If you could give advice to your pregnant, pre-kid self, what would you say?
During the summer I spent in the Great White North, I had the opportunity to be involved in a photo-shoot-turned-tear-jerker video project that asked that very question. When I smiled and held up my card, I had no idea what a powerful message would result when all our collective wisdom was strung together with music. Check out this beautiful video, masterminded by Scott Stratten from Unmarketing and Alison Kramer from Nummies. Thanks so much for including me. It was so fun to be a part of it!
If you could go back and talk to your pregnant self, what would you say? Let me know in comments!
It’s not easy being geek. Check the bottom of my purse or laptop bag and you’ll find a tangled ball of headphone cords, peripheral cables, dongles and thumb drives (those last two sound more exciting than they are, believe me). Answering my phone is always a colossal event, as I have to pry it from the grips of the mess, and by the time I’ve determined which of the plastic-metal boxes is my phone, it’s usually gone to voice mail. Sigh.
That’s why when I stumbled across Cocoon Innovations and their amazing Grid-It system, I was intrigued. Actually, I was jump-up-and-down excited because I was heading to BlogHer and KNEW that I couldn’t afford to be digitally disorganized as I made my way through the convention halls.
The Grid-It system consists of a board wrapped with a basketweave of rubberized elastic bands that intersect in varying widths, so that some of the spaces between them are large enough to hold a camera, and some are small enough to hold a pen. Cocoon Innovations was kind enough to send me their new iPad Sling to wear at the conference (thank you, CI!), and not only did it do WONDERS for my back because of it’s over-the-shoulder design, but the Grid-It board that came with it kept my lip gloss handy, as well as my cell phone and Flip video camera (a geek chic triumvirate if there ever was one!)
Cocoon Innovations makes all kinds of corralling gear for geeks— cases for laptops, gaming devices, phones, camera bags and more, most of which come with a Grid-It, which can also be purchased separately.
Cocoon Innovations was kind enough to give me an iPad Sling to wear at BlogHer, but I was not compensated for this post in any other way. I also would never write a positive review just cause I got free stuff. That would be icky.
The BlogHer conference was a blast, and I hopped from party to party, collecting business cards like a mad woman and tweeting up a storm. I might have even made some great joint venture deals— hard to remember with all that wine and swag flowing! Now that it’s over, I’ve got sore feet, stacks of business cards and days worth of unanswered emails. The party is definitely over!
The idea of following up with everyone I met and catching up on the work that I missed is making my brain throb. I am definitely experiencing Conference Crash. Here are the helpful tools and apps that I’m going to use to make my post-BlogHer recovery a little less painful.
Trapped inside each card in that stack you collected is a friendship, an opportunity, some great information, your next client or your next sale. And trapped they’ll stay if you don’t have a way to swiftly get them all into your contact management system, a daunting and time consuming task. Consider yourself rescued by Neat Receipts. This diminutive yet powerful scanner reads and extracts key information from your cards, documents and receipts so you can export it into your own system or database. Scan those scribbled notes you took at the keynote, hand-outs and flyers, and receipts you need to track for your next expense report— using Neat Receipts is like hiring a personal assistant to do all your typing for you, and it won’t even ask you for a raise.
Where can you store that business plan you wrote on the back of a napkin, the Exhibitor Hall contact list, that audio interview you recorded with the keynote speaker, and that photo of the Chardonnay label you sipped at the sponsor party? Evernote is like one big giant notebook you can tuck just about anything into. If you can see it or think of it, Evernote can help you store, organize and retrieve it. Web clippings, lists, documents, scans, audio files and more, all can be tagged and organized so you know you’ll be able to find it when you need it. Stuff it full of stuff from all corners of your digital life, and it will never be as heavy as your conference bag.
Stacks of unanswered emails are the worst side effect of Conference Crash. There’s urgent stuff— bills, work tasks, and emails from “real” people—sandwiched in between the department store coupons and mass newsletters. OtherInbox helps you get to that stuff first, and fast. It’s like having someone sort through your email, leaving all the important stuff in your inbox, then organizing and filing the rest for you to peruse when you’re done playing catch-up. Use the Organizer to teach OtherInbox about which emails are important to you and which can be tucked away to read later. Now, your inbox is a little less overwhelming and you can find your mom’s cat photos that much quicker (unless you tell OtherInbox to file her emails away— mums the word).
You met so many lovely people in 48 hours, but let’s face it, you want to network with some of the big fish first. How can you know whether that woman you met in the bathroom is a hobby bloggess, or a social media maven with legions who hang on her every word? Klout can help you determine the overall online influence of anyone. Just enter their twitter handle and you’ll get a thorough evaluation of things like their “Amplification Probability” (how likely their tweets are retweeted, or spark conversation), and their “Network Score” (how influential their followers are). Now you can make an informed decision about who to include in your first line of response— you’ll get to the rest, but first get to the ones with the most Klout— er, clout.
A hand-written “nice to meet you” note for everyone you encountered at BlogHer would be the ultimate smooth move— what better way to stand out from the pack? But writing all those letters is a one-way ticket to carpel tunnel, not to mention that most of your contacts didn’t give you their mailing address, and the postage bill would be sizeable. Send a card without the hassle with Cocodot, the eco-chic e-greeting company. Select from thousands of beautiful templates, then customize fonts and colors ‘til your heart’s content. Send a card to one or many, and each arrives in your recipient’s inbox in a digital envelope, which opens to reveal your beautiful card. The experience of opening one is so visceral it’s almost like the real thing. Upload your blog logo or company name for an even more personalized touch, or add a picture of yourself to the card to jog a new contact’s memory about what you look like.
I’m attending BlogHer, a female blogging conference in New York next week, and I’ve been trolling Twitter feeds like a mad woman, trying to make new friends and connect with old ones that will be at the conference. Hanging with 2,000 women seems overwhelming— who will I sit with for breakfast? will I bump into anyone I know? And will I be wearing the right shoes?
I thought I’d reach out to all you amazing blogging females before I jump into the crowd, and say “Hello, nice to meet you. Tell me about your blog!”
If you’re attending BlogHer, I’d love for you to comment below and introduce yourself. Tell me who you are, and what your blog is about. (Hey, it’s a good opportunity to practice your elevator pitch!)
Behind every great mom, there’s a great planner. A battered notebook or agenda, wearing formula stains and jelly fingerprints like so many battle scars. Agenda items about next week’s staff meeting sit alongside grocery lists and reminders to sign-up for soccer clinic. Pockets bulge with business cards, permission slips and a list of books you’d love to read… one day. Or maybe you’ve gone the digital route, and you need a screen and a pair of thumbs to access your life. Either way, every mom’s brain needs a place to offload, process and organize both work and home life.
I’ve rounded up some of the best planners made especially for us, usually by other moms who get how wacky it is to try and manage life with kids. Here are my favorites— enjoy finding the right one for you!
Paper
For the Big Brood
When you’ve got a pile of kids, all of whom have schedules of their own, you need a planner that acts like air traffic control— guiding in one kid’s arrival from martial arts so that it doesn’t collide with another’s departure to band practice. Oh yeah, and then there’s your schedule, which you need to see simultaneously to keep things running smoothly. Good thing MomAgenda and Mom’s Weekly Planner have got this concept down, giving you wide open pages to plan the flight schedule. Mom’s Weekly Planner has a spot for important contacts, and tear-off to-do sheets you can take with you. MomAgenda’s Day Planner offers a full address book, a fitness log, party planning pages, and many more resources, all wrapped in a stylish cover that says, “I’m not too frazzled to be fiercely chic.” MomAgenda Daily Planner $43 at momagenda.com; Mom’s Weekly Planner $19.99 at http://www.peterpauper.com
For The Perky
Crack the cover of Erin Condren’s Life Planner and you’ll be invited to “Carpe Diem!” Hard not to seize the day when you’re organizing them with this highly-customized, rainbow-colored planner. But it’s not just a pretty face— this 18-month calendar allows you to see life by the week and month, using a clean design and really functional pages. Its “to do” and “to delegate” task sheets offer a reminder to take some stuff off your plate, and a tear-off notepad makes quick work of grocery lists or meeting agendas. With an address/phone book, stickers, monthly motivational messages and helpful add-ons like a storage envelope and a clip to bookmark your place, this is one sunny little book that means business. $24 at http://www.erincondren.com.
For Those Who Travel Light
If you’re looking for a planner that doesn’t weigh a ton but packs some powerful tools, Buttoned Up’s Family.Agenda has got it all. It defies the physics of a 2-page spread by giving you big blocks of space to see your life in weekly and month views. Plus a special page to track “scheduled” events (so you don’t have to write them in over and over). Plus, leave it to Buttoned Up to pepper their planner with helpful organizing advice, and opportunities to “do” what’s important and “delegate” the rest. All in a lightweight, soft-cover book that’s smaller than a magazine and a lot more helpful. $10.99 at Organize.com.
For the Eco-organized.
Some days, life with kids can make you wonder if you’ve lost your mind. Keep your head on straight by getting a LobotoME— not the surgery, the eco-friendly notepads and planners! The MomME Weekly Planner, made with soy inks and recycled paper, has plenty of space for the days events, plus encouragement to eat right, exercise and find time for you. Grocery and list pads help make easy work of list-making and trips to the market. And if you feel like you’ve lost your marbles, head to the MantraMe poster for inspiration (you can download it as free desktop wallpaper or purchase the poster for some kick-in-the-pants wall art). Plus, if you become a fan, you can sell LobotoME products at your next fundraiser, or become an affiliate. It’s a no-brainer. MomME Weekly Planner $19.95 lobotoME.com.
For The Non-Committal
Sometimes you don’t need an agenda so much as a war room— a place have a strategy meeting or brainstorming session with yourself, get clear, and go go go. You need scratchpads, and lots of them, all designed to get you clear on different things. Mom Essentials has got you covered, and then some. Built by Amy Keroes of MommyTracked fame, it’s a series of tear-off sheets that help you plan your week, track to-dos, and plan menus with grocery lists. There’s even space for the phone numbers of your favorite take-out places (keepin’ it real) and pages to track your favorite websites. Knock Knock’s 5 Days A Week Paper Mousepad and other fabulous pads also offer indispensable, disposable support for a mom with a lot on her mind. Their “All Out Of” pad reminds you when you’re out of milk, and their “Planning the Menu” pad makes easy work of “What’s for dinner?” Mom Essentials Mom Essentials Planner $14.95 Pokkadots;5 Days A Week Paper Mousepad $11 at Knock Knock.
Digital
For the Master Coordinator
Cozi isn’t just a web-based family planner, it’s grand central station for simple family management. Adding items to your calendar is a breeze with an update field that understands english (When you type “PTA Meeting on Thursdays” it adds the recurring appointment automatically). Make multiple to-do lists so that you can track your errands separately from your phone calls. It’s mobile version is accessible from any smartphone plus there’s a snazzy iPhone app, so you’ll never be standing at the market wondering what you need (and you can text a list to your husband if he volunteers to stop on his way home). Plus a great journal feature allows you to capture life’s little moments and effortlessly create a website to share with friends and family. It’s FREE and easy to get started. Sign-up for free at Cozi.com.
For the List-Obsessed
If lists are your addiction, thenListPlanItis like the pusher who gives you your fix. There’s a checklist, worksheet or to-do list for every possible scenario in your busy life, from planning a move to keeping track of what you lend to your neighbors, to budgeting to packing your diaper bag. The weekly and monthly planner templates offer you printable time management help in day, week, month or year formats. Membership offers you access to all these and more so that you can print, itemize and check-mark to your heart’s content. Memberships from $20-50/year at ListPlanIt.com.
For the Tough Cookie.
If you’re looking for one do-it-all solution for managing your schedule, meal plans, contacts, finances, household inventory, goals and lists, plus a personal journal you can confide in about your impossibly high standards, you’ve met your match with the Daily Home Planner. Homeschoolers will love it’s functionality for planning lessons, and lots of demonstration videos will inspire you to use it more ways than you might have thought. Available as a Windows desktop application ($19.95) and web-based app ($5/month), either is a small price to pay for organizational zen.dailyhomeplanner.com.
When it comes to organizing products, I always go for function over style. You probably won’t see me file my tax receipts in a leopard-patterned accordion file, or clip my documents together with dog bone paperclips.
That said, it doesn’t hurt when your organizing system is easy on the eyes and crafted with design decisions that actually help you do the tedious job of filing. Smead has done us all a favor by improving on standard issue filing supplies to make filing a snap. I’m in love with these three new products– have a look!
The Smead Stadium File™ is just like any other expanding file… except it’s not! It’s 12 roomy pockets are tiered, so you can see them all at once… genius! It’s large enough so you can drop folders in it too, so you can add even more ways to sort your paper. It’s got a small footprint, too, so it’s perfect for capturing paper on a tiny kitchen desk or any other small space. Available at Amazon.
The Smead SuperTab® File Folders are the answer to all my problems. I like to see just a teeny bit more information on the tab than the usual manilla allows, and these have a 90% bigger tab so I can get very specific about what’s inside. This helps me find them faster and retrieve things more quickly. The different colors add yet another visual cue— all my money stuff is in green, my clients are in blue, and my reference files are purple. Again, quick and easy to spot what I’m looking for. Available at Staples.
Lastly, the Smead Viewables® Labeling System adds polish to your file folders. With software and labels to help you create a system that screams, “Stand back, I am an organizing ninja.” Even more options to color coordinate groups of files, as well as fonts and templates to help you personalize your filing system so that it works for YOU. The labels wrap around the top of the tab, so you can read them from the front OR the back of the file… brilliant! Available at Office Depot.
Let’s just say, I’m hooked. Especially on those Super-Tab file folders. I will never go back to puny tabs! I’m transferring all my client files as we speak and my office already feels snazzier.
Learn more about Smead on their website and Facebook page, where you can join “Club Organomics”— a free community and resource center where you can interact with other filing nerds who love large tabs and stadium seats for their folders.
Ahem.
Seriously, there are amazing downloads, calculators, and tons of content to help you jump start your organizing and filing projects at home.
Next time you’re wandering the aisles at Staples, grab one of these Smead products and let me know what you think!
Disclosure: This is sponsored content and I have been given product samples and a nominal gift card to do this post. That being said, I don’t blog about anything I don’t use and love myself and Smead did not edit my post or direct our content in any way. That would be oh so wrong.
What makes you feel confident and downright pretty? iVillage and Fotobabble want to know, and you can share a talking picture with them to spill your secrets! Enter before June 30 and you could win a $500 gift basket from Sephora! Here’s me, sharing what makes me feel the most beautiful and confident.
Guest Post by Jenny Newcomer, founder of LobotoME.com
“Self-care is never a selfish act. Any time we can listen to our true self and give it the care it requires, we do so not only for ourselves but for the many others whose lives we touch.” – Parker Palmer, Let your Life Speak.
As a women with one husband, two kids, one dog and three businesses, I understand the challenges women face in taking care of themselves. However, I also know how important it is to keep ourselves fit, healthy and sane so that we can be better partners, better moms and more efficient workers. This is why I developed the line of LobotoME products, in particular the momME weekly planner, to encourage women to schedule time for self-care each day. LobotoME’s momME Planner has a section for everything in our busy lives including space for a daily schedule & to-do’s, events and birthdays, errands, healthy dinner plan, exercise tracking, household to-do’s, shopping list and the very important ME-time section. At the top of each new page there is also inspirational quotes and at the bottom there is a spot to remind you to take your vitamins and keep track of how much water you’re drinking (or not drinking!).
Here are some Ideas for daily self-care.
If you have 5 minutes – put your feet up, close your eyes, breathe.
If you have 30 minutes – write in your journal or go for a power walk.
If you have an hour – put in a workout DVD or take a bath.
If you have an afternoon – go on a 2 hour hike or catch a matinee
If you have a weekend – got on a solo road trip or take a trip to a nearby spa
As a mom I bet you have no shortage of photos, and what mom doesn’t like to show off her photos to the world, right?
Whether they want to see them, well that’s a different story!
Well we here at Mothercraft would LOVE to see your photos and get to know the mama behind the Facebook status updates! So in celebration of Mother’s Day and a mom’s love for photos, we’re hosting a Mother’s Day giveaway sponsored by Minted.com, my favorite online resource for GORGEOUS real-life cards (remember my holiday card how-to?).
I’ll be asking you a question of the day, and you’ll answer me by throwing a picture onto The Juicebox Facebook Fan Page. At the end of the contest, the judges at Minted will be choosing a Grand Prize winner, and one lucky mom will get a fabulous minty-green Kodak EasyShare Digital Camera, as well as 25 Minted Photo Cards of your choice.
Each day, starting Monday April 26th, through Saturday, May 8th at midnight, answer the question of the day by uploading a picture on The Juicebox Fan page. The more days you participate, the more entries you have for the Grand prize! Only one entry per day will be counted.
On Mother’s Day, May 9th, the folks at Minted.com will choose the best “photo answer” for the Grand Prize. The Grand Prize winner will win the Kodak Digital Camera as well as 25 photo cards from Minted.com. In addition, they will choose, at random, one winner who will also receive 25 Photo Cards from Minted.com, perfect for the holidays or birthday parties!
Have fun, share those pictures and tell all your friends about this fun and cool giveaway!
Fine Print:
You must have a working email address and phone number to accept the prize. All standard rules and regulations apply. This is not transferable. If at any time you violate the rules in the agreement we have the right to revoke the prize. We never add you to our mailing list, sell it, or give it away. You do not need to give us your mailing info unless you win. No purchase is necessary to enter any giveaway.
You must be a*facebook fan* to be eligible for our facebook giveaways.
One entry per mailing address, except for when you qualify for extra entries.
You must be 18 years of age to enter any of our giveaways.
You must be willing to give us your full name, address, and phone number if you are the winner.
We will contact the winner via the email address they have given us. The winner has 4 days to respond and we will only attempt to email twice. If we have not heard from the winner within 4 days we will select another winner via random.org. We are not responsible for our emails going into your junk folder.
We will announce the winners name on our facebook and twitter accounts- if you do not want your name published please do not enter.
We will share your name and mailing address if another company is sponsoring the giveaway and are shipping the merchandise (for shipping purposes only). We not responsible for third party privacy rules. We *never* share the non-winners’ information, even with a sponsor.
Specific rules stated in individual giveaways apply.
Mothercraft reserves the right to change or alter these rules at any time, so check back often.
Here they are: The winners from the “I Heart Organizing” Giveaway! This was such a huge hit and so much fun for me, I’d love to do another one! Maybe around Mother’s day… stay tuned….
Thanks to everyone for your insightful and hilarious answer to all my daily questions.
2/1
MomAgenda 2010 Planner— Stacey Parzik, Woodland Hills, CA
2/2
Buttoned Up Coupons— Shelagh Cummins, Toronto, ON
2/3
Julie Morganstern Balanced Life Planner— Jennifer Gerace Kinkade, Port St. Lucie, FL
2/4
Alice.com $10 New Customer Gift Card— Tricia Love, Albuquerque, NM
2/5
Pear Budget Year’s Subscription— Nicole Abbott, Rego Park NY
2/5 BONUS
Alice.com $10 New Customer Gift Card— Amy Reichbach Studio City, CA
2/8
Erin Condren $50 Gift Certificate— Danielle Collins McIntosh
2/9
Russell and Hazel Mini Smart Date Set— Whitney Trujillo, Denver, CO
2/10
Knock Knock “So Much To Do” Notepad— Tricia Love, Albuquerque, NM
2/11
Buttoned Up Would You Pad— Whitney Roberts , Marina Del Rey, CA
2/12
Muji Chrononotebook— Dawn Morrison Wagner, Thousand Oaks, CA
2/12 BONUSES
Alice.com $10 New Customer Gift Card— Irina Jordan, Oswego, IL
Alice.com $10 New Customer Gift Card— Amy Starr Allen , Broomfield, CO
2/15
Alice.com $10 New Customer Gift Card— Dawn Morrison Wagner, Thousand Oaks, CA
2/16
Buttoned Up Catch Up Pad— Irina Jordan, Oswego, IL
Grand Prize— Amy Hoppock, Boise ID
Clutter Diet Year Subscription
Whomi Clarity Agenda
Muji Chrononotebook
Alice $10 New Customer Gift Card
Erin Condren $50 Gift Certificate
I have found Carley Knobloch to be extremely caring, sensitive, knowledgable and helpful. Her willingness to share information about children’s speech issues with other mothers as well as her open communication style and honesty are extremely valuable qualities. I would never hesitate to call Carley for advice on language or speech issues or to recommend her to a friend. — B. Riney, Sales Executive
