Make-Do Mondays: Future Plans

September 13, 2009 By 2 Comments

makedomondays

see below for alternative button

At Make-Do Mondays we discuss how we’re simplifying, downsizing, repurposing, buying used, and using what we’ve got.

It’s a carnival celebrating creative problem-solving, contentment, patience and ingenuity. To participate, share your own make-do solution in the comments or write up a Make-Do Mondays post at your blog, then return here to link via Mr. Linky. Enjoy others’ ideas by clicking on Mr. Linky and then clicking on people’s names.

Here’s a mini-tutorial on Mr. Linky:

Click on the icon and a separate page will pop up. Type in your blog name and paste in the url of your new Make-Do Mondays post. Click enter and it should be live. If it doesn’t work, just include the link in the comments.

To visit people’s posts or check that yours worked, click on Mr. Linky and when the page comes up, click on a name. You should be taken right to the page provided.

Make-Do Mondays with Ann

I started thinking about the long-range goals for Make-Do Mondays a few weeks ago.

I started thinking, “You know, Works For Me Wednesday (WFMW) is sooooo similar to Make-Do Mondays. I wonder if I should just send people there and shut down Make-Do Mondays?”

If you haven’t seen WFMW, the emphasis is only slightly different. Many people linking to WFMW are sharing ideas that could be described as making-do. In fact, most of my own ideas would work just as well with WFMW, because in the end, both WFMW and Make-Do Mondays are all about great solutions.

However, I love encouraging a make-do mindset—a duct-tape, can-do attitude that encourages a person to get ingenious and be content with solutions that may not be cool or brand-new-shiny. But I’m nervous. Because, you see, I’m low on ideas these days and don’t think I can sustain the role as host.

So I’d like to open up the possibility of letting someone else host Make-Do Mondays. If you’re interested in taking on this carnival and running it from your site, please contact me via e-mail or in the comments.

If no one takes it on, I’ll invite readers and participants to migrate over to WFMW being hosted by We Are THAT Family. The information page for WFMW is HERE.

Regardless the future of Make-Do Mondays, you should visit WFMW to see all the ideas.

If the main button is too big, try this one:

makedomondays

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Visit NotSoFastBook.com to learn more about Ann’s new book.

Filed Under: Make-Do Mondays, WFMW, works for me wednesday

WFMW: Online Versions of Devotional Books

December 17, 2008 By 6 Comments

I like real books. I like holding them in my hand and turning pages. I like hauling them around in a canvas bag (A-B-A-B).

So, I also like using several books as part of my daily devotional routine. My routine changes from time to time, and a conversation with a dear friend inspired the following choices (links to book versions are provided first). 

I’ve returned to an old friend: My Utmost for His Highest.

And the One Year Bible (mine’s an older edition).

I’ve also used The Divine Hours.

While I’m not fond of reading long texts online, sometimes the convenience of having several different devotional “tools” while I’m working at my computer is a handy alternative.

Also, while traveling, it’s nice, simpler, and lighter to leave at least one of the books behind and instead access the same text via the Internet. In fact, The Belgian Wonder enjoys reading a daily devotional via his BlackBerry while riding the bus to work.

And tapping into these online options allows me to explore a new resource before investing in the book version. If I find that it fits where I’m at, I can use it online until I secure a hard copy.

So here are those same three online, along with some other online devotional resources you might like to check out:

  • One Year Bible online. You can choose the One Year Bible or the One Year Chronological Bible (left column). There’s a spot to select your preferred translation. Also on the left column, you can scroll down and click on the month. Then pick the date. It pulls up the readings for the day.
  • Divine Hours online. At the link provided, you’re asked to select your time zone. Once you click on yours, the reading of that day and hour pops up. By the way, I can’t vouch for anything else on this site, and every once in a while there will be a poem or reading that makes me scratch my head. But the passages are powerful, simple words from Scripture. Those, along with hymns and biblically based prayers serve as ”checkpoints” throughout the day–morning, noon, evening, and night.
  • My Utmost for His Highest online. Each day’s reading pops up automatically, and archives are available on the left by clicking on whatever day you wish.
  • Many more devotionals are available at One Place.com.
  • Elisabeth Elliot’s are here.
  • Other classics available at that same site include selections from Warren Wiersbe, Streams in the Desert, and Charles Spurgeon.
  • UPDATED (from suggestions in comments): A.W. Tozer 1 and A.W. Tozer 2, and Daily Light on the Daily Path (providing a brief selection for both morning and evening)

I’m enjoying the practicality and convenience of both online and book versions of devotionals. Would that work for you? Are you an online devotional reader, or are you strictly a printed page person?

For more WFMW ideas, hop over to Rocks In My Dryer.

Filed Under: Bible study, books, frugality, reading, simplicity, WFMW, works for me wednesday Tagged With: ,

Pumpkin Pie and Potato Preparation Primer

November 26, 2008 By 8 Comments

Well, I’m pretty late posting my Wednesday, pre-Thanksgiving helps.

But just in case someone needs a last-minute mashed potato preparation or pumpkin pie tip, let me share with you a brief story.

This took place before the days of Martha Stewart’s TV show or Internet search capabilities.

One time, shortly after I was married, The Belgian Wonder and I visited his family in Europe. My mother-in-law took me along to drop by the home of her friend Jacqueline who was preparing, as a gift to my in-laws, a meal for our large extended family reunion. 

The two of them chatted about the menu in French. I wasn’t following, as my French at that time was limited to “bonjour” and “merci.”  So I didn’t learn much about the preparation of boulettes (too bad…they were delicious).

I did, however, learn a handy potato tip.

Jacqueline lifted the cover on a clean white bucket to reveal a mound of peeled potatoes covered in water.

“What’s this?” I asked my mother-in-law in English. The meal wasn’t until the next day, but the potatoes were already peeled.

“The potatoes,” my mother-in-law replied.

“I see that, but…” I hesitated, not wanting to seem like I was doubting her friend’s kitchen know-how, “I thought potatoes go brown if you don’t cook them right after peeling.”

“I thought so, too,” my mother-in-law admitted, “but Jacqueline says that as long as they’re completely covered with water, they’re fine!”

Tip #1

Get Some Dirty Work Out of the Way: Submerge Peeled Potatoes

So that’s what’s working for me this Wednesday, the day before Thanksgiving. Instead of peeling potatoes tomorrow at the last minute while the turkey is being carved, I can peel them tonight, cover them in water and top with a lid, all ready to go. No need to be distracted from friends and appetizers because I have to stand over the sink peeling potatoes. No dripping water across the kitchen floor while frantically hurling the peelings into the trash–I’m so leisurely tonight, I can actually compost them if I want.

Tomorrow I’ll just drain them, replace with fresh water, and turn the burner on to boil them. Then, all we have to do at the last minute is mash.

Which leads me to my next tip.

Tip #2

Don’t Mash the Potatoes–Blend!

Instead of mashing by hand, smashing for several wrist-wrenching minutes, simply plug in the hand blender and whirr away. So fast. So simple. Such smooth, lump-free potatoes.

And if you really feel crazy and daring (maybe not on Thanksgiving, but some other time), you can also cook sweet potatoes or carrots and blend them together with the potatoes.

Tip #3

Ann’s All-Time Favorite Pumpkin Pie

I know it’s probably too late for those of you who have already made your pies, but I have a favorite recipe.

It’s from the back of a can of pumpkin.

I’ve experimented with several recipes from the backs of pumpkin cans, and I’ve also tried out some recipes online. Most of them have been, well, “meh.”

My all-time favorite?

Stokely’s.

PUMPKIN PIE (STOKELY’S BACK-OF-CAN)

1 can (16 oz) pumpkin

1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk

2 eggs, slightly beaten

3/4 C brown sugar

1 T flour

1/2 t salt

1/2 t ground cinnamon

1/4 t ground ginger

1/4 t ground nutmeg

1/4 t ground cloves

1 9-inch unbaked homemade pie crust.

Preheat oven to 450. Blend all ingredients and pour into unbaked pie shell. Bake 20 mins.

Reduce temperature to 350. Bake 35 minutes more or until knife inserted comes out clean. Cool completely on rack.

I cover the crust-edges with strips of aluminum foil formed into curves and balanced along the rim of the pie pan. They stay there almost the entire baking time. For the last 10-15 minutes I take off the foil and let the crust get a little brown. Otherwise it almost burns.

Tip #4

Visit Works For Me Wednesday

Visit Works For Me Wednesday at Rocks In My Dryer for more last-minute Thanksgiving tips (and other useful solutions to life’s little problems).

p.s. For those who saw my Thanksgiving Preview, I chose not to use the white tablecloth. Instead, I opted for two very long coordinating cloths on our two long tables. They’re golden. I thought you should know, as I felt sort of hypocritical folding up the white one and tucking it back into the storage cabinet.

My mom assures me that we will, however, have pea salad; and for that, I’m truly grateful.

Filed Under: Uncategorized, WFMW, works for me wednesday Tagged With: , ,

WFMW: A Word about Hand Blenders

November 12, 2008 By 11 Comments

hand-blender

Until recently, it seemed that few people around these parts had even heard of a hand blender, let alone seen one in action.

So permit me to introduce you to mine.

This handy little gadget is ubiquitous in Belgian kitchens — they’re used every day in food preparation; most often, I suspect, to blend delicious soups.

Small, easy to store, easy to clean, the Kroeker hand blender has already been hard at work this week whirring away making strawberry yogurt smoothies and butternut squash soup.

I’ve also used it to make hummus from scratch by shoving it into the bowl to smoosh together the garlic, tahini and chick peas.

A hand blender makes milkshakes in a jiffy, too.

We tried to take a smoothie-making video, but it didn’t turn out. So we have instead a photo series.

hand-blender-in-action2

Whirring, whirring, whirring….

hand-blender-finished1

Tap, tap, tap….

smoothie-in-glass

Slurp!

Just a reminder: Traditional blenders have lids; hand blenders do not. Therefore you must remember that you won’t be able to use a lid while working with a hand blender. If you decide to give it a go, be sure to immerse the blade section down into the ingredients, or it could splatter a little.

Also, unlike a traditional blender, you can’t walk away while it’s at work. It’s a hand blender, so you’re holding it with your hand. You’ll have to stick around until the processing is over.

Those are the only weaknesses I’ve encountered so far, and I’ve used it for years.

It won’t replace a Vita-Mix, of course, but for many applications, I find it to be a great alternative to a standard blender, with advantages such as the fact that it rinses perfectly clean in seconds and slips right back into its slim box for easy, compact storage.

For more Works For Me Wednesday ideas, pop on over to Rocks In My Dryer, hub of all things helpful.

Oh, and feel free to browse my WFMW archives, as well.

Filed Under: home, WFMW, works for me wednesday Tagged With:

WFMW: Feeling Nifty being Thrifty

October 29, 2008 By 7 Comments

Well, there’s nothing like a national financial crisis to inspire people to greater frugality.

These days I prefer using the happier term, thriftiness. For years, I’ve thought of myself as “cheap.” I love that I can now refer to myself as “thrifty.” It’s trendy, these days, to be thrifty. Plus, who can resist using a word that rhymes with “nifty”?

Well, speaking of nifty, my kids are trying hard to make-do when they see nifty stuff in stores that they want to buy. I encourage them to see if they can come up with a creative alternative first.

One of my daughters wanted a purple iPod case.

Next thing I know, she showed me this:

The color isn’t very true, but it’s purple all right. Made from an old soccer sock. She learned how to make pom-poms earlier this year and whipped one together to add a fun, coordinating touch.

I showed her some Etsy products that were priced in the teens that didn’t look much more nifty than her invention, and she was pleased.

So while I certainly don’t want to make light of our nation’s financial nightmare, I will say that our family is responding with more creativity and contentment than I thought possible.

We’re all feeling kind of nifty being thrifty.

For more clever, creative and thrifty ideas, visit Rocks In My Dryer.

Filed Under: children, creativity, family, frugality, self-discovery, simplicity, slowing, WFMW, works for me wednesday Tagged With:

Bonus Bathroom Storage that Works for Me

October 8, 2008 By 5 Comments

Before I was married, I lived in a simple, inexpensive apartment with a couple of roommates. We all shared one full bathroom.

Several other friends had newer, nicer apartments, and I coveted their master baths and walk-in closets. I told myself that if at all possible, someday, I wanted to own a house with a master bath and walk-in closet.

That “someday” arrived nine years ago when we bought our current home. It has a walk-in closet and a simple master bath (I say simple, because it has a small shower, no tub, and only one sink, compared with the more modern and fancy bathrooms that have two sinks and garden tubs as well as big showers).

It’s been so great–my only “problem” was that in the bath area, the only storage was under the sink. And The Belgian Wonder and I have only one drawer each. We didn’t mind and used baskets to organize everything in the cabinets. While more space certainly wasn’t necessary, I always thought I would appreciate just a few more spots for odds and ends.

At Goodwill one day I found an over-the-door cloth shoe storage organizer (Shabby Chic brand originally from Target). The pockets were very deep and made of a sturdy material.

I brought it home, hung it over the door to my walk-in closet, and now, when I stand at the sink, I can open the closet door and have all my gadgets and hair gizmos readily accesssible.

 

You can see a couple of curling irons and a hair dryer sticking out. Tucked deep in the pockets are several other types of items:

  • Hair dryer
  • Curling irons
  • Hair brushes and combs
  • Hair clips and elastics
  • Scarves
  • Deodorant
  • Lotion
  • Bottom row: clean cleaning cloths
  • Top row: topical ointments and a few medications

It fits a lot of stuff, the pockets deep enough to keep it subtle, and the entire thing still looks kind of pretty with the Shabby Chic trim.

Close the closet door, and it’s gone.

It’s a removable medicine cabinet; a flexible and accessible storage unit.

Discover what works for others (there’s a lot that works for lots of others) at Rocks In My Dryer.

Also, consider jumping into Mega Memory Month (you can do it; it’s not too late!).

Filed Under: creativity, family, frugality, home, simplicity, WFMW, works for me wednesday Tagged With: , , , , ,

Baking Soda Soak for Stink-Removal

September 24, 2008 By 2 Comments

I have discovered that athletic tops made from manmade fabrics (the kind that “wick away moisture”) can get extremely stinky after a workout.

I have also, thankfully, discovered that the stinkiness can be eliminated by soaking the tops in water with baking soda.

No specific measurements are needed. Just shake a pile of soda in a bucket (how big of a pile? Shrug), stick in the stinky tops, add water to cover, and soak until the next load goes into the washer.

They emerge from the washer odor-free.

This discovery has resulted in a much more pleasant family life.

For more tips, visit Rocks In My Dryer’s Works For Me Wednesday.

Filed Under: Uncategorized, WFMW, works for me wednesday

15 Everyday Ideas to Borrow from the French (and Belgians)

July 23, 2008 By 29 Comments

While in Europe, I informally interviewed some relatives about differences between American and French (and Belgian) women. The conversation was intriguing, and we ended up generating clothing styles and eating habits that I can share with you here.

By incorporating these simple, practical ideas into our lives, we may end up feeling just a little more European:

  • Shoes: French and Belgian women never wear athletic shoes unless they’re actually in a gym working out. For everyday wear, they might consider city-style sneakers designed with gold or darker colors, but not actual running or cross-training shoes like we do.
  • Dress Up a Notch: By typical American standards, European women dress up even to run errands. The thought of dashing out in a pair of sweats to get something at the store would be unheard of. They won’t necessarily don their skirts and heels (though maybe in Paris), but they’ll probably have on decent slacks and dark shoes. This summer trip I was seeing everybody in vacation clothes rather than everyday clothes: they wore long shorts, capris, sandals and cute flip-flops.
  • Simple Wardrobe: Although Belgian and French women tend to dress up more than their American counterparts, they don’t own an abundance of clothes. Instead, they have a few nice things, most of which will complement each other in some way, and make the most of what they have. This may be driven by the fact that their closet and storage space is generally more limited than what a typical American home would offer. Also, clothes are more expensive there than here. Or, perhaps they realize what we have yet to learn–that more is not always better.
  • Basic Black: Not all, but a lot of French and Belgian women really do like black as a wardrobe staple. It might be the background color of a dress, or one article of clothing (the blouse, the pants) worn with something patterned, but black is a color to depend on. I wore a long grayish dress with a black shrug and black shiny flip-flops and received several comments from my French brother-in-law that I’d achieved a very French “look” with that outfit.
  • The Scarf: Every time I travel to Europe, I’m struck by how often I see scarves on women. In cooler temperatures, they wrap pretty winter scarves around their necks and often leave the scarves on even if they take off their jackets. In spring and summer, they tie a stylish scarf around their necks employing a variety of creative twists and ties. I wrote about this in another post and linked to a site with knot-instructions. Here’s that scarf-tying link yet again.
  • Perfume: My sister-in-law explained that French women always have a spritz of perfume on and like to comment on each other’s scents. “Oh, that’s a nice perfume–it smells tropical.” “Yes, it’s my summer scent.” I’m allergic to so many perfume scents that I gave up wearing it long ago. After talking with my sister-in-law, however, I’m tempted to go out and try to find something that doesn’t give me migraines, just so I can smile and say demurely, “Why, thank you…that hint of honeysuckle you picked up on is my summer scent, reminding me of my childhood growing up in the countryside.”
  • Unfussy Hair: The hairstyles of French and Belgian women look sharp, but not fussy. One sister-in-law said, “Even for a nice event, they’ll just pull their hair back with a barrette, stick a few clips in and be done with it. It’s simple, but they always look great.”
  • Matching Fancy “Under Things”: My brother-in-law wasn’t sure it would be appropriate to bring up, but he remarked that French women like to match their under garments with their clothes. How he knew this, I’m not entirely sure, unless he’s going with what his wife has reported. But talk about attention to detail–I’m told that French women talk freely with their female colleagues about their totally matching outfits. A red blouse simply must have matching red lace underneath.
  • Guilt-Free Treats: A French woman feels free to treat herself to a nice pastry at breakfast or a chocolate dessert completely guilt-free. She exercises restraint in that she won’t wolf down a dozen donuts, but she doesn’t deprive herself from simple pleasures like a small chocolate mousse. She eats it while sitting down and without being hurried in the least.
  • Daily Soup (Belgian): Belgians have soup every day for lunch. It’s a cultural habit. Healthy, too.
  • Aperitif: At 6:30 p.m. in a French home, it’s time for l’aperitif, the French cocktail hour. Some alcohol is served with something as simple as peanuts or as involved as creatively prepared appetizer-style snacks. Someone might make martinis or other mixed drinks. When I mentioned that I’m not much of a mixed-drink person, the French relatives assured me that sodas and fruit juices are an appropriate option, as well.
  • Le Gouter: French women don’t snack between meals, but most do enjoy le gouter, a snack taken between 4 and 6. This New York Times article does a nice job describing it to Americans. Le gouter is a good time for the French woman to enjoy her guilt-free chocolate croissant, some yogurt, fruit, or a biscuit (cookie).
  • Yogurt & Cheese Course: The French enjoy a cheese course with their meals that may replace the dessert or be served just before the dessert. The French love their yogurt, too. Because French women don’t drink milk, this is a way to get some easier-to-digest calcium into their diet.
  • Hostess Gift: When a French or Belgian is invited to someone’s house for dinner, it’s customary to take a cake, pie, box of chocolates or some nice flowers and a bottle of wine as a hostess gift. Whether or not it’s customary in the states, it sure sounds like a fun idea to me.
  • Mushroom-hunting: My sister-in-law in France said she was amazed at what a big deal mushroom hunting is there. Women will head off in their high heels with bags in hand to aller aux champignons, to go in search of mushrooms. I’m a little fearful of incorporating this into my life simply to feel more European. I mean, I don’t know a deadly mushroom from a morel. I think this is one custom I’ll leave to the French women in their completely matching outfits and nice shoes.

So. There you go:  Ideas straight from the experience and observations of my Belgian/French relatives for how you, too, can incorporate small changes into your life to feel a little more European.

Everything but the matching undergarments and mushroom-hunting works for me.

For other more straightforward solutions to everyday problems, visit Works For Me Wednesday. They’ll be so much more helpful.

Filed Under: change, creativity, travel, Uncategorized, WFMW, works for me wednesday Tagged With: , , , , ,

Corrie Ten Boom Online Treasures

July 15, 2008 By 9 Comments

Check it out! I can write a short post!

I thought I’d prove it to you…in contrast to yesterday’s incredibly long post about touring the ten Boom museum.

Online I found some Ten Boom treasures to share with you:

  • A youthful Pat Robertson interviews Corrie in 1974 (interspersed with a few short clips from “The Hiding Place” movie). It’s so neat to see and hear her.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=038cuYe3Nis]

  • A woman posted a very short video shot from inside the Hiding Place in Corrie’s house. You’ll feel like you yourself have climbed inside and lowered the secret door.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLnfRt03rkU&feature=related]

  • This is a video slide-show someone uploaded with snapshots similar to mine. Complete with dramatic music and a bit of footage from the film as an intro. A little hokey, but it shows you the place.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8K6jxHjf04&feature=related]

It worked well for me this week to find all of this, as I’ve been thinking about her a lot lately. So my Works For Me Wednesday tip is that thanks to technology, I can dig deep into the Internet when I want to know more about something. And then I can share the wealth.

Enjoy learning more about Corrie ten Boom.

Return to Rocks In My Dryer by clicking here.

Visit the archived Ann Kroeker WFMW tip-collection here.

Filed Under: blog, Blogger, blogging, books, lifelong learning, mind, Uncategorized, WFMW, works for me wednesday Tagged With: ,

Travel Tips

July 8, 2008 By 6 Comments

I’m home. Finally.

Two loads of laundry out of the way. Most bags unpacked. Travel successes and failures still fresh in my mind.

Here’s are several things that worked for me on this vacation:

Nylon sports bag.

I threw this in my suitcase at the last minute, not knowing how much I’d use it.

It became the ideal daypack, very flexible. For example, it stays inconspicuous as it lies fairly limp when carrying only a few necessities, like a water bottle, camera and wallet. But if I ended up buying something, it would expand to hold quite a bit. I stuffed all kinds of things into it for the beach–a book, notebook, pen, rain jacket, water bottle, shells, towel. I could even sit on it in the sand to provide a little protection from the dampness. It also worked great when we biked or went to the pool.

It rolls down to almost nothing, and taking up virtually zero space, can be easily tucked in a suitcase, backpack, or even a purse:

Next time we go on any trip, I’m having everyone roll up a personal sports bag to slip into the corner of his or her suitcase, or fold it flat and slide it into those rarely used front pockets. Other than my camera, this bag was the single most used item I packed. And they’re so cheap–we got four for free from a booth at a neighborhood carnival. If we don’t feel like advertising the company that handed them out, we just flip the writing side to the back, as you saw in the photos.

The only negative is that the strings don’t feel so great against bare skin. When I wore my swimsuit to the beach, I preferred to first slip on a T-shirt or tank top so that the strings rested against the material.

It could also work as a reusable shopping bag, for those who are trying to be eco-friendly but leave the bags at home or in the trunk. Try it out next time you go shopping. Just roll it up and stuff it in your purse; it’ll be right there at the checkout.

Categorizing and Containerizing

Another success was determining categories of items to pack and separating them into bags. I actually use this method on a daily basis in my purse, and merely expanded on the concept for the trip. Here’s a quick snapshot of my bags:

Top-to-bottom:

  • Brown bag contains a mini hairbrush, hair clips and elastics;
  • Blue bag holds first-aid items such as Claritin, Excedrin, band-aids and triple antibiotic cream;
  • Blue bag with swirls holds, um, how shall we say it, “personal” items;
  • Light blue with pastel colors holds makeup basics; 
  • Cloth toile bag is the least precise, because it serves as a mini-purse. It can hold several frequently used items, like a nail file, small tissue pack, antibacterial gel, a stray band-aid or two in case I didn’t have the entire blue first-aid bag, chapstick, two business cards, and one emergency ”personal” item.

I simply grabbed the bags I thought would be needed that day and toss them in my purse or daypack. The kids got to know which bag held the first-aid items and could run to the room and snatch it when needed.

This containment system worked with my own logic (each person should lean on his or her own, as my own logic doesn’t always make sense to others) and kept things easily transferable from one bigger container, like a suitcase, to another, like a daypack.

Of course I had a toiletries bag, as well; but it wouldn’t be tossed into a daypack or purse for use on the go.

These small, makeup-sized bags are not a big investment: I found them all at Goodwill, each at 99 cents.

Neither of these ideas is all that novel, but perhaps one will help minimize somebody’s minor travel woes.

Change of Clothes in Carry-on

Everybody knows to take a toothbrush, toothpaste, and a change of clothes (especially underwear) in a carry-on bag, right? This is so that if you arrive at your destination, but your bags don’t, you have options. This happened to us, and we were glad to have something to wear the next day.

Empty Water Bottle

You can’t take liquids on the plane, but you can take an empty plastic water bottle (be sure it’s totally empty). Fill it up on the other side of security and avoid the high-priced bottles offered at the airport gift shop (plus, feel good about recycling). We filled ours, dropped them in our red sports bag, and took them everywhere, as drinking fountains are extremely rare in Belgium and Holland. A very small bottle is handy, as it isn’t so heavy to tote around.

Time Change and Jetlag: Don’t Look Back

My father-in-law, a world traveler, has always encouraged me to change my watch to the time zone of my final destination so as to start living it and adjusting to it. I used to say things like, “No wonder I’m tired–back home, it’s 2 in the morning,” and he would point out that by continuing to look back like that, I was keeping myself from enjoying the present and shifting faster through jetlag. Somewhere along the way, I started following his advice and have found it to be wise and accurate. I change my watch as soon as I’m on the last plane.

Speaking of jetlag, we had the longest travel time ever on this trip–with three planes and some drive-time, we were awake for 24 hours when we got in last night.

Thus, while not wanting to make excuses, those are the few tips that my weary brain can drag up at the moment.

What kinds of travel solutions have you implemented?

For more tips, check out Works For Me Wednesday at Rocks In My Dryer.

Filed Under: creativity, frugality, simplicity, The Wimpy Environmentalist, travel, WFMW, works for me wednesday Tagged With: ,