Tag Archives: packing

Moving Day

As much as I hate moving, I’m pretty sure my baby hates it more. My husband and I believe in attachment parenting, so she’s spent most of her life in some sort of sling or wrap. She likes it, we like it, and everyone is happy. However, we’re moving in less than a week, and when there’s an apartment to pack up, the rules change. When I’m moving heavy boxes and lifting things off of high shelves, I don’t feel safe having her in tow. For that reason, she’s been spending a lot of time entertaining herself. She’s very good … Continue reading →

Supermodel Makes Headlines for Being “Bad Parent”

What do you consider “bad” parenting? When I think of bad parenting the words “abuse,” “neglect” and “abandonment” come to mind; not the words “packing a kid on a bike.” But that’s exactly what supermodel Elle MacPherson did with her 5-year-old son and not only did it get her in trouble with police, who deemed the gorgeous mother an “irresponsible, bad parent,” but it also landed her on the cover of a slew of British tabloids and incited national debate about what defines poor parenting. Here’s how this entire incident got started: A few weeks ago MacPherson propped her five-year-old … Continue reading →

Do You Over Pack?

I used to… until one trip when I ended up paying nearly the equivalent of my roundtrip ticket in luggage fees. Both my checked pieces weighed more than the allotted 50 pounds and I ended up paying in the triple digits to get them on the plane with me. It was a horrific experience (namely because the airline employee checking me in had me open one of my suitcases to see what we could stuff in my carry-ons so I wouldn’t have to pay the penalty fees—-she was great-—it was the blow to my wallet that was excruciatingly painful). Since … Continue reading →

Travel Tip: Packing The Right Plastic

Toothbrush. Check. Underwear. Check. Cellphone. Check. Credit cards. Check. You’ve packed your bags for your family vacation, but before you head out to the airport you might want to make sure you packed the right plastic. Whether you are traveling to Yosemite or flying half way around the world to the rainforests of Brazil, family trips can cost a lot of money. That’s why it’s important to check your wallet before you jet off to Hong Kong, Thailand… or Topeka. Not all credit cards are created equal. For example, travel experts recommend you leave your debit card at home. At … Continue reading →

How To Get Your Precious Bottles Home From Vacation

Friends of ours just spent two weeks in California where they took a tour of Napa Valley. Naturally, they picked up a few bottles of their favorite wines to bring back home. Unfortunately, they learned the hard way that carry-on restrictions prohibit passengers from bringing cherished whites and reds onboard their flight. Their story got me thinking about the bottle of champagne I won onboard a flight from Chicago to Honolulu a few months ago. United Airlines runs a “Half Way To Hawaii” contest where passengers are asked to guess the exact time (down to the second) the flight would … Continue reading →

Travel No-No: Packing Fireworks In Your Luggage

Sounds like a no brainer, right? You’d be surprised–not all travelers think alike. Some actually rationalize that there is nothing wrong about packing pounds of illegal fireworks in their airline luggage. And here’s the kicker: most of them are flying to or from Hawaii. According to the Federal Aviation Administration, more than a third of all fireworks found in airline luggage nationwide last year involved flights departing to or arriving from Hawaii. Honestly, I can’t say that I am shocked by the news. (Having been born and raised in Hawaii I know the role fireworks play in the state.) However, … Continue reading →

The Frugal Move: Free Packing Boxes

Moving can be a big expense; from closing costs or deposits to the price of movers, it starts to add up. We, ourselves, are in the middle of the moving chaos. We’ve found our perfect home and are waiting to sell our current one. Meanwhile, I have been packing up what I can, all of those things we can live without, such as summer clothes, my health and beauty stockpile, extra towels and blankets, some of the kids’ toys and most of my extensive book collection. I never realized how much stuff we have. Even after a major de-cluttering in … Continue reading →

Packing Tips for the Business Traveler

For years, I worked for Sprint, traveling to seven different states for my job. Personally, I loved it but it required good planning to make it work. Typically, I would be home for two weeks and then gone for anywhere from one day to a week. At first, I packed just about everything including the kitchen sink but soon after having to lug everything through the airport, I learned to pack more efficiently. By packing the right things, you can save yourself a huge headache. First, you need to know your exact plan for the trip. For instance, I would … Continue reading →

Living Out of a Box

Posted on by

I grew up in the same home pretty much my whole childhood and adolescence. I longed to be able to move to a new environment. I got my wish around 19 when I was getting married. In the past 9 years, I’ve lived in 8 homes, 3 of which were mortgaged. Needless to say, I know a little bit about living out of a box. When time to prepare for a move, my husband and I will collect boxes locally that would otherwise be used for recycle. I begin packing up anything that I know I wont be using from … Continue reading →

What’s In Your Trunk–Part 2

In “What’s In Your Trunk—Part 1,” I relayed advice I received from an organization “guru” (a.k.a. my neat-freak friend, Eric), regarding organizing the contents of my vehicle’s trunk. Part one dealt with what essential items should be stored in a trunk. Part two will deal with how to fit the “essentials” along with everyday items (for example, I have a toddler, so I store a stroller and spare diaper bag in my trunk) without having to hitch a trailer on your vehicle to accommodate everything. And with summer just around the corner, this blog will also provide a few tips … Continue reading →