here:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/thanksgiving-planning-calendar/package/index.html

And Eating Well answers all your questions about prepping for turkey day right here:

http://www.eatingwell.com/blogs/healthy_cooking_blog/how_to_plan_and_time_thanksgiving_dinner

 I hope you find these tips helpful! Tomorrow I will be sharing with you some ways to get your pantry and refrigerators organized and ready for your trip to the store. Until then...

Let the Countdown Begin!

So we have two weeks until Thanksgiving. One of my favorite holidays! This year I am really excited about being able to prepare a feast for my little family all by myself! So...I hope I can lend a few helpful tips to you along the way.

Menu planning begins. I want to have all the classic favorites but not so much that we waste a lot of food! To help determine just what will work on my table I always do a trial run of serving platters and place settings. Pick out which dishes will be served in/on what platters. Then set each table setting and arrange your platters so you can get a visual of what will work. Here is a picture I found over at Good Housekeeping and a few more tips that go right along with this topic:

http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/holidays/thanksgiving-ideas/easy-organizing-thanksgiving-table#slide-1



Once you have the table setting down you are well on your way to having a stress free Thanksgiving day! Tomorrow I'll be sharing some tips on timing your feast....

Back in Business!

That's right! I'm back! We survived the packing, staying with my in-laws for a month, and moving to a town we've never been to. Boxes are put away and finally we have somewhat of a routine down! Would it come across as disingenuous if I said being organized was truly helpful?!?

We are now residents of Wellington, Florida! Just west of West Palm Beach and while all our friends and family are complaining of frigid temps in the ATL we sit back and laugh as we grill out shrimp kebabs on a beautiful Wednesday night with temps in the mid 70's! HA!

I am back! And what better way to get into the swing of things than to tell you about some great ways to stay ahead during the holidays? Stay tuned...the "Countdown to Thanksgiving" begins tomorrow....

Thirty-One Gifts

Soooo....yes I know...I know.. It's been over a month again and I'm just now getting around to my next Post! Let me fill you in-My daughter started Pre-School, my husband announced a promotion that requires a move to Florida, AND I've decided to become a consultant for Thirty-One Gifts.

Busy? YES! But~my daughter LOVES her school! I am thrilled about our impending move to West Palm Beach FL, and am loving helping my friends and family get organized with some affordable stylish products!

Which leads me to...I am hosting an online party beginning Friday September 13 to give my followers and friends a chance to view the Fall Catalog and place an order without having to host a party! The September special is spend $35 and get an Organizing Utility Tote for $15 or a Super Organizing Utility Tote for $25.

These products are multi-functional and the catalog gives some great tips on how to use the products to organize your life.

I am so excited about the opportunity to bring affordable and stylish products to you all!

Follow the link for more info:

https://www.mythirtyone.com/JTorrence/

Simplify Your LIfe Week

First of all, I can't believe that two months has passed since my last post! Summer has flown by and I 've stayed quite busy with this active toddler. But I'm ready as we approach "back to school" time to share with you all my crazy little organized life!
Did you know that the first week of August is "Simply Your Life" week? Me either! Who knew someone out there has a job to declare special days, weeks, and months of the year for us organizing junkies?
So...in the spirit of "Simplify Your Life" week I am unveiling my top 5 ways to round up your summer fun and get the kids back on track to start the daunting schedule school has to offer.
Drum Roll Please......

1) Have everyone in the family write down one fun thing they would like to do the last week of summer break and put them in jar. That last week someone draws a piece of paper and that is the activity for the day! Everyone gets to fulfill their last summer fun wish! (Keeping it reasonable of course, which could get tricky, but you can set the rules first, ok moving on...)

2)Everyone needs to go through their closets and get rid of all the worn out and out-grown clothing. Purge! Purge! Purge! Once completed, make a list of the most needed items for each child and only those items need to be purchased during back to school shopping. Also, make sure you know when your state offers their "tax free" shopping days on certain items. For a list click the link below:

http://www.taxadmin.org/fta/rate/sales_holiday.html

3) Backpack and Lunch Bag checks: Make sure each child's previous year back pack has been washed and is in good sturdy shape for a whole new year of lugging around heavy books. If not, add it to the shopping list for each child as needed. Same goes for your lunch box. Don't forget! Check out your Tupperware too! Do you have enough for everyone to bring a lunch? What about utensils? Thermos? Prepare now, stress-free later!

4)Laundry Basket Assignments: This is one of the best ideas I've seen out there for getting and staying organized with your laundry! If you aren't the crafty person who has any interest in making this little "laundry dresser" you could always keep a colored laundry basket in the laundry room where everyone drops their colored clothes and a white basket for their whites. There are a ton of ideas out there...try Pinterest! This is will be a huge help during the school year with all the extra curricular activities.  I am a believer that if they CAN they SHOULD be helpers around the house. Color code, label, number whatever works best for your family but make the kids be responsible for putting their dirty clothes where you have assigned. You can read more about this awesome idea over at Ana White's blog:

http://ana-white.com/2010/11/laundry-basket-dresser?page=1

5) and Finally..MEAL PLAN! I know this may seem an impossibly overwhelming task as first BUT wait...it can and will make life so much easier! Get the family around the table and ask each person to pick their favorite two meals you serve. For a family of four you will have one "extra" special meal you can rotate each week but this will give you a full week's meals and you haven't even had to think yet! Next step, make a list of the meals you tend to make and what your family tends to enjoy the most. Once you've done this evaluate how many meals you have and create as many weeks of meals as you can from this list. Once you've used all your meal ideas up repeat the first week of meals and voila! You are done for the month!!! Finally, make a list of staple items to keep on hand at all times and a separate grocery shopping list for the items needed to make the meals for each week of recipes. Put the time in now before school gets underway and I PROMISE your life will be much simpler!

A little bit of thought, planning, and implementing now can make for a much smoother transition for the whole family! Good luck and thanks for reading!

Summer Organizing Projects

So you're at home with kids and we're only into the first 3 weeks of summer vacation. Hmmm..you've done the pool (to death I'm sure!), the library for story time, maybe even a trip to the beach! What to do with the rest of the summer you ask?? Get the kids involved in some organizing projects with you! From cleaning out the garage to organizing your garden supplies there are lots of great outdoor organizing projects you and your helpful kids could tackle together! "No way! (you say...) Not my kids!" ...solution: turn on a hose, hand them a bucket and let them play in the water while washing your lawn furniture or car! Meanwhile, you are at peace (hopefully!) to begin getting things put away the way you've always wanted them to be.

The garage is the first place of business! Here is an entryway perfect for summer and that can easily transition with the seasons:



You can find some great tips from Martha Stewart here:
http://www.marthastewart.com/275766/summer-organizing-tips/@center/276989/organizing#275766/272856

From getting your garage, entryway, even picnic baskets organized and ready to grab and go for the summer.

You'll love these!

Vacation Travel the Organized way!

Before you pack the bags, load the car, or rush to the airport STOP! Take a breath! And get organized!
Some simple ways to get started before you leave your house and to ensure a relaxing vacation from start to finish begin with this...MAKE A LIST!

1) Make a list for each child separately. If Johnny wants to bring his Ipod and Susie wants to bring her collection of Babysitter Club books (yes I'm an 80's child!) this is the time to list it all. Give the lists to the kids once they are completed and begin the great lesson of personal responsibility!

2) Make a list for you (and hubby if he doesn't pack for himself).

3) Make a list for the household. This is where you would find sunscreen, beach towels, chargers for Iphones, etc.

Ideally, each family member would have his/her own bag to be responsible for. Of course, you'll need to check and double check the kids things before heading out but this is a great way to teach personal responsibility and taking care of their things.

A little bit of thought, time, and effort before leaving will ensure a more relaxing and stress free time while traveling!
For more great tips on traveling this summer you can check out this Good Housekeeping article:

http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/home/design/organizing-tips-for-summer-travel

Hope this adds to less stress and more fun for the whole family this summer!

Catching the organizing bug?

If the itch is happening to get organized and you just don't know where to begin head over to my
Home Organizing Pinterest board for some great ideas to inspire you!

http://pinterest.com/jenn_torrence/home-organization/

Car Organization Ideas

After sharing my car kit at a recent Moms Club meeting I was thrilled to hear so much enthusiasm about it! I thought I would share some other ideas with you that will come in handy during your summer travels.

The blog Defrump Me has a great post about summer traveling! Here is one of many great ideas for road trip traveling. You can find all their tips by visiting the blog here:

http://www.defrumpme.com/2012/05/traveling-with-kids-tips-for-smooth.html

Another great blogger (and the name pretty much rocks!) is Dirt and Boogers! Yep that's right and she has a ton of great posts on her blog about getting organized with kids! Click on the link below for her awesome tips for organizing your car.

http://www.dirtandboogers.com/2012/05/get-organized-car-stuff.html

And if you're feeling especially motivated this summer and are ready to tackle some home projects here is a great place to start. Tired of seeing all the toys, balls, sports equipment, etc. thrown in the garage? Make it easier for the kids to put things back by putting together a designated area for each group of items. 

More tips from one of my favorite blogger Dirt and Boogers:

http://www.dirtandboogers.com/2012/08/get-organized-outdoor-toys.html

My First Post!

I am finally ready to begin blogging about my journey to successfully launching 

The Charmed Life 365!

My first post is about my Emergency Car Kit that I've created. This kit came about really by accident.

I was tired of having to carry around a diaper bag when Olivia really didn't need

that much stuff anymore. I slowly began throwing stuff in my handy dandy "carry all" basket.

Before long we had a whole basket of items I had determined would be handy should we find ourselves not coming home as quickly as expected.

Below is a list of all the items included in the basket and in the Elmo bag. The Elmo bag is perfect for Olivia to carry herself and contains several restaurant friendly activities as well.

Thanks for checking out my blog and I hope you will come back to visit again!

                                      

Emergency Car Kit Contents
Medical Bag Contains:
Children’s Tylenol/Ibuprofen/Benadryl
Thermometer
Cough Drops
Nail Clippers
Tweezers
Nail File
Neosporin
First Aid Kit (band aids, gauze pad, sterile pads)

Catch All Bag Contains:
Sunscreen
Bug Spray
Comb
Lens Cleaner
Antibacterial hand wipes

Change of Clothes(including socks, panties, hair ties, clips)
Beach Towel
Sunglasses
Kleenex
Bottled Water
Fruit Snacks/Dry Food
Hand Sanitizer
Wet Wipes

Kids Emergency Entertainment:
Crayons
Coloring Pads
Pens
Notepad
Bubbles
Bucket/Shovel
Ball
Dry Erase Activity Board and Marker
Sidewalk Chalk

In the Beginning...

Welcome to "The Charmed Life 365"!

I love to clean and organize! You read that correctly...I do! After years of working in the service industry I left to stay home and raise our little girl Olivia. I love being a mom and feel very blessed to be able to stay home with her. The first two years of her life have flown by and with each milestone we are settling into this parenting thing one day at a time. 

As much as I love being with my little girl I still yearn for that "thing" of my own..which began the process of starting my own business. I wanted to find a way to contribute to our household financially and not disrupt our family life we'd worked so hard to create. 
After much soul searching it really came down to this one simple question:
"What am I really good at and find joy in doing?" 
Answer: Cleaning and Organizing
Thus:  "The Charmed Life 365" was created.

To say it is in the start-up phase is an understatement but everyone has to start somewhere!  I am working on creating systems that I can apply to each customer that is unique to their style and way of life.  I started my blog in an effort to give my clients a place to learn more about me and what brings me so much joy!  I hope you will follow along with me as I share my new adventure with you!