How to Shop for Black Friday Without Going Crazy

Hello Readers!!

First and foremost, Happy Thanksgiving Eve! I hope everyday you are grateful for loved ones, but let's especially take some time this week.

So, besides turkey, dressing, and football, SHOPPING has become synonymous with Thanksgiving. And what better way to start the holiday season than with a blog about organized shopping!

"Black Friday", as they call it, fills me with nervous thoughts because I always think of mean pushy people fighting over the last Transformer or a $5 flat screen TV at 5:32am. My earliest memories of the day after Thanksgiving are those of not having the parents around all day because they're out shopping.

So, for all those parents who shop on Friday, I hope these tips help you get home early enough to spend time with your family.

1. Do Your Research!: Find out which stores have the Early Bird Specials, best sales, where they are , and what time the stores open. This will help you figure out step two. Also, you may strike gold and find online ordering deals. Think: less stuff to bring in the house later.

2. The-Set Up: Figure out PRIOR to shopping what you want to purchase for each loved one on your list. If you know you want to get Aunt Gina a dress, make sure you've found out her sizes beforehand, it's the worse when you get a gift you can't fit. After you figure out what you want to get each person, maybe think of a list of stores that may cater to what you are looking for. This will cut down on time.

3. Sneak Attack: If there are Early Bird specials that you REALLY need, then fine, get there early enough to secure that special Tickle Me Elmo little Rasheeda has been asking for, but other than that, pick stores all in one specific area (if possible) to cut down on travel time. If you can avoid going to Kohl's in Rochester and then Macy's in Novi, you've won half the battle.

4. B.Y.O.V.: Bring Your Own Vittles!: Bring snacks and water along so that you don't have to stop by the McDonald's outside the mall. It's going to be a looong wait, and they might run out of McNuggets.  Save yourself the heartbreak.

5. Divide and Conquer: Find a willing comrade who loves the thrill of the hunt. This way one person can wait in the long line while the other grabs the quick items. Don't forget to synchronize shopping lists and watches!

6. B.Y.O.E: Bring Your Own Entertainment!: This is where that Ipod comes in handy. There are bound to be long lines, and if you bring a buddy to divide in conquer, you'll spend time in the trenches (i.e. cashier lines) alone. Unless you like striking up conversations, a little mood music may help. I suggest Eye Of The Tiger because this isn't for the faint of heart...

7. Start Early: Your kids love you. How many Fridays do they get to spend at home hanging out with their parents? Probably not many. Get out early so you can enjoy the rest of your day.

8. Prayer: Only Jesus and Temperance will stop you from blowing up on rude shoppers who push and shove.

9. Get something for the wonderful person that gave you this information: I'd like a Nintentdo DS or diamonds please. :) 

Here's a few places to start your Research:
1. JCPenny (opens at 4am): http://www.jcpenny.com/jcp/default.aspx
2.  Black Friday Deals website: http://bfads.net/
3. Target: weeklyad.target.com
4. Amazon.com (why wait in line?): http://www.amazon.com/b/?ie=UTF8&node=384082011&tag=googhydr-20&hvadid=4238437209&ref=pd_sl_835ann76u_b

© BeSpoken Spaces 2009

At laaaast, my logo has come along...

Etta James...hee hee...

Praise Jesus!

This blog thing actually works! After posting a blog about my frustration with finding the right logo, I received calls and emails from people who wanted to extend their services to me. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!

But, there can only be one logo...and one logo designer.

My long time friend, Paul Smith, offered some of his graphic design expertise. I chose his design because after our first conversation (where I explained to him the vision and mission of BeSpoken Spaces), he gave me designs that were on-target. Of course there were many drafts, but Paul was quick to respond and give me his spin on my ideas.

I recommend him to anyone who's looking to brand their company.

Paul Smith - PaulTheBeatSmith@gmail.com

Please take a look at BeSpoken Spaces's new logo!

© BeSpoken Spaces 2009

I AM Dishwasher...an epic

I remember asking my sister, as a teenager, if we could purchase a dishwasher. She kindly turned to me and said, "Oh Pop (family nickname...don't use it), we have one...you!". Not until my adulthood was I "blessed" with this wonderful box that magically made the dishes clean and steamy. Love that part. The steamy part.

After returning home for graduate school, we FINALLY acquired a dishwasher and the problems that come with it: do we rinse all the dishes? When do you choose to wash instead of load? HOW do you load the dishes?

We've had clean dirty dishes. You know, the clean ones with dried up chicken or pesto spots. We've also played the guessing game aptly titled, "Are those clean?" very frequently.

One day, while waiting for my boyfriend to finish his music lessons, I stumbled across a great article in Rachel Ray's magazine about dishwasher ettiqute and here's what she had to say. Oh yes, I added a few amendments to her list...

1. Always rinse/pre-wash first! Especially if there is sauce, grease, old food, sticky stuff, or anything of the like on the dishes. Nothing is worse than using the dishwasher and the dishes are STILL dirty!
2. Load silverware (in the basket) at random to prevent nesting.
3. Put knives in the washer blades up.  This gets them cleaner. Keep sharp knives out of the dishwasher, it makes them grow dull faster.
4. Pots and pans with dried up mess should be put on the bottom rack, face down. This is where they can get the most intense and hottest blasts of water.
5. Avoid standing utencils in the silverware basket. Lay them down on the top rack.
6. Small bowls should stand at attention.  Line them up in the top drawer and have the ones in the rear face forward and the ones in the front face the back. Then the center sprayer can reach them all.
7. Only start the washer when you have a full load. It uses the same amount of water and energy to wash a full or a small load of dishes.
8. Set a time to run the dishwasher. This will minimize guess work of whether or not the dishes are clean. I have some friends who used to write on their white dishwasher with a dry erase marker to notifiy the status of the washer.
9. Let dishes airdry. If you know you are not in a hurry to put the dishes up, let the dishes air dry in the washer instead of using the heated dry option. This will save money on your energy bill.

At the end of the day, I've realized that I prefer to wash dishes by hand. Unless we have a dinner party. It's just too many rules for me. If I have to pre-rinse, strategically place them in a washer, and STILL have to strategically place them in my cabinets, WHAT'S THE POINT?? My sister was right, I AM the dishwasher lol.

© BeSpoken Spaces 2009 

Purse Wars

For most women, one of our favorite past times (as grueling as it may be) is accessorizing. And our two favorite things are...Shoes and Purses of course! Granted, I don't have an extensive arsenal of handbags, but I've realized this: the bigger the purse, the more trash it amasses. As a matter of fact, one of my close friends had a handbag clutch INSIDE her hobo, and YES, I laughed.


She knows it, and she loves me anyway.  :)

Keeping your handbag organized not only keeps your bag clean, it also increases safety. Did you know that most women who get robbed or harassed are distracted? Looking for keys, talking on the phone, and/or rummaging in your purse can decrease your alterness and makes you a desirable target. So let's get organized!

TIPS:
1. Going to a party? Keep it simple! : Identification, Cash/Card, Lipstick, Cellphone (if necessary), keys (if you drove/did not valet), ponytail holder or bobby pins (if you love to dance...hard), and gum/mints (let's stay fresh!). And yes, all of that can fit in a clutch!

2. Monday - Friday Purse Power! : Instead of having items willy nilly in my purse, I use small makeup bags (great idea for those Clinique Bonus bags) to separate items. On a normal day I carry: (1) checkbook wallet, (2) cell phone, (3) planner, (4) cell phone charger (i refuse to buy a car charger for my horrible phone), and (5) keys. In a small cosmetic bag, I carry: (1) lipgloss/lipstick/lip balm, (2) gum/mints, (3) hand sanitizer (watch out for H1N1), (4) hand conditioner, (5) compact mirror, and any other small thing I need (like eye drops if I'm wearing contacts). This makes it easier to change between purses and minimize missing objects.

3. Keep pertinent objects where you can get to them quickly. : That's what the inside zipper pockets are made for. Utilize them!

4. Good things come in small packages. : A 32 oz jar of lotion has no place in your purse! Travel size toiletries are a great solution for your handbag. To make this solution more economical, I purchased an empty container and filled it with shea butter so I can condition my hands and any other rough spots on the go.

5. Clean Sweep: When changing handbags, dump out the trash! Receipts, coupons, candy wrappers, and other waste should be removed ASAP. Why keep trash in your Louis (Vuitton) bag?

Keep your nice purses clean and they'll happily carry you through life!

~Lauren
© BeSpoken Spaces 2009 

Logo Loco

Everyone who knows me, knows that I am not the most patient one in the bunch. Actually, I'm only patient when sleep...shame. I started a business, BeSpoken Spaces (yay!), and things are off to a slow, steady, and positive start, but my question is....WHY IS IT SO HARD TO CREATE A LOGO?!

Geez! Did McDonalds have this issue coming up with the Golden Arches? Was it a regular ole, "M" before?

I don't know, but I'm not enjoying this process. Don't get me wrong, I am definitely enjoying my permanent venture into entrepreneurship, but some things I wish would happen a little faster. In my mind, no logo = crappy business cards and crappy print material = bad business. And I know everyone doesn't rationalize the way I do, but I pass judgment on a crappy business card just like straight hair that needs a trim...not good.

But through it all, "mature" Lauren peeks out after "teenage" Lauren throws a fit.

Here's what I've realized: yes, it takes time to create a logo (or have one created), but in the grand scheme of things, I want one that I won't hate next year. I want a design that speaks to the integrity, quality, and value of the company, and what we stand for. And that is worth the wait.

I will order some better business cards this week and believe God that everything will happen at the right time.

So until then...does anyone know some good graphic designers?

**UPDATE** I wrote first part a couple days ago, but after working with a few designers and receiving designs that weren't quite what I am looking for, I began to tinker around with MS Word, to make a few visual guidelines...and now I'm thinking about getting my hands on a copy of Photoshop!  :) 

Yesterday's lesson was patience, today's lesson is: tap into your OWN pool of talent. You never know until you try. I learned that in elementary school, but the lesson is revisited annually. Granted, I'm not interested in designing other people's logos, but if I design my own, I get what I want, get it for free, and discover a new talent. And WHO doesn't love that??

I'm still accepting designs, but I will also try it out myself. Wish me luck, and I will be sure to post the finished product!

© BeSpoken Spaces 2009 

Come Out The Closet!!!

When I began my business, I KNEW without a shadow of doubt that this is what I wanted to do. I sent an email to friends and family (read: EVERYONE in my address book) to inform them of my career change, services provided, and so on.

Some responded with congratulations and well-wishes, and a few responded asking for my services, but I am grateful for both.

So, my second client happened to be a First Lady (NOT Michelle O., but a pastor's wife) whose closet needed to be baptized in the waters of organization.

They live in a beautiful home with tons of space and where painstaking detail is being utilized to decorate the home of their --no, probably HER--dreams. Let's be honest, most men don't care about duvet covers, valances, blinds, and Egyptian cotton. SONY, HDTV, BOSE, and Comcast/Direct TV/NFL packages are right up their alley.

After a full tour and a small catch-up conversation, she takes me to the space in question. When I saw the closet, I knew it would take a while. Everything that should AND shouldn't be in a closet was there: clothes, shoes, handbags, hats, house deed, financial papers, their adult children's clothes, checkstubs, DVDs, VHSs, CASSETTE TAPES (WHO owns those??), and three Bibles.

After her apologies, I reassured her that she's not the only one with a messy closet and I discussed my vision for it ("a closet for clothes and accessories only" how novel?). Now let's work! Standing in that closet room, I felt alone. I'm running cross country without Ipod or anyone else on on the road for miles. Since they have a flat screen in the bathroom (Thanks to her husband), Tyra, Oprah, and Wendy Williams kept me company...."how you doin??"

After 8 hours, 3 bags of trash, and 3 bags of clothes to donate to charity, Houston, we have a clean closet.

Tips:

1. Keep Non-Clothes Related Things Out The Closet: One acceptable item to keep in your closet is a safe.
2. Schedule Time to Put Up Clothes: If you are very busy, maybe pick one day/week to put the clothes away that you've worn in the past 7 days. In a utopian society, we would make our beds in the morning and put away our clothes after we wear them.
3. Purge: You know you don't wear stone washed jeans and unitards, so WHY are they still in your closet? Give them away.
4. Take Inventory: Assess your closet, see what you need and what you desire to make your clothing selection more fashionable and/or functional.
5. If You Store It, You Will Keep It: The better you store your clothes (think garment bags, hat boxes, shoe horns, shoe boxes), the longer they will last, and the MORE money you save.
6. NO MORE WIRE HANGERS!!!: Mommy Dearest said it best, but they really do compromise the integrity of your clothes. After picking up clothes from the cleaners, throw those hangers away! Ikea sells inexpensive wooden hangers. And The Container Store sells every kind of hanger your closet desires.

WELCOME TO MY BLOG, I HOPE YOU ENJOY!


© BeSpoken Spaces 2009