We are heading into the fall and holidays! As it cools off instead of just having causal BBQ’s we are moving inside with more structured dinner parties and big holiday meals. But that doesn’t mean being a host has to be stressful. Some smart planning and you can be enjoys these great meals with everyone else!!!

1)Assemble recipes! If they are in cookbooks make a list with titles and page numbers. This isn’t the time to try something new or things that need to be cooked moments before.

2)List prep times that can be done ahead of time/day before/day of/etc. This can just be jotted down on a piece of paper or on a spreadsheet and then you can order them based on prep times;). If a recipe has part that can be done ahead and part that can be done day of, list it twice!

3)Make a grocery list. Include disposable dishes, napkins, and the like if needed too!

4)Assign serving dishes and utensils. Some people set them out and put a post it on them. I make a list.

5)Days before begin prep. Anything that you are making ahead of time and freezing can be done the week before.

6)Do day before prep. Often chopping vegetables or making batters fall into this category. When I make my coconut shrimp cakes I mix it up and put it in the fridge the night before. But for latkes the potatoes will turn brown so I will just chop the onion but leave the rest for the day of.

7)Create a schedule for day of. What can you cook before noon? What needs to be done an hour ahead? What needs to come out just in time to eat?

8)Have everything done within 15 minutes of the party and enjoy your guests! You are doing this to enjoy your friends and family, so go enjoy them!

9)Allow people to help a little with the dishes. I know, we have all be socialized that a good host doesn’t let people help. Tough! Those who offer usually feel it is a way to show their gratitude. And if they help load the dishwasher they don’t feel as guilty when they leave you with the rest of the dishes.

Now that the kids are back to school and have their wardrobe all situated it is now the adults’ turn!!! But cleaning an adult’s closet isn’t a cut and dry as cleaning out your child’s. It isn’t all about if a garment actually fits. Especially for women! Women tend to have a total of 3-4 different sizes in their closet at any one time. And I understand, you don’t want to just toss all those valuable clothes. Or even just toss them to the bottom of some generic donation stack. But there are some worthy causes that need your clothes or you can even sell them!

So how are we to attack this monster? With some logic steps, of course;).

First look at everything that doesn’t fit.
1. Is it torn, stained or otherwise not in its best state? Toss it!
2. If it fit perfectly would you really want to wear it? Be honest, in a closet full of clothes would you really pick it? If not, it is time to bless someone else.

Now lets look at everything that fits.
1) Pull everything out you haven’t worn in 18 months. Do it!!!
2) Is it ripped, torn or stained? Toss it!
3) Does it need mending? Are you really going to do it? If you aren’t then toss it! If you think you will take it out and put it in a box. If you don’t mend it in 3 months, toss!
3) If it is a special occasion outfit then you have to ask yourself the hard question. Would you still wear it if the special occasion came up or would you use it as an excuse to buy some thing new? If you would want to buy something new: donate! Otherwise put it back in the closet.
4)Otherwise you need to donate it!

So now what do you do with all these clothes?
1)Swap with friends!
2)Sell on Craig’s List, eBay, website or consignment store. It takes some work but can make some money.
3)Donate!!! Sometimes donating makes it a little easier to get rid of those clothes that you paid so much for but don’t wear.

Here are 3 great donation options here in Fresno!
1) My Sister’s Closet that helps dress women for jobs after helping them with resume and interviewing skills.
2) Suiting for Success that dresses both men and women! It is for the Welfare to Work students and helps them to be dressed for the job they are trying to get!
3) Goodwill is always a great option for everything else that may not be career wear! And of course there are trucks all over the city and they will even unload your car for you!

Cleaning your closet will help not only bless others but also bless you by making your space a little more organized and sane!

I once heard someone say that everyone has at least 1 book in them, well I am of the mindset that everyone has at least 1 business idea in them (regardless if you need someone else to help make is work)! And I must not be alone in this thinking. According to the Center for Women’s Business Research there is 10.1 million women owned businesses! Some of these are traditional businesses but some are things like blogging and inventing brand new products!

I was recently blessed to attend the Disney Social Media Mom’s On the Road conference up in Berkeley and it was all about the “Mompreneur”. What is a Mompreneur? A mom entrepreneur. Our keynote was the fabulous Mindy Doney who invented Boogie Wipes and there was also the creators of PsiBands (Romi) and Babee Covee (Alma).

I was so inspired that I wanted to share 5 simple tips to get you going towards a small business!

1. Solve a problem or meet a need!
– Mindee talked about how she was once again pulling out the saline and tissues to take care of a child’s nose and thought how much easier it would be to have saline already on something to wipe up noses. She was sure it must already exist and when it didn’t, she made it!
-Alma was doing the whole blanket on the carseat thing and when it kept falling off, she was sure there had to be a better way! And she wasn’t going to just carry a single application item so she made her Babee Covee work in 6 different ways including a nursing cover, shopping cart cover and a high chair cover.
-Romi had crippling nausea and wasn’t happy with any of the options that were already out there so she came up with something better with her Psi Bands (and yes, she is the Psi Bands that was on Shark Tank;).
-I got tired of hearing people say how “they never could” so I decided to start blogs that showed people that they could! Be it homeschooling, cooking or just finding the right app.

2. Be uniquely you! The name Boogie Wipes seems to fit Mindee’s fun and quirky personality but she was told mom’s wouldn’t want to buy something with boogers in the name. I think she has proved them wrong. And do you realize that I have people tell me almost weekly that I am not a nerdy mom? But it is who I am and by claiming it, that means I have left a picture of how I want myself and my brand to be thought of in your mind. And by judging by the random questions I get, you all believe I am the NerdMom;).

3. Try it on a limited group of clients/friends. I use the phrase clients/friends because your audience may not always be your friends. Try out your business idea and be open to feedback! It will either give you ways that you will change your business or hone in on a more specific client/need.

4. Reach out to the local Small Business Administration or incubators to find out legal requirements. They can provide some great information on how to work with your local government for a business license and all the details that go with starting a business. It can seem daunting but really it is just a series of small steps.

5. Buy your business name’s domain! Ok, really this is the first thing I always do. To the point I have a collection of domain names. But it always seems crazy to start a list with it. Buy the domain and do to availability, you may change your business name.

 

To celebrate the awesome inventors and business owners I met, I have a couple of giveaways!!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Summer is the time people move into apartments. Be it a college student or families, everyone wants to get settled before school begins. In the rush to move and get settled, are you protecting yourself and your security deposit? The security deposit is that money you put up front to assure the condition of your apartment when you leave. The apartment complex can charge for any repairs or cleaning that needs to happen beyond normal wear and tear in order to get the apartment back to the state it was in when you moved in. But it isn’t hard but it does take a little forethought to get back as much as possible!

1)Get a file folder and put everything pertaining to your apartment in it!
2)Ask how long the apartment complex goes between painting and carpet cleaning. When was the last time it was done in the apartment you are moving into?
3) Schedule a pre-move in walk through. Make a note of all damage and wearing. Even make a note if the oven is clean. Your job is to give it back in the same condition minus and normal wear and tear.
4)Before you turn in your notice or move out: Make sure to ask the complex to fix anything that needs it, even if it isn’t a big deal to you to ignore it! That chipped tile, screen that won’t stay in… All that could count later against your security deposit but would be fixed for free during your residency but they will fix it for free and without question while you are living there.
5) After you move out all your stuff and clean your apartment schedule a walk through! Together note anything that needs fixing (or doesn’t). Then ask for a copy of that when you leave.
6) With in about a month (each complex has a different amount of time but at least 21 days) you should receive a check with your remaining security deposit and an itemized list justifying any deductions. If the deductions seem unreasonable appeal! Call them and tell them that it seems like a lot for the repair. Offer them a quote from somewhere else and ask the difference to be refunded.

That is it! A little thought when you move in and when you move out to keep your money!!!