I am such an organizing nerd. I was positively giddy when my new Walker bags arrived in the mail. Now I could organize my purse like I’ve always dreamed!

See, organizing nerd.

I bought my first Walker bag at Therapie in New York City, which is sadly out of business.   I bought another one at a store on Montana Avenue in Santa Monica, California.  I always find Walker bags at high-end drugstores, but I bought these online, right from the Walker website.  The selection was incredible and I spent an insane amount of time grouping and measuring my items to make sure I got the correct size bags.  I owned 2 already and bought 4 more.  Look at the fun colors!

The bags are now filled with all the contents of my purse.

I hate digging in my purse to find something.  Now the only things not contained in a Walker bag are my wallet, sunglass case and reusable shopping bag.  I like to change purses often and this makes it so much easier.

See, organizing nerd.

© 2012, Funkidivagirl.com. All rights reserved. Republished only with permission.

The 80′s called and they want those washed out, tired looking jeans back!  That’s what I want to say to people.  And I do…in my head.  Except to my father, I said that to his face.  Then I bought him a new pair of Levi’s for his birthday.  My mother was so very grateful.

After you’ve thrown away the 80′s jeans (or forced by loved ones, as in my father’s case) and bought a new pair, how do you keep those jeans looking new?   (Here in the New Millennium, we like our jeans to stay within the blue spectrum).

I know many people who keep the color in their jeans by not washing them.  Ever.   I just can’t do that!  While jeans may not show dirt, they do come into contact with germs and bacteria and, um, you wear them on your BUTT.  So….if you never wash them, guess what your jeans smell like?  That’s right–BUTT.

Jeans are a staple in my wardrobe.  Unless I’m wearing a dress, I’m wearing a pair of jeans.  I have my everyday-on-sale-for-$40 Gap Always Skinny jeans and I have premium Joe’s and Hudson jeans.   If the jeans cost $40 or over $100, I want to keep them looking like new as long as possible.  So I have a system for wearing my jeans, keeping them smelling fresh, and making the color last.

1. I use Woolite Extra Dark Care to wash my jeans and I don’t put any other clothes in the same load.

2.  I use the delicate cycle on my washing machine.

3.  I hang dry.  Well, I’m lying about that one because I’m too impatient, but I really should hang dry.  I do set the dryer on the lowest setting possible.

4. I wear my jeans 3-4 times before washing them.  I have a method to keep track: each time I wear a pair of  jeans, I put a binder clip on that hanger.  When the hanger has 3 or 4 clips, it’s time to wash them.  Also, I alternate pairs, never wearing the same pair 2 days in a row.   I wear the Gap jeans daily just kicking it around the house and save the premium jeans for Levels 2 or 3 dressing.  It’s already been established that I’m kind of crazy, so that may be a bit too much for you, but the point is that I know how many times I’ve worn my jeans.

5. HOWEVER – and this is important to keep them smelling fresh in between wears – I use Febreeze after each and every wear, spraying them inside and out.  Then I let them dry before putting them back on the hanger.

me in my jeans

church lobby on Christmas Eve

shirt – Splendid, Bloomingdale’s

jeans – Hudson, Bloomingdale’s

I’m linking up with What I Wore Wednesday , Real Momma, Real Style and Monday Mingle.

*This is not an endorsement for Woolite or Febreeze; I have no affiliation with those companies (I would gladly disclose information such as that).  I am merely sharing what works for me.  

© 2012, Funkidivagirl.com. All rights reserved. Republished only with permission.

Christmastime is here, my favorite time of the year! My tree is decorated, the Christmas cards have been sent off and pretty much all the gifts have been bought.

Ugh, you say, she’s “one of those organized types.” Hey, don’t hate me, learn from me! I want to help you get organized for Christmas; it’s not too late!

This is my secret.

Check out these blog posts about how I get organized for Christmas and I promise you can do it too.

A Ma-Gyver Christmas, Part 1

A Ma-Gyver Christmas, Part 2

© 2011, Funkidivagirl.com. All rights reserved. Republished only with permission.

I agree with Mama Kat’s Writer’s Workshop Prompt (What do the contents of your handbag/purse “say” about you?); the contents of a purse can say a lot about someone.  I spilled my purse and this is what I got:

• a Hobo wallet
• a Walker cosmetic pouch with Rosebud Salve and several Smashbox lip glosses (it says that I am a beauty product junkie).
• Bath & Body Works alcohol gel (it says that I am don’t like germs, but yet still a beauty product junkie).
• L’Occtaine hand lotion (it says that I have dry hands because I use alcohol gel and I’m a beauty product junkie).
• Funkidivagirl.com business cards (its says that even though I am New Media, I realize that the rest of the world may not be).
• tissues (it says that I hate sneezes and will gladly give you a tissue for your offending nose).
• a reusable bag (it says that I am eco-conscious enough to bring my own bag and that my hands are always too full).
• a pen, highlighter and Sharpie (it says that I like to label things).  A Ma-Gyver always carries a Sharpie.  You will be amazed by how many strangers borrow my Sharpie.  Ma-Gyver loves to be of service to others not as prepared as herself.
• Tom Ford sunglasses (not pictured)
• iPhone 4 (not pictured)

And finally, this blue Walker cosmetic bag is this THE reason that I am Ma-Gyver:

In this pouch I have:

• a sewing kit
• nail clippers
• safety pins
• Tums
• Peptol Bismol
• Sudafed
• Advil
• Claritin
• toothpicks
• a Tide stick
• a mini disposable toothbrush
• Band-Aids
• Wet Ones

I am practically ready for anything.

My family makes fun of my Ma-Gyver ways.  My kids were recently playing a game where they “take someone’s soul” and then act like them.  When they acted like me, it went something like this:

“What’s that Honey?  You say that you’re hungry?  How about this chicken I have in my purse–organic of course?”

Ha ha, very funny kids.  And my husband just laughed right along with them.

Yeah well, they may make fun of me, but who has the tissues for their runny nose?  Who has Tums for their tummy ache when they ate a Ann’s Snack Bar Ghetto Burger against my admonishment?  Who saves their brand new clothes from permanent stains?  Who has the Band-Aid for their feet because they wore those new sandals to walk around Disney World even though I told them gym shoes would be better?  Me, that’s who!   I don’t even carry this stuff for myself, it’s all for them!

They’ll thank me one day, they will.  Until then I will continue to unselfishly save them–and the world–from mediocrity and chaos.

*****************

Visit Mama Kat’s Losin It to write a prompt of your own.

© 2011, Funkidivagirl.com. All rights reserved. Republished only with permission.

It’s officially just 1 WEEK until the Disney Social Media Moms Conference at Walt Disney World and the excitement is palatable in my house.  As the person who makes sure that we get there with toothbrushes, underwear and socks, I’m channeling my excitement into planning and packing.   I’m also a little anxious that I have 2 more trips to Florida planned right after this one.  If I’m not organized something will get left behind.

Thank God that I am usually very organized.  I have been making packing lists in Word for years.  I worked from a master list and cut, paste and added items as I needed for each trip.   Then I printed them out and crossed them off as I packed.  It was a good system.  It worked.

But when I got an iPad, my world changed.  Pen and paper lists seemed clunky and outdated, so 2009.  I had learned to use my iPad for so many other tasks, surely I could figure out how to put packing lists on there.  Maybe there’s an app for that! I thought. There is; the people at QuinnScape certainly had me in mind when they created the Packing Pro app.

It seems a little daunting at first, but it’s really simple to use and customize.  There is a huge Master Catalog on Packing Pro that I used to make general packing lists for myself and each of my kids.  These are the lists that I will use as a foundation for each trip.  So far I have custom packing lists made for 2 of my upcoming trips.

While I use Packing Pro on my iPad because it’s bigger, I also have the app on my iPhone and I was able to export my packing lists between the devices.  First I exported the lists from my iPad and they were stored in Contacts.   Then I synced to iTunes and imported the lists to my iPhone.  Easy.

The photo below is a part of my packing list, the gadgets section, for the Disney Social Media Moms Conference.  (This is a screen shot from my iPhone; obviously the screen on the iPad would show more items.)   It’s a paid app, but worth every penny–and another reason to love my iPad.

© 2011, Funkidivagirl.com. All rights reserved. Republished only with permission.

Funki and oh-so-helpful organizing & life-hacking tips by yours truly.  Like McGyver, who could dismantle a bomb with a roll of duct tape, a toothpick and a nail file, I am Ma-Gyver, organizer of everything and life-hacker extraordinaire.  From time to time I will be bringing you my tips and tricks for keeping an orderly house and mind. 

Remember the father in My Big Fat Greek Wedding?  He thought that Windex was the answer to everything; it was his miracle product.   I am just like him, except I have 4 miracle products:

1.  Goo Gone: This product is perfect for removing any kind of sticky residue and I use it often.  You know the stickers that kids get at the end of a doctor’s visit?  Frequently they end up stuck to undesirable areas in my house.  Goo Gone to the rescue!  You can buy Goo Gone practically anywhere like Target, Bed Bath & Beyond and even the grocery store.

2.  WD-40: It’s actually a joke in my family and they make fun of me because pretty much any kind of squeaky hardware concern and I yell “Get the WD-40!”  They can laugh, but it works!  Squeaky door hinges?  WD-40!  Porch swing not moving so smoothly anymore?  WD-40!  As a preventive measure, I spray it on the screws of my christmas tree stand before I pack it away for the season.  Of course WD-40 can be found in hardware stores, but just about any discount store, like Target has it as well.  

3.  Folex Instant Carpet Spot Remover:  I love this product and (unfortunately) use it at least twice a week, and not on my carpet.  For some insane reason I bought kitchen chairs made from a gold suede-like fabric.   They are very lovely to look at, but not so lovely for 2 messy kids to eat in for every meal.  Yogurt, barbeque sauce, ice cream and salad dressing hit these chairs on a regular basis.  And guess what?  Folex cleans it up every time!  Just a little squirt, a quick rub and that’s it–the spot is gone for good!  You can buy Folex at Home Depot.

4.  Mr. Clean Magic Eraser: I’m not exactly sure what this is made of (and maybe I don’t know want to know), but in the rare times that Goo Gone has failed me, Mr. Clean has done the trick.  It does work just like magic, erasing all traces of a stray pen mark on the wall or some mystery spot on the floor that mopping just can’t seem to get rid of.   And when my daughter, the resident artist, is feeling creative, this happens a lot.  Mr. Clean Magic Eraser can be bought anywhere that cleaning products are sold.

© 2009, Funkidivagirl.com. All rights reserved. Republished only with permission.

In Part 1 of A Ma-Gyver Christmas I gave you some tips about being organized and stress-free during the holiday season.  I hope that you have had some time to implement a few of my organizational tips.   If not, maybe this post will inspire you to get ready and organized for next Christmas.  

Getting organized for next Christmas starts when you pack away your Christmas ornaments and decorations.  Most people are so tired from all the holiday celebrations, when they take down the decorations they just throw them into any box.  This is exactly how people end up buying boxes and boxes of lights each year that they don’t need; if you don’t clearly label your boxes, then you don’t really know what’s inside.  And I don’t just mean “Christmas Decorations” on the side of the box either; I type up a detailed list of what’s in that box and then I slip the list into a plastic sleeve and tape it to the box.   I buy those Rubbermaid red and green plastic tubs with lids to store all of my Christmas decorations; they are sturdy and easily identifiable.   If you look at this photo, you will see that some things on the list are highlighted; these are the decorations that I plan to use next year.   Because I change my color scheme each Christmas, I have many decorations and I don’t use them all every year.   By highlighting, I can tell at a glance if this particular tub holds the decorations that I need for this year.

Perhaps my best Ma-Gyver Christmas tool is my Christmas Report; this is the last tab in my Christmas Binder (I described the rest of the binder in Part 1).

Shortly after the new year I type up everything about the recent Christmas and try to be as detailed as possible.  First I write general notes about what we did on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day and how I felt about it.  I comment on our Christmas card, where I bought it and how many I sent; I also attach a print-out of the address labels.   I write about our Christmas tree, where we bought it and how it looked, and I write about the decorations in great detail; I list how many ornaments were used as well as the color scheme of that year.  The report is pretty long; I write about how we honored our traditions, if we made any crafts, any activities we experienced, what I served for dinner and what I baked, and if we did any entertaining.  I think that most important section is Ideas & Notes for Next Year; here I list any decorating ideas, activities I wish to do or anything that I need to buy.  In early November when I open my binder, this is the section that I go to first.  Finally, I take photos of my Christmas tree and all the decorations outside and around the house; I attach them to the report along with any notes about what worked, what didn’t and what to try next year.

Are you ready to have a Ma-Gyver Christmas?  It’s not too late; if you start now, next Christmas will be a breeze!  All it takes is a little organizing now to be a lot less stressed next year.

This will be my last post for 2008 as I will be busy enjoying Christmas and the holiday break with my family, but look for a exciting guest blogger premiering this week on Funkidivagirl.com; I promise that you will love this guy!  If you are fiending for some funki reads while I’m gone, you can always check out the archives, The Best of Funkidivagirl.com or The 4 Real Housewives.  I have some great posts planned for 2009, so be sure to subscribe to Funkidivagirl.com via email or through a RSS reader like Google so that you don’t miss a thing.   Thanks for reading; I really appreciate your comments and community.  Have a merry Christmas, a happy New Year and as always,

keep it funki!

© 2008 – 2011, Funkidivagirl.com. All rights reserved. Republished only with permission.

Although I am Ma-Gyver and pretty much organized all the time, getting ready for Christmas can even stress me out; there are so many details to think about!  Over the last few years I have slowly developed a system that helps to keep me focused, within my budget and virtually stress-free.  As a result, I get to spend more time with my family during the holidays and truly enjoy the season.  I will warn you: I am a bit crazy about organizing, so this may be too much for you to do all at once, but I promise if you implement some of these things this year and do more before next Christmas, you will be less stressed and have more time to spend with family and friends.

So, what’s my Ma-Gyver secret?  I have a huge binder that holds all my Christmas gift ideas, to do lists, magazine tear-outs, favorite recipes and craft ideas.

On the first page is a breakdown of the weeks leading up to Christmas, starting with the first week in November.  Here’s a sample of my “Master To Do List”: 

First Week in November

•       Make Santa appointment
•       Brainstorm gifts: look in magazines, online for ideas
•       Take photo for cards

Mid-November (before Thanksgiving)

•       Make gift idea lists & plan budget
•       Card list: purge, add & update addresses (send email)
•       Decide color scheme for tree, decorations & dinner table
•       Buy Advent things
•       Review past years notes
•       Decide dates for parties

Last Week in November

• Order gifts from catalogs & online
• Order Christmas cards

Thanksgiving Weekend

• Take out decorations & make a list of what’s needed
• Pull names for Secret Santa gifts
• Discuss Christmas with family (Christmas Eve/Day, Activities, Ornaments)

1^st Week in December

• Rent any tables & chairs needed
• Send gift wish list to family
• Make labels for cards & buy stamps.  Mail cards.
• Buy wrapping paper, bows & tape
• Buy any dishes, tablecloths, candles, etc.
• Buy Christmas tree, wreath, doormat & any other needed decorations
• Decorate the house & tree
• Make shopping lists
• Shop for pajamas (or order online) & our special ornaments

2^nd Week in December

• Make sure we have teacher gifts
• Send any gifts
• Check church services
• Plan Christmas Eve & Day menus, baking, grocery lists

Located behind the “Master To Do List” is a budget spreadsheet for this Christmas.  I actually created it last January, based on the previous Christmas.  It has headings that say “Projected”, “Adjusted” and “Actually Spent”.  I find that keeping track of my spending (cash only, no credit cards) helps me to set a realistic budget for the next year.  For instance, I have learned that I typically spend $50 on wrapping paper, tape and bows.  In the past, I might have thought that I spent $25, but I can see that it isn’t the truth.  The key is to put everything on the spreadsheet and not just gifts and decorations.  Some things that are not typically tracked by most people–logs for the fireplace, more groceries, outfits for the kids, stamps for Christmas cards, craft supplies–are the things that leave you scratching your head in January, wondering where all the money was spent.

Next in the binder is the “Gift” section.  In here I have created a table to brainstorm gift ideas and keep track of what was bought and still left to buy.  I have a chart for my son, daughter and a list of others that I need to buy gifts for like teachers, sitters and other family members.  Here’s an example:

Gift ideas for The Boy           

Also in this section is a list of my favorite places to shop in the neighborhood, online or at the mall.  One of the best things in this section is an Excel spreadsheet called “Gift Giving History” that I started in 2005 where I have listed all the gifts that I given each year.   I just don’t trust my memory anymore and would hate to give my mother-in-law the same gift as last year!  The idea behind this section is to make gift-giving fun, unique to the person, within my budget and stress-free.

The next section in the binder is titled “Decorating”.  A couple of years ago I decided to change my decorating color scheme every year, so here’s where I brainstorm and write down ideas for future decorations.  There is also a list of my favorite places to shop and a complete inventory of all my Christmas decorations; at a glance I can tell if I have 7 stands of white lights or 6 strands–without having to pull out the storage boxes.   This section has many magazine tear-outs of decorating ideas that give me inspiration every year.

I hope that I have given you some tools to become more organized this Christmas.  In Part 2 of A Ma-Gyver Christmas I will continue my Christmas organizing tips.  In the meantime, If you have a specific organizing or planning question related to Christmas, email me via the “Contact Me” button and I will address it then.

Like McGyver, who could dismantle a bomb with a roll of duct tape, a toothpick and a nail file, I am Ma-Gyver, organizer of everything and life-hacker extraordinaire.  From time to time I will be bringing you my tips and tricks for keeping an orderly house and mind, but if you have something specific that you need help with, just ask and I will try to help.  

© 2008 – 2009, Funkidivagirl.com. All rights reserved. Republished only with permission.

*Funki and oh-so-helpful organizing & life-hacking tips by yours truly.

I’m not one to encourage people to be all domestic or anything, but I do like order in my home.  And in most of our homes, even when the rest of the house looks great, our closets are a mess….especially the clothes.  Not so at my house!  I hate clutter of any kind and the closets are no exception.  I have found two wonderful products that have helped me to keep our clothes in order.  Both of these products were invented by women; clearly without Mother Necessity, where would we be?

When my son first started doing his own laundry he had trouble folding his many t-shirts and his closet was becoming a point of contention for us.  Then I found FlipFOLD at The Container Store (I just LOVE that place!) and now he folds his shirts with ease.  His sister enjoys using it so much that she begs to fold her brothers’ shirts. I use it for my shirts and so does my husband.  Here’s a video of my son demonstrating what he does every week after doing his laundry:

And this is what his closet looks like:

Let me be clear, this is not an organized kid.  Last school year he lost a few jackets, several lunch boxes, his yearbook and ONE shoe (that he was wearing).  But his closet is organized!  If FlipFOLD can help him, it can help you too.

The other product, Huggable Hangers by Joy Mangano, is my latest find.  Previously I hung all of my clothes on plastic hangers and while they were fine, sometimes my clothes would slide off and my closet just didn’t look uniform.  I saw these hangers in Target, picked up a pack and now I buy some on each Target trip until my whole closet is converted (they are not inexpensive).  The hangers are so slim that now my clothes take up less space than before (more room for more clothes!) and hang securely without threat of sliding off.  I was excited to see the child-sized hangers and now my daughter’s closet looks so great:

Like McGyver, who could dismantle a bomb with a roll of duct tape, a toothpick and a nail file, I am Ma-Gyver, organizer of everything and life-hacker extraordinaire.  From time to time I will be bringing you my tips and tricks for keeping an orderly house and mind, but if you have something specific that you need help with, just ask and I will try to help.  

© 2008 – 2009, Funkidivagirl.com. All rights reserved. Republished only with permission.