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Travel Uncategorized

Winter trip to #Paris and #London

It may not be the ideal time to travel but our trip to London and Paris in January was perfect. It was a bit cold but there were less people and less lines and it was a blast. We flew direct to London on Jet Blue and that was super easy. If you plan to travel internationally, I recommend Global Entry. It was so easy heading home and going through customs. All the sites, museums and restaurants were great as well. While I’ve always wanted to visit the Eiffel Tower and we did just that, I loved the Arc de Triomphe and the photos we took near there were so fun. We did climb to the top and that was a challenge but the view at the top was breathtaking. In London we hit all the sites – Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, Kensington Palace, London Eye, Westminster Abby. I loved our Harry Potter tour and the Changing the Guard of the best! Here are a few fun photos!

Lights, camera, pose.
Glad we took this photo mid-week as there were lines to take photos as some of the booths!
View from the top of the Arc de Triomphe
My Paris dress – A fun, leather dress that I purchased years ago saying that is a great dress to wear to Paris! This was in the Louvre!
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HOW TO ORGANIZE YOUR HOME WITH EASE – A FRESH START NOW!

As we approach the final couple of months in 2021, we need to start preparing for the new year. I believe that now is an awesome time to work on getting your home in tip top shape. Today, I want to talk about how to get your home organized. While it might seem overwhelming to organize every single room, there is a strategy to help you get this accomplished! The biggest struggle for many of us is finding the time (hello, never-ending to-do list) to do this. Having an organized home is a huge project so don’t put a lot of pressure on yourself to finish quickly. Instead, enjoy the brief moments of time you have to put things in a spot or a ‘home’ and celebrate the small progress you make each day.

1. Create a List: Before you even begin organizing, go through your home and create a list of what rooms need what done to them. If you’re like me, I forget a few things especially by the end of the day so having this list helps me stay on top of what I need to get, organize or purge in each room. Having it all ready to go also helps me create a plan of how I want to tackle the mess. For example, the kitchen is always a disaster and consistently has several areas that need to be addressed, so I’ll simply write down KITCHEN and then underneath, I’ll write down the areas I want to work on such as the pantry, junk drawer, and coffee station (my favorite nook minus the wine rack haha). This helps me look at things from a smaller perspective.

2. Have a Donation Bin: Having a donation bin makes it SO much easier to get rid of things you no longer need without feeling wasteful. Also, I found that if I have a bin to toss no-longer-needed items in, I am much more likely to actually get rid of them rather than stuffing them in a closet or basket somewhere. Trust me on this one! And then, once it fills up, drop that bad boy off at your nearest thrift shop or donate items to a homeless shelter. Let’s help out others and free up some landfill space!

3. Grab and Go Cleaning Station: I can’t be the only one that hates running up and down the stairs to clean multiple surfaces, bathrooms, and more. Having a system is key to keeping life and your home organized which leads me to tip number 3 – I  love to create a grab-and-go cleaning station so I can keep the supplies I need in one confined unit. I store it in a caddy and add the items I need such as a cleaning toilet brush, rags, disinfectant wipes, and towels. You basically can put anything you want in yours so you aren’t searching for items or running up and down flights.

5. Color Coding: It can be easy to throw our unfolded laundry in piles but one way to help your closet look and feel its best is color coding your closet. Many professionals love doing this and not only is it visually appealing but also keeps things in their place. You can also color-code your books, craft supplies or any other category of items that has multiple things.

6. Add Drawer Dividers: One easy tip to maximize storage and organize your drawers is using drawer dividers. One drawer divider instantly creates separate categories for your space so everything has its own little home. It can make things so much easier to fit more items because the dividers make it easier to stack things vertically as well. I use them in our bathroom, my kids drawers for their clothes, and in our kitchen.

7. Get Rid Of Old Furniture: As you declutter and organize your home, you are probably thinking so much about the small things that you are forgetting about the large items, too. First of all, small items add up. If you are really taking on decluttering and organizing on a major scale, you will probably have a lot of boxes to get rid of, or put into storage. Second of all, if you are getting rid of large furniture items, are you prepared to move it yourself? If not, have a back up plan ready to go, such as getting help from a local moving team, such as Fresh Start – The Moving Crew. They can help you with storage, if you need a place to store items that you cannot fully commit to letting go of (yet), or they can help you move your furniture around your home, or even out of the home entirely. They are a local New England moving crew that prides themselves on great customer service. Their team lives and works in New England, so they are very familiar with each and every one of the region’s neighborhoods. They do local moves, long-distance moves and they can help with other services such as Worcester MA gun safe moving, if you have any large safes in your home, that you are ready to move to a new spot, or part with completely. They get most of their business via word of mouth and have built their business on trust, compassion, reliability, diligence, and care. They are proud to be one of the most highly rated moving teams in the area…if not the best…and they can help you move out your old furniture with ease.

There are many other easy organization ideas to keep you and your family on top of the new year to come. Again, take your time and go through each room carefully. Pick out what you want to keep and from there figure out a way to display the item or put it away neatly. What are some projects you want to tackle to keep your apartment or home organized this year?

Categories
Uncategorized

How to organize your home with ease – a fresh start now!

As we approach the final couple of months in 2021, we need to start preparing for the new year. I believe that now is an awesome time to work on getting your home in tip top shape. Today, I want to talk about how to get your home organized. While it might seem overwhelming to organize every single room, there is a strategy to help you get this accomplished! The biggest struggle for many of us is finding the time (hello, never-ending to-do list) to do this. Having an organized home is a huge project so don’t put a lot of pressure on yourself to finish quickly. Instead, enjoy the brief moments of time you have to put things in a spot or a ‘home’ and celebrate the small progress you make each day.

1. Create a List: Before you even begin organizing, go through your home and create a list of what rooms need what done to them. If you’re like me, I forget a few things especially by the end of the day so having this list helps me stay on top of what I need to get, organize or purge in each room. Having it all ready to go also helps me create a plan of how I want to tackle the mess. For example, the kitchen is always a disaster and consistently has several areas that need to be addressed, so I’ll simply write down KITCHEN and then underneath, I’ll write down the areas I want to work on such as the pantry, junk drawer, and coffee station (my favorite nook minus the wine rack haha). This helps me look at things from a smaller perspective.

2. Have a Donation Bin: Having a donation bin makes it SO much easier to get rid of things you no longer need without feeling wasteful. Also, I found that if I have a bin to toss no-longer-needed items in, I am much more likely to actually get rid of them rather than stuffing them in a closet or basket somewhere. Trust me on this one! And then, once it fills up, drop that bad boy off at your nearest thrift shop or donate items to a homeless shelter. Let’s help out others and free up some landfill space!

3. Grab and Go Cleaning Station: I can’t be the only one that hates running up and down the stairs to clean multiple surfaces, bathrooms, and more. Having a system is key to keeping life and your home organized which leads me to tip number 3 – I  love to create a grab-and-go cleaning station so I can keep the supplies I need in one confined unit. I store it in a caddy and add the items I need such as a cleaning toilet brush, rags, disinfectant wipes, and towels. You basically can put anything you want in yours so you aren’t searching for items or running up and down flights.

5. Color Coding: It can be easy to throw our unfolded laundry in piles but one way to help your closet look and feel its best is color coding your closet. Many professionals love doing this and not only is it visually appealing but also keeps things in their place. You can also color-code your books, craft supplies or any other category of items that has multiple things.

6. Add Drawer Dividers: One easy tip to maximize storage and organize your drawers is using drawer dividers. One drawer divider instantly creates separate categories for your space so everything has its own little home. It can make things so much easier to fit more items because the dividers make it easier to stack things vertically as well. I use them in our bathroom, my kids drawers for their clothes, and in our kitchen.

7. Get Rid Of Old Furniture: As you declutter and organize your home, you are probably thinking so much about the small things that you are forgetting about the large items, too. First of all, small items add up. If you are really taking on decluttering and organizing on a major scale, you will probably have a lot of boxes to get rid of, or put into storage. Second of all, if you are getting rid of large furniture items, are you prepared to move it yourself? If not, have a back up plan ready to go, such as getting help from a local moving team, such as Fresh Start – The Moving Crew. They can help you with storage, if you need a place to store items that you cannot fully commit to letting go of (yet), or they can help you move your furniture around your home, or even out of the home entirely. They are a local New England moving crew that prides themselves on great customer service. Their team lives and works in New England, so they are very familiar with each and every one of the region’s neighborhoods. They do local moves, long-distance moves and they can help with other services such as Worcester MA gun safe moving, if you have any large safes in your home, that you are ready to move to a new spot, or part with completely. They get most of their business via word of mouth and have built their business on trust, compassion, reliability, diligence, and care. They are proud to be one of the most highly rated moving teams in the area…if not the best…and they can help you move out your old furniture with ease.

There are many other easy organization ideas to keep you and your family on top of the new year to come. Again, take your time and go through each room carefully. Pick out what you want to keep and from there figure out a way to display the item or put it away neatly. What are some projects you want to tackle to keep your apartment or home organized this year?

Categories
Travel Uncategorized

Summer 2021 where have you gone? #summer #travel #travelblogger #beachlife

Summer 2021 is just flying by. With COVID still here, the weather not so great and with kids work schedule – all combined makes for a…..not the best time to travel. We still got a few day trips in and we still have a couple weeks left for beach trips and fun, local dinners and spending time together before the start of the school year. Of course my annual cape cod trip was an adventure and for the second year in a row it was a July 4th family style celebration in South Yarmouth. Any exciting last minute summer plans?

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It’s 2021 – outlook?

Well, I am glad that 2020 has gone but whoa, what a start to the new year! I am hopeful to get the vaccine and hope that it will put an end to this horrible virus. Travel plans, visits with family and friends, and gatherings have been postponed long enough. I am looking forward to hugging friends and family and of course travel. Whether it be day trips, weekends away, or week-long vacations….bring it on!

My love of travel continues even though it was shut down for 2020. Trendymommies.com will continue to bring travel recommendations and of course fun product reviews – my love of all fun products – all things beauty, food, pet and lifestyle products continue! Tell me some good news and what plans you have in store for 2021!

My pup certainly thought 2020 was great as we were home all the time! She really is a bright light during the darkest of days of 2020. She loves to be wrapped up like a burrito and, of course, loves to snuggle. She also loves a good day trip as well so I will be on the lookout for destinations that are dog friendly! Here’s to a hopeful, healthy, travel-filled and fun 2021!

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Traveling in the time of COVID-19

As Massachusetts starts to open up traveling can be tricky. So far this summer we have taken day trips to Maine, a two week stay at the cape and an overnight for the 4th of July holiday. Here are some recommendations to make the transition to travel during this difficult time.

  1. Know the property policy. Most resorts in Mass and New England you have to wear a face covering in the public areas of the hotel. Please do wear a mask! Mass numbers are down so that is a good thing!
  2. Travel locally so you don’t have to quarantine. We in Massachusetts have so many nice destinations to choose from.
  3. Bring your wipes and alcohol. While most resorts now do not offer room service and cleaning services, it is still a good idea to wipe down surfaces, door handles and wash your hands when you do go back to your room from the beach or from an outing.

Safe summer travels and keep it local!

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Christmas Clothes Uncategorized

Holiday Shopping has started! Need my @somaIntimates pajamas #sponsored

Yes, I started decorating for the holiday season and yes, I started my Christmas shopping. Agree with me or not I have always started shopping early as well as decorated early. Christmas is my favorite holiday! The tradition of gifting pjs has continued in this family. I do tend to go overboard and buy multiple sets for my girls. While I may throw on a fleece or flannel pajama bottom to wear around the house, I HAVE to actually sleep in my favorite brand – Soma Intimates pajamas – Cool Nights. I have a few cool nights sets and one day I noticed my older daughter wearing them! She said, “these are the most comfy pajama pants” and I agree! And while sometimes she will go for matchy, matchy pjs – I thought this season we should buy complementary colors. Soma sent me these adorable pants – I do like the ankle type bottom. What is also nice is they have mix and match pjs sets, which is perfect for the holiday season. Soma also has pjs sets on sale right now. Check them out here. The cool nights tops and pants are super soft, keep you comfy and dry all night – made with 93% rayon, 7% spandex, they are machine washable.

Disclosure – Soma sent me two pairs of pants to test out and review. As always all opinions in this blog post are my own.

Categories
Christmas Clothes Uncategorized

Holiday Shopping has started! Need my @somaIntimates pajamas #sponsored

Yes, I started decorating for the holiday season and yes, I started my Christmas shopping. Agree with me or not I have always started shopping early as well as decorated early. Christmas is my favorite holiday! The tradition of gifting pjs has continued in this family. I do tend to go overboard and buy multiple sets for my girls. While I may throw on a fleece or flannel pajama bottom to wear around the house, I HAVE to actually sleep in my favorite brand – Soma Intimates pajamas – Cool Nights. I have a few cool nights sets and one day I noticed my older daughter wearing them! She said, “these are the most comfy pajama pants” and I agree! And while sometimes she will go for matchy, matchy pjs – I thought this season we should buy complementary colors. Soma sent me these adorable pants – I do like the ankle type bottom. What is also nice is they have mix and match pjs sets, which is perfect for the holiday season. Soma also has pjs sets on sale right now. Check them out here. The cool nights tops and pants are super soft, keep you comfy and dry all night – made with 93% rayon, 7% spandex, they are machine washable.

Disclosure – Soma sent me two pairs of pants to test out and review. As always all opinions in this blog post are my own.

Categories
Christmas Clothes Uncategorized

Holiday Shopping has started! Need my @somaIntimates pajamas #sponsored

Yes, I started decorating for the holiday season and yes, I started my Christmas shopping. Agree with me or not I have always started shopping early as well as decorated early. Christmas is my favorite holiday! The tradition of gifting pjs has continued in this family. I do tend to go overboard and buy multiple sets for my girls. While I may throw on a fleece or flannel pajama bottom to wear around the house, I HAVE to actually sleep in my favorite brand – Soma Intimates pajamas – Cool Nights. I have a few cool nights sets and one day I noticed my older daughter wearing them! She said, “these are the most comfy pajama pants” and I agree! And while sometimes she will go for matchy, matchy pjs – I thought this season we should buy complementary colors. Soma sent me these adorable pants – I do like the ankle type bottom. What is also nice is they have mix and match pjs sets, which is perfect for the holiday season. Soma also has pjs sets on sale right now. Check them out here. The cool nights tops and pants are super soft, keep you comfy and dry all night – made with 93% rayon, 7% spandex, they are machine washable.

Disclosure – Soma sent me two pairs of pants to test out and review. As always all opinions in this blog post are my own.

Categories
Events fashions Uncategorized

Holiday shopping season is coming – are you supporting women through #consciousspending? @janetkraus @uncommonthreadsboutique

Last night I attended an evening out to support the Uncommon Threads Boutique. If you don’t know about this organization check them out. This boutique style organization takes an outside-in approach to boosting women’s self-esteem through the power of clothes. I am all about women supporting women and this holiday season we should think about where we spend our money. The CEO of Peach, Janet Kraus spoke about conscious spending and how important it is in choosing to support women run companies. Peach is a women’s fashion brand supporting women’s empowerment and entrepreneurship, We all love our brands but do we know about the organization behind them? Does buying those yoga pants align with your values? As Kraus mentioned companies are fueled by your dollar – think about spending where women can grow their business. 80 percent of the spending will be done within the next several months leading into the holiday season. As women it’s something to think about where your dollar is being spent. As a brand I do love Peach – I love their leggings and their casual vibe. But they also have great pieces that can transition from day time to business attire to a night out. Check them out at this link through my friend Trish’s site.