Returns, Drop Offs and Time Saving

Returns, Drop Offs and Time Saving
By Jennifer Worthington Lower

After missing store return deadlines numerous times and wracking up close to $30.00 in movie rental fees, I figured out that having that stuff on hand was much better than leaving it at home. I inevitably find myself somewhere I didn’t expect and wasting time that I could have doing something constructive.

While running errands or getting an unexpected allotment of time during my lunch break, I will think to myself, “too bad I don’t have X, Y and Z with me. I’m right by the store.” It happens all the time and I have gotten wise to the whole thing. Now, if I have something to return to a store, it goes right back into the car with the receipt safely wrapped up in it. If there is a movie to return or a book borrowed from a friend, it’s already in the car so I can swing by whenever I have a free minute.

It doesn’t sound hard, but it’s such a timesaver. I can’t believe how long I went without figuring this out. I hate adding to the already gigantic list of things that are already in my car, but it’s much more convenient to have it with you and get to it when you can than having to waste time making special trips with late fees attached. It’s a waste of money, time and gas (and we know that’s a precious commodity at the moment-only to get worse).

Another tip that I have is to leave all mail that isn’t of immediate concern in the car. My mailbox is located at the top of our driveway and I will swing by and grab the mail on my way down. I sort, stick the important stuff in my purse, and put the rest into a pile on my center console. I take care of the immediate things and when I have a chance, I go through the other stuff and do what I need to. I either end up recycling a good bit of it, or it falls into the shredding category. I will recycle the junk mail before it ever enters the house and the rest gets put into the shredding bin to be shredded in a lump sum. Most of the junk never even makes it inside the house. I would much rather have some extra stuff in the car than have piles of clutter on the kitchen counter.

Much of what I have had to say for the last couple of weeks has revolved around the car. Can you tell I spend a lot of time there?

What to do with all of the Stuff???

I know I am not alone in the battle to fit all of the new stuff from Christmas into the house. We didn’t go crazy, but there is still a bunch of stuff that needs to find a home in the kids’ rooms and the toy box, so we spent time this weekend making room for the new. I am super sentimental and I hate the idea of getting rid of anything that has belonged to my children but I also have to be practical. It is a struggle for me but one thing that makes it more tolerable is knowing that I can either donate to people who are in need or make a few extra bucks.
One of my favorite places to visit is Butterflies and Blossoms in West Chester. This is an upscale consignment shop with new and used items. They have a great selection of well cared for pre-owned clothing and gear and brand new unique gifts and toys. They also have a maternity section. This was an awesome resource for me when I was pregnant! We eventually have to buy things to fit our expanding bellies and then it just sits in our closets or gets packed away for the next time. I bought casual and office-wear for half (sometimes less) than what I would have paid at the mall-some of it still had the tags on it!
They collect seasonally and rotate on an 8 week cycle. They take name brand clothing, toys and gear and at the end of the cycle you can collect money for the items that sold. You can pick up the items that don’t sell or have them donated for you. It’s a nice way to stream line the process. Butterflies and Blossoms is located on Five Points Road between Paoli Pike and West Chester Pike.

Working Mommy at Christmas

As a working mommy, I tend to get a little overwhelmed around the holidays because it feels like there is never enough time to get anything done. (I actually feel that way year round, but that for another post…) Between work and the stuff that needs to be done on a daily and weekly basis I feel like I am just cramming holiday cheer wherever it fits. The decorations are haphazardly put up, the stockings are still in the attic and presents lay strewn throughout the house. I have a feeling that some may even be lost but I won’t know this until the day before Christmas, because if I don’t get my butt in gear that’s when I might actually get around to wrapping anything. I once enjoyed Christmas shopping and getting into the malls just before the holiday but with two toddlers that sounds like a nightmare. I have resorted to mostly shopping online and having everything delivered to my door. It kind of takes the magic out of the whole thing. I used to lay out my gifts and organize them and make little name tags and wrap them meticulously. My gifts looked awesome under the tree. Now, if they are wrapped it is an accomplishment *sigh*.
But as I sit here typing I am watching falling snow and gazing at a decorated Christmas tree and Poinsettias. My kids are pressed up against the window watching the flurries accumulate into much more than the whether forecaster told us it would. Christmas carols are playing on the radio and I feel like it really is “the season” now. Regardless of that rushed feeling that has sat within me for the last month or the money that has been spent, Christmas will be a wonderful day celebrated with family, good food and gifts. The kids will have a ball and I will be taking countless pictures to capture all the important moments. My husband and brothers will have a blast playing with the kids and their new stuff and the grandparents will sit back with their coffee and tea and soak up the happiness that having their children and grandchildren surrounding them on Christmas brings. I make everything a bigger deal than it needs to be and I am thankful for moments of clarity like these. If you are feeling the pressure this week before Christmas, I hope that I have offered you some peace of mind.
I wish you and yours a happy holiday!

Longwood Gardens – Great Holiday Fun For The Whole Family

Longwood Gardens – Great Holiday Fun For The Whole Family

I want to thank Longwood Gardens for a fantastic time this weekend. We gathered the kids and grandparents (and one uncle) and headed there for the 5:30 entrance time on Saturday night. When we arrived and saw the traffic, we thought “oh, no.” We probably chose the busiest time of the weekend to check out Christmas at Longwood. But to our surprise and delight, the Longwood staff had things under control. The whole thing moved like a well oiled machine and we were parked and on our way to the entrance in minutes. It got a little congested inside but the employees were cheerful and diligent in making sure our tickets were scanned quickly and we were sent on our way into the gardens.

The first thing that you come to is the fountains and the beautiful light display that takes over the night. The kids were captivated by the music and color changing fountains. We wondered toward the “Lookout” that was like a big tree house and then we trekked over to the Conservatory to see the indoor displays. My two year old loved how each room was different and that there were so many things for her to see at her eye level. We spent much time carrying my youngest, and while he didn’t really know what was going on, he liked the lights and carolers that gathered in the large halls.

Everyone, including the grandfathers and the sixteen year old uncle, enjoyed themselves and we were home in time to get the kids to bed just after their usual bed time. The adults ordered pizza and enjoyed the cheer that comes with spending time together doing fun holiday activities with the little guys. I would recommend Longwood to anyone, any time of year, but especially at Christmas. It is definitely going to be a tradition for us to make a trip there this time of year and we are considering the year long passes as an option for whenever we need a fun outdoor activity for the kids.

Christmas at Longwood is open 9AM-9PM everyday through January 9th, 2011. If you are looking for something to get your family in the holiday spirit, I highly recommend checking it out!