Are We There Yet?
Are We There Yet?by Maria GraciaThinking about taking your kids on a family road trip?To avoid boredom and impatience among your children, hereare some ideas to keep the kids occupied and to save yoursanity.1. GAMES:Create some games that the children could play. They couldcount all the white cars that they see, or count statelicense plates. Or, if you prefer, pick up some store-bought travel-sized games for them.2. SING-ALONGS:Plan ahead. Find some audio cassettes that your childrenwill enjoy. Have them help you pick them out. Then,everyone inside can sing along.3. AUDIO BOOKS:Pick up a few at the bookstore or have your children pickout their own. You can either play each cassette out loudon the vehicle cassette player, or each child can use theirown walkman and listen to his or her personal choices.4. TELEVISION:Install a TV in your vehicle that runs on a dashboardcigarette lighter. These can be a little pricey, but if youare on the road often and television is the only way to getsome peace, it may be worth it.5. HOBBIES OR CRAFTS:Crayons and a coloring book, crossword puzzles, embroidery,and electronic games can be fun activities for your kids,and an excellent way to make it to your destination in astate of peace, rather than stress.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~by Maria Gracia - Get Organized Now!http://www.getorganizednow.comFREE Idea-Pak and E-zine filled with tips, ideas,articles and more to help you organize your home,your office and your life at the Get Organized Now!Web site!~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Ten Tips to Organize Your Bathroom
Ten Tips to Organize Your Bathroomby Barbara MyersIf several household members are sharing a bathroom, followthese tips to help organize it.1. Clean out every drawer and shelf in the bathroom. Getrid of anything that isn't being used.2. Move your medicines to the kitchen. The heat and steamin the bath can ruin them.3. Give each household member a different colored basketto fill with toiletries. No sharing. Make sure everyone hastheir own toothpaste, eye drops, cosmetics and groomingsupplies. Each person will keep the basket in his or herbedroom.4. Evaluate your storage. You will need places for:towels, nail care, extra paper, feminine hygiene products,hair care and back-up supplies of soap and shampoo.Nothing else belongs in the bathroom.5. Use a shower/bath caddy for shampoo and soap. Theyare inexpensive and are available in many different styles.6. Set up a drip-dry container for bath toys if you havesmall children. Cut slits in an empty wipes box for aninexpensive solution.7. Make space for a small, lidless hamper or laundrybasket. Otherwise, have a system for depositing usedtowels in the laundry room.8. Use hooks instead of towel racks for kids. They'll bemore likely to use them. Have as many hooks and/ortowel racks as you have persons using the bathroom.9. Make a checklist of all products in your bathroom aswell as those used by each individual. Review weeklybefore shopping.10. Explore the variety of storage options you can use inthe bath. Small countertop drawers can organize cottonballs and Q-Tips. Cutlery trays in drawers, plastic shelvesunder the sink, caddies which attach to doors, and rollingcarts can all contain the clutter that so often accumulatesin this much-used room.Barbara Myers is a professional organizer and speaker.Free tips and articles to help you take control of your timeby organizing your life. Visithttp://www.ineedmoretime.com


Ten tips to save money and hassle when you move
Relocating your family and your life? Here are some tips tosave your finances and your sanity, from the career coach wholiterally wrote the book.1. Hire the pros. Resist the temptation to save a few bucksby hiring Uncle Larry and his pickup. You need a genuinereceipt to deduct moving expenses and, if Uncle Larry dropsa box, you'll find that one crushed toe can be veryexpensive.2. Move small -- but conserve. Toss the boxes that haven'tbeen opened in the last five years. Keep expensive,hard-to-replace items. You may need a parka in Floridasomeday. If not, you'll find a Salvation Army there, too.3. Let the movers pack as much as you can afford, especiallymirrors, pictures, glass and other breakables. Movers packfaster than you do and they don't stop to reminisce aboutAunt Gertrude and her crocheted lampshades.4. Find a temporary place to live. You'll feel lesspressured if you can say, "No problem. We have reservationsat the Sumptuous Suites Inn." If you get lucky, you canalways cancel.5. Get clear on what you want. Before you move, visualizeyour perfect new home. -- or at least the "must haves:""room for a garden," "sunny windowsills for the cats," "adoor wide enough to accommodate my couch."You'll be more likely to make the right decision thefirst time.6. Don't be bullied into a housing decision. Betterto lose an opportunity than be trapped in thehouse-from-hell. Breaking a lease or just moving to adifferent address will be expensive and time-consuming.7. Have a friend on call. Your friend will be able to saythings like, "That house doesn't sound like you. Are yousure?" and, "Hang in there!"Want more? A coach, counselor or consultant will be moreobjective -- and you won't have to worry about imposing onsomeone's good nature.8. Get a driver. You have ten addresses and a map. You feellike taking the first place you see just because it's such ahassle to find your way.Well, search no more. A taxi or car service usually willallow you to book two or three hours. Ask for an experienceddriver who knows streets and neighborhoods.9. Get references. Sure, the person advertising "Job NeededDesperately" might be the best handyman you ever hired --but why take the risk? Ask the key questions: "Who have youhired? What happened?"10. Keep a camera handy. If you're renting, take picturesof the yard (half-mowed?), the kitchen (cracked tiles?) andthe entire unit. You'll have a good case for getting yourdeposit back. Did the movers throw something into a boxwithout padding? Get a picture.Take pictures of you and your family moving into yournew home, boxes and all. Six months from now, you mayactually want to look at them.------------------------------------------------------------Cathy Goodwin, Ph.D., is a career coach, speaker and authorof Making the Big Move: How to transform relocation into acreative life transition. Seehttp://www.movinglady.com/book.html . Free monthly CareerFreedom ezine: http://www.movinglady.com/subscribe.html .Email cathy@... or phone 505-534-4294.--[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]