Furniture Shopping

I’ve had a few anxiety attacks this week as I've been furniture shopping. I didn't realize how organized you had to be and how expensive furniture really costs. In order to make sure I was making the right choices, Cindy, a sales associate at City Furniture suggested that I go home and get these essential things before I even started to break out the credit card.

Digital Camera

Before you head out for an entire day of browsing, take pictures of your empty room (all angles). We sometime tend to over estimate how much space we really have to work with, having those pictures handy will remind you of what you’re working with. Also snap pictures of all the pieces you find that you really like, this makes it easy to compare.

Tape measure

Embrace the tape measure, love the tape measurements. I never thought I’d ever say that. Measure your room and write the specs on a reference sheet to take with you shopping. Make sure to measure your hallways and doors too. Remember the furniture is going to have to squeeze through those spaces too.

Pen and Note Pad

Use them for writing down tape measurements of the pieces you like, the stores name, and most importantly, the price.

Eye Candy

Bring ripped out pieces of room ideas that you love. It will help the sales person get a better idea of what it is you want. I tried explaining to the sales associate the type of bed I was looking for and no one could see the vision I had. When I showed them a picture of it off of google, they new exactly what I was looking for.

The Right Kind of Sneakers

Sometimes a great motivator for working out is a great pair of kicks. If you’re working out on a regular basis, top-of-the –line sneakers are a great investment. Old worn out sneakers can lead to blisters, muscle strains, sprains, and micro-tears in your foot tissue (ouch). Buying the right kind of sneakers is the key for a successful workout.

First off, before you go running to the cash register with the first pair of shoes you see, measure your feet. It is common for women to have a half size bigger foot than the other. My right foot is a size 10, while my right foot is a 9 ½ . When you buy sneakers, judge the fit by your big foot. You want a little toe room in your athletic shoes ; your feet swell when you workout so you want a little breathing room

Think about making an investment if you’re a runner. If you’re like me and run more than 2 miles every day than you’re really making your shoes work. Try and replace your running shoe every 4 hundred miles or every 6-9 months.


If you find yourself lost in the sneaker isle trying to figure out what's the best kind of sneaker for you, go for a cross trainer sneaker. This kind of sneaker is versatile and can be used for running and weight training.

Make sure you get ankle support. If you have weak ankles, a mid-height shoe will give them more support, which means less of a chance to twist your ankle.

If you can buy two pairs of the same sneaker and rotate them every few workouts. Yes, it sounds funny and expensive but you will actually save money by prolonging the lives of your kicks.

Don’t forget athletic cushioned socks too!

When Good Make Up Goes Bad

Unlike food cosmetics aren’t by law required to have an expiration date posted on them. However, from the moment that you open makeup, bacteria will start to grow and its effectiveness will decrease. So when should you throw your make up out ?

Concealer should be replaced every 6-8 months, foundation every 3-6 months. Powders can last a year.

Toss your mascara after just 2-3 months. By that time your tube is teeming with bacteria, thanks to the pumping action of the brush. Throw out powder eye shadows every 9-18 month and cream eye shadows every 6-12 months. Dip your eye pencils in alcohol every week to kill germs.

Lip gloss and lipsticks can last a year. I usually use mine all up before a year.

Remember that any cosmetic that changes in texture or smell should be discarded immediately.

Organizing Your Closets

I’m currently organizing my apartment for a big move next week and I needed to hit my biggest problem, my closets. Yes, I have multiple.

I vowed long ago to keep my closets neat; a few weeks later that vow went right out the window. So now, I’m preparing for a big move to Aventura and I’m in desperate need of organization and downsizing or my wardrobe. So this past weekend I de-cluttered my closets and used these helpful tips.

Take the “iffy items” out
It’s better to have a sparse closet of must have essential pieces then to have a closet stocked full of random items from when Clinton was in office. Whether it’s the jeans from your freshman year of college you’re still hoping to fit in to, or those trendy impulse buys it’s time to toss it. If you really loved it you probably would have worn it at some point during the year. Break out the trash bags and start filing them up and think about donating to Goodwill, a women’s shelter, or if you have some really great pieces even consider a consignment shop if you want to make a few bucks back.

Grouping
Arrange your clothes by pants, skits, coats, and tops. This can help you easily put an outfit together in minutes. Subdivide into blouses, button-downs, tanks, and swanky evening stunners. Split up your suits and matching suits pants into their proper categories – you’ll brodan your wardrobe options.

Shaping

Wire hangers are a no-no. They usually come from the dry cleaners and are the cheapest, but they will ruin the shape of your clothes and leave indents. They can also rust and stain your clothes. Opt for felt or wooden hangers, they’ll improve the life span of your clothes.

Lighting

Your closet should be dark, dry and clean. Your closet will be much happier and the life span will last longer with minimal lighting. Too much artificial lighting can fade your clothes, as well as increase the temperature, which can invite mildew and moths. (yuck)

Storing

Look for creative ways to neatly pack your things away. I love the Container Store or Ikea for great ideas for storing things like my shows or hats. It makes searching for things so much easier.

Shopping for Sheets

In the midst of my shopping for my move I realized that I need to up my game in the sheet department. Yes, I love a comfy set of jersey knit sheets, but I think it’s time to make the jump to something more sophisticated them my college sheets.

There are 3 things to keep in mind when your sheet shopping: thread count, fiber and finish.

· Choose a 200 to 300+ thread count (this indicated the total number of threads woven per square inch). The higher the thread count, the bigger the price tag. But you also want to look at the ply. Single ply tends to be softer, as two ply is made from yarns that are twisted together. Don’t be deceived by high thread count on a two ply sheet: a single 200 –count sheet will be the same softness as a two ply 400-count sheet.

· Make sure the fiber is silk or cotton (preferably Egyptian cotton) Egyptian cotton is the softest and most durable. Skip polyester blends and satin sheets- they don’t breathe well, which means you’ll be sweaty. (gross)


· A sateen finish will give your sheets a silky smooth quality. For a crisper sheet, choose a combed all- cotton percale with a thread count of 250.

· Don’t forget to change your sheets every week and your duvet cover every two weeks. Also take the time to look for great pillows.


For great selections try a Target or Bed Bath and Beyond, that's where I was most successful.

How to Tip

Over the past months through my various business travel and experiences with a few phone calls to mom and dad I’ve figured that these are the appropriate amounts in tipping. Remember no one likes a bad tipper. I sometimes will use a tipping calculator to help me with my math.

Tipping at Bars:

15 to 20 percent of the bar bill (but never less than a dollar)

Valet Parker:

$2.00

Coat Room Attendant:

$1.00 or $2.00

Ladies Room Attendant:

$1.00 or $2.00

Your Doorman:

$25-$40 at Christmas

A Doorman at a Hotel:

$1.00 or $2.00

Your Cleaning Lady or Nanny:

One week’s salary if she’s been working for you for a year or less; after that two week’ pay is a
bit more appropriate at Christmas.

Hotel Bellman:

$1.00 per bag , but never less than $5.00 if they’ve come all the way up to your room and shown
you around.

Hotel Maid:

$2:00 per night stayed

Cabbie:

Always round the bill up by a dollar and the change. In other words, if the cab is $5.50 then leave $7.00. Once you pass $15, tip 15 percent.

Paying Attention While Driving

If you’re anything like me and trying to manage your personal life, and work life and sometimes find yourself swerving on the road because your sending an email, inputting an address on the GPS, talking on the phone, checking your lipstick and trying to change the song on the iPod, than you need to STOP now.

For work, I’m always on the phone and I’m always on the road. Recently, I found myself doing all of these hazardous actions at the same time while driving, which is wrong, wrong, wrong. I’m endangering myself and others on the road and asking for a catastrophe. Driving is a huge responsibility as is, and full attention is always needed on the road. So this past week I decided to prioritize my actions and figured out some ways to handle my situation.

Set up a hands free Bluetooth in your car.
Most new cars are now including hands free Bluetooth capabilities in the cars, my car however did not come with one. I researched if I could get one installed and found that you can buy hands free speakers that sync up to your phone through Bluetooth. I immediately bought one and set it up and it works phenomenally.

Stop emailing

I have vowed not to email or text while driving. If I receive an email or text that I need to respond to immediately I’ll call the person using my hands free speaker and give my response over the phone or tell them that I’ll get back to them once I’m off the road with whatever ever it is they need. It’s dangerous to text and drive and we all know that.



GPS

I’d be lost without it, no seriously, I would be lost. I now take my GPS into work in the morning and add all my stops for the day at once, so I’m not trying to type addresses in while switching lanes.

IPod

Make playlist on your IPod according to your moods. My moods always vary when I’m in the car, so I’ve started creating mood playlists that allow for the type of music I like according to my mood, so that I’m not hitting the next button every 30 seconds.


Organization
I just got this rubber pad that keeps all my electronics in one place and I love it. I’m no longer reaching down to the floor while driving and looking for my IPod whenever I drop it. It’s convenient, and functional.

First Date Dressing

There are three extremely difficult times to choose the right clothes for the occasion: job interviews, first dates and the dreaded meeting the parents nights. This week my girlfriend Taylor tackled the perfect outfit for a first date.

First date dressing can be a toughie; you usually don't know your date well enough to predict what will be attractive to him. You want to look extra fabulous but not too over the top, stylish but not too trendy. Here are some tips on how to prepare you for that first big date.

Where to ?

Try and have a pre-date conversation and find out where you're going. Be simple and polite about asking, you don’t want to sound too bossy. Try and get a sense of the formality of the occasion. Find out if you will be walking, and if so, how far. Nothing is worse than having to trek through the dirt of a carnival or mile long festival in six inch heels. I usually will carry a pair of foldable flats in my purse just in case. After you’ve gotten the 411 on where your big night will be, you’re in the right mindset to get the perfect outfit together.

Classic Dinner Date

The little black dress, also known as the LBD, is a staple in every woman’s closet and was created to impress. It’s simple, flattering, and easy to do. If you don't have one, get one now. Add a clutch (Mary Poppin bags are always intimidating to men), pumps and a cardigan to carry and you’re all set.. What’s great is you can change up your jewelry and accessories, to add a splash of color and showcase a little bit of your personality and style. I also would consider your nicest pair of jeans and a suitable blouse and heels. You can’t go wrong with simple.

Daytime Dating

Day time dating takes the pressure off of formal dating, so if you find yourself going on a daytime date, know it’s going to be more casual. The key to day time dressing is to be neat and pulled together. My go to outfit is a white cotton sundress and flat sandals. I think it says, girly, functional and relaxed.

Sporting Events

If you’re invited out to a sporting event, the key is comfort. A t-shirt, Jeans or shorts, a hat, and a sweater. Nothing too sexy and provocative and nothing that can't be washed if you have beer spilled or you drip ketchup down your shirt.

Extra Tips

Don't Dress Too Sexy, It's tempting, but sexy has a way of turning sleazy when you least expect it. You want to dress to impress and save what’s underneath for another
fun filled night at home behind closed doors.

Always bring money with you. I’m a big believer in have men pay for me on a date. However, it is in your best interest to always have money on you in case of emergency.