I'm throwing away all the socks.... err emails!

2 years ago Sue Rusch spoke at our National Conference in Atlanta about "throwing out all the socks" in her house. Ya know she was just fed up and would rather start over than sort through all those darn socks. I can totally relate. I even bought an embroidered 2 ft tall bin that says "Sock Sack" where I put them ~ I haven't gotten to the point where I'm ready to throw away the socks (although I should) maybe it's the little rush I get when I find a pair, I dunno. But, when the $100 invoice came to renew my website that I do not use anymore (it's for my previous stationery design business) came I thought it was the perfect time to "throw away my email address" and start fresh! I just listened to a Julie Ann Jones free webinar about getting organized and setting up filters/folders on your email so you don't have to see them they go right into the appropriate folder and then you check the folders where it is all nicely sorted. So I signed up for a new yahoo address and I'm trying it out! Best off all I have NO EMAILS IN MY INBOX, wahooo!!!! I set up a "vacation response" from my current email address and sent it to  all my recipients in my mailbox which I figure should cover anyone who may or may not need to track me down in the future. At the very least if they search for me in their email they will find the email I sent with my updated contact info. I FEEL RELIEVED!!!! Now I can see what emails come in and create appropriate filters/folders as they arise. I'm no longer drowning in my in box!!!!

Let me show you my Pikle!

Several years ago when I had a "desk job" my co-worker would ask me if I had a ____ in my purse and often I could satisfy her request. I said I was a "mom in training"! But then I became a mom and I became a disorganized mess. Well not anymore! The Pikle to the rescue. Apparently these have been around for a few years but just launched into a direct sales opportunity in Oct. (I somehow manage to stumble on these things in their infancy) and I just knew I had to have one.... we'll I didn't think one would be enough so I got 2. I'm not sure what I am going to stock in the 2nd one yet maybe jewelry & make-up I wear often? But here is a detailed look at what you get with a starter pak.

Everything is super handy and quick to access.

The Pikle start pak comes with an instruction guide and everything you need to begin stocking your pikle!

Pocket 1

(antibacterial wipes) 

woah! My phone fits in there (sans tissues) that is pretty cool.... cause I am ALWAYS loosing my phone in one of my purse pockets or at the bottom of my purse!

 Pocket 2

(mirror with floss & band aides)

Pocket 3

(nail files, nail clippers & tweezers)

 Pocket 4

(sewing kit, tape measure, scissors & safety pins)

  Pocket 5

(mini screwdrivers)

  Pocket 6

(pen & paper)

Pocket 7

(empty)

 Pocket 8

(hair bands, bobby pins & rubber bands)

instant stain remover pen & antibacterial hand spray

(and I don't go anywhere without one of my thirty-one custom made pens)

I wanted to see if all my Pikle paraphernalia would fit inside of one of my Thirty-One mini zipper pouches which is smaller than the Pikle clutch and it does! The only disadvantage is you have to pull it all out instead of just "flipping" through the pockets.

I ordered my Pickles from Independent Representatives

Sara Delgado & Julie Nixon

who were both great to work with! If you tell Julie I referred you she will hook me up with some free stuff ;-)

We traded product for product, thus I got my Pikles at a DISCOUNT and resisted the extreme urge to purchase an 8th starter kit... yes, that is how many "kits" I have purchased in my lifetime, but only ONE turned into a business!!!! So I will keep my Pikle tucked inside my favorite Thirty-one bag!

Thirty-One's Super Cinch Sac vs. Retro Metro Weekender

One of my customers told me this is the perfect camping because she can put for each family member in their own bag. Then I saw someone put a picture on FB with sleepover gear and I thought what a great idea (says the mom of a daughter). Not all my customers camp, but certainly they all have a child that sleeps over... or dirty laundry! 

So I put it to the test:

√ sleeping bag

√ pillow

√ blanket

√ "Mr. Fluffy Pants"

Depending on your "sleeping gear" you should have room for a change of clothes and some jammie's. And if not one of our handy Cinch Sac. Toiletries and at the very least some clean undies can go in the roomy zipper pocket on the bag. Prior to the introduction of our Super Cinch Sac our largest bag was the Retro Metro weekender which retails for nearly twice the price and half the size! 

We offer colors tailored for both girls and boys. I just happen to have the plum on as one of my FREEBIES...same as the duffle bag, didn't pay for that either! I'm not joking when I say, Cute Bags For Free!

There are plenty other uses you can find for this roomy tote which has a shoulder strap you can't see in the photo.

√ laundry bag

√ ball bag

√ wreath storage
√ traveling toy bin

If you have a great idea, I'd love to hear it, please comment below!

How to Organize a Beach/Pool Bag

You are going to want to hop over to my favorite blog A Bowl Full of Lemons today and check out this AWESOME post! Funny how someone can convince ME I need more of my own products!

And matchig glass H20 bottle to boot! I gotta get me one of those!

Celebrating Local Business Women!

I have to say... I LOVE MY J-O-B! I mean I REALLY LOOOOOOVE MY J-O-B! As a leader I am required to host a bi-monthly meeting which is open to my team or ANY Thirty-one consultant in my local area to attend. We call these "Celebrate and Connect" meetings. Our Home Office does all the work and sends me a "Meeting Kit" complete with an agenda, training, videos, hand-outs AND a FREE GIFT to everyone who attends. Not to mention they send me an XTRA SPECIAL GIFT for hosting the meeting, which is super cool! We get to share ideas, be motivated and inspired by each others stories and accomplishments. Here are the fabulous ladies I got to spend my "biz meeting" with!

 This is Kim and Pam, 31 sisters I was excited to meet tonight!

This is Shelley and I met her at the first meeting I hosted after I moved to Selinsgrove!

 This is Brittany, she is the receptionist at my husbands business!

 This is Kate, she is joining my team tomorrow and gets the awesome tote on her arm!

 This is Kristy, her biz will be 1mo. old tomorrow and she was both Top Sales and Top Party for April!

This is Pam, Michele & Tricia they are a team and their enthusiasm is contagious!

This is the ($35) gift from Home Office that consultants who registered for the meeting got to take home... along with a pack of 25 Summer catalogs and 40 Summer mini catalogs.... we are SO SPOILED!!!

As a leader, I also got the ENTIRE 13-piece summer starter kit (pictured below) as a gift from Home Office.... SUPER SPOILED!!!

 

Leave your online cart full but never check out and get FREE stuff!

I once read a tip that if you are online shopping to leave your shopping cart and you will most likely get an email from the retailer with a coupon to get you to "come back to their store". I never tried it but it works! I got an email that books were on sale (I looooove buying motivational books that I don't have the time to read but have in my library should the day arrive I do) so I jumped on it. I thought I checked out, never got a confirmation and then I got this lovely email...

so back to my cart I go and sure enough it's all in there and now it's $10 cheaper!!! Most of my mistakes COST me money but this one saved me some! Good to know it does work to abandon your shopping cart!

Valentine's School Party a Hit!

I'm a homeroom mom so Valentine's party is a BIG DEAL. Thanks to Pinterest it was a lot of fun planning this year... why oh why did I stay away from you so long Pinterest, I love you!

I saw a really great valentine in family fun last year where it looked like a gigantic lollipop and I recreated it. I kept the 6' PVC pipe "just because" and thought lets try it again this year! Now I think it will be fun to make it a tradition and see her "outgrow" the stick over the years!

I found a cute necklace craft on pinterest and did blues/greens for boys and pinks/reds/orange for girls.  

 Pin the lips on Mrs. Valentine was fun but most everyone cheated, ha ha!

Guess how many hearts fill the heart

Heart-o-stack was a hit and hard!

They had to suck the hearts out of the bowl for 1min.