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Sunny California

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I’m back from my trip to Los Angeles. The trip went well and the planning ahead helped a lot. We had MapQuest all our events and only made a couple of wrong turns that we quickly corrected. I had a folder with all the information and took that in the car each time.

I didn’t have the right program on my laptop to be able to post some of the pictures. I will get that corrected before my next trip. Below are some of the pictures I took of the Santa Monica Beach. The first couple of days were cool but then it was beautiful weather after that. I can see why so many people want to live there.

Fortunately my sister lives there and warned us it could be cool at night time. We brought appropriate clothing. We tend to assume the weather will be perfect for our vacations especially in tropical areas. Whenever you travel to be sure to check out the weather first so you have the right kind of clothing.

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With summer being the prime months for travel I will be posting tips in this blog that will help make your travel go smoother. If you have any tips you would like to share please post a comment.

I also will be putting a lot of tips on travel in my weekly Decluttering Tips Newsletter and in the Organize By The Month News. If you haven’t signed up for these ‘free’ newsletters then please do so at the right of this blog.

Thanks,

Janice

https://cutclutterwithscissors.com

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On Vacation

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I’m sitting here in the hotel room looking out at the palm trees in Santa Monica, CA. For those who live on the West coast, the Gulf coast, or other tropical areas you may not realize how pretty of a sight the ocean and palm trees are to a land locked Midwesterner.

I wish I could post a picture but I didn’t get my laptop set up the right way. This is the first time I have traveled with it. I can see that I still have a lot to learn on the technical side. Organization, whether at home, work, or travel is an ongoing learning process. I will be home on Friday and will post some pictures using my desktop computer. I will have to get the laptop up to speed for work before my next trip.

Traveling is always a challenge whether for work or vacation. With the summer vacation season upon us I will keep you informed of the best ways to plan for a trip using my own experiences and what I have researched.

If you have any suggestions that could help others with their planning then please post a comment. I would love to learn new and better ways to travel with less stress and I’m sure all my readers would too.

Janice

https://cutclutterwithscissors.com

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Vacation Planning

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Summer vacations are right around the corner. How smooth they go will depend on how well you plan it out. Some vacations require a lot of planning and some don’t. Even with careful planning it is always good to be flexible. Many times things occur that cause us to alternate our plans. Sometimes it makes the vacation even more fun.

I will be on vacation next week. I wish it was a trip where I could go to an exotic resort and relax at the beach as the waves wash up on the shore. Not happening this trip. My husband has a business meeting for two of the days. My son is checking out a school on computer graphics. We are visiting my sister and her family on Memorial Day.

Since we are going to Los Angeles, I will get a chance to go to the beach at some point. It takes a lot of planning to make a trip where you combine business, pleasure, school exploration, and visiting family all in a five day trip. This also includes a four hour plane ride each way.

Before going I write everything down so I don’t forget anything like stopping the mail or setting the timers on my lights. I have to take the animals to the vet and water my plants. The list gets longer and longer and this is before I even leave the house.

Flying today isn’t like it use to be. With all the security measures you have to be aware of what you can carry on with you. If you don’t know the restrictions then check the TSA web site to find out.

If you are traveling this weekend be sure to plan ahead as much as possible and be flexible with the rest. Hopefully it will be a fun and safe trip.

Janice

https://cutclutterwithscissors.com

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Gardening Master List

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The weather finally cooperated for me to get some things done around the yard. I planted a few flowerpots and window boxes. My husband helped me wash the deck and bring out the chair cushions. We even ate dinner on the back porch.

I walked around the house this weekend to see what needed to be done in each zone. I have the front and each side as separate zones. The back near the house and around the elevated deck is divided into three different zones. I have hills there and one side is shaded and the other in sun. It is easier to work on them if they are in different zone areas.

I haven’t decided what to work on first but with it all written down I can now prioritize it. During the weekdays I will only work on the things that take a short time to do. These will include planting a few vegetables or flowers and some light pruning. The things that require more work will be done on weekends. With my master list in front of me I can plan on what I need for the weekend project.

Having a master list should help me accomplish some of my landscape goals this summer. Since it is written down I won’t have the excuse of forgetting it.

Janice Scissors

Check out my web site at: https://cutclutterwithscissors.com

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Gardening – Where to Start

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Gardening season is getting a late start here in the Midwest due to the unseasonably cool weather and rain. I have already lost a month of the season and now it is catch up time. When things don’t go as planned it is so easy to get overwhelmed.

This weekend I will take paper and pen and walk all around the outside of my house. I will write down what needs to be done, both maintenance and fun things. The front, back, and each side of the house will be a separate zone.

As I examine each zone I will write down what needs to be done with the house itself. Does the house need painting or a gutter fixed? Do the windows need fresh caulk or a crack in the foundation filled? Then I will write down what needs to be done with the landscaping in that zone. Does it need more mulch, shrubs pruned, or flowers purchased and planted? What are the growing conditions in that area? If you take that information to the garden center you will be able to buy plants that match that environment, thus making your gardening easier all summer long.

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After I finish writing down what is needed and what I would like to do (the fun stuff), I will prioritize the list for each zone. This way I have a clearer idea of what needs be done first and what can wait.

This technique helps me get rid of that overwhelmed feeling so I can start taking action to accomplish my gardening tasks.

What do you do when you feel overwhelmed? Share your techniques in the comment section.

Janice Scissors https://cutclutterwithscissors.com

P.S. If you would like to receive weekly decluttering tips then sign up for my “free” newsletters.

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