Are You Prepared for Your Next Trip?

Now that fall is finally here (I swear summer seems to last longer and longer each passing year), I’ve seen quite an uptick in my mood and productivity. I don’t know if it’s the weather cooling off, meaning I’m not nearly as sweaty or hot as summer. But I do know that I’ve been happier and a lot more chill than usual. I think another reason is because I’m genuinely excited to be outside in nature enjoying wildlife and the woods instead of feeling like it’s always a sauna and I need to stay in shade.

Because of that, I’ve been camping a lot more lately. Perhaps it’s the hiking I truly enjoy the most, since the physical exertion isn’t nearly as exhausting as it would be in summer. Nonetheless, those hiking and camping trips have needed a bit of planning and packing, and one thing I swear by during my trips is taking a few extra shipping supplies. Whether it’s things like cardboard or just basic items, I’ve always found use out of these supplies when I’m in the great outdoors. Read on to check out some other materials that are quite useful when camping.

Sharpies

Honestly, packing tape is so versatile for a slew of things. I think everyone should have their camping gear labeled with their name and phone number on it in the off chance that something happens, and so using sharpies on your gear helps to prevent your stuff from being misplaced, stolen, or even lost in general. And if your friends have similar looking gear, it helps to prevent them from accidentally taking yours.

Packing tape

This is likely another example of common shipping supplies among many people who camp, but I often find my trash bags getting minor tears in them while I’m out on a trip. This oftentimes occurs because of raccoons. So, having some tape to patch them up and keep them useable for the weekend can be quite useful. And if you’ve got any extra food leftover from cooking dinner and want it bagged up but don’t have rubber bands or clips, tape comes in handy in a pinch.

All these trips require is a little bit of planning, packing, and forethought. Make sure you’re covered in a variety of scenarios so that you have exactly what’s needed in the off chance that something goes awry while you’re out in the elements and subject to nature. The more you’re prepared, the more use you’ll get out of a wide variety of materials and gear.

Creating Great Christmas Cards

Christmas is only a week away, and if you are behind on getting those Christmas cards sent out, do not worry! Getting Christmas cards sent out can be a stressful and overwhelming task, even stressful to a point where a lot of people have stopped sending them out. But do not think like this, as grandma and those random aunts you never talk to anymore still want to see your face! In this article we walk through some quick and easy tips for how to make sending out Christmas cards an easy and painless process.

Tip 1: Take your picture in July.

This is the best time to take a picture, as by now hopefully you have gotten some time outside and are starting to get that sun-tanned look that makes pictures look extra great. If you take the photo six months out as well, then you have plenty of time to take it and edit it and get it submitted well before December. It is also easier to organized the family and get the kids all bought in when you take the photo on a random summer night in July instead of a cold, stressful day before Christmas.

Tip 2: Write a small jingle.

People love turning that beautiful family photo over and getting to read a witty and funny jingle on the back of the card. Some ideas for how to write could be finding words that rhyme with your last name, or writing the words in a stanza that could be sung to a popular Christmas song. Have fun with this and let your creativity really shine through! We recommend keeping this jingle to about four to five lines and making it about five to ten seconds to read. This is the perfect addition to brighten peoples’ days and to remind them of how witty you are!

Tip 3: Prepare to send out

Dedicating some time to gathering the packaging supplies you want to use is really important. Ask yourself questions like, “what type of envelope do I want to use?” , “What type of stamps do I need to buy?” and, “Do I have everyone’s address?” are all going to be critical for you to think through ahead of time and prepare for. Visit a craft store like Michaels in early December to hunt and gather everything you need. Usually craft stores have great Christmas sales going on and this is a great way to take care of something basic like your packaging supplies. Put everything together and you are ready to go by the middle of December, stress-free!

5 Secret Santa Ideas for Your Holiday Office Party

Whether you’re having some holiday cheer with the coworkers, meeting up for dinner at someone’s place or out on the town, or even doing something small during your lunch break on a cold day in December, kicking back and enjoying the festivities with those you see 40 hours a week can be refreshing from the constant pace of the grind. I’m not sure about your office, but mine is definitely excited about this year’s gift exchange and office party.

If you do happen to be doing a gift exchange at your office, consider replenishing your coworkers’ office and packagingsupplies. These make wonderful gifts to coworkers in your office without you having to think of something truly special and tailored to them.

Computer mouse.

A classic go-to in the office, having a new computer mouse is something welcome. I always suggest going for the wired mice because it eliminates any chance of lag on screen. However, some people might like the freedom a wireless mouse offers, so either would work well enough. You can even get a cheap mouse pad to throw in with it in case your coworkers don’t have their own at the ready.

Desk organizer.

You’ve seen these things before. The plastic (or sometimes wooden) pen holders that also function as an organizer for things like sticky notes, white out, extra staples, paper clips, and whatever other random assortment of things you may use in the office. These things can look quite nice, too, even for cheap. A lot of my coworkers’ desks are quite barren, so I know this would look great on their desk as a little space filler.

Fountain pen.

While the other items on this list aren’t as spendy, you can never go wrong gifting a nice fountain pen, especially if it’s to your boss. Whether you drew their name out of the hat or are just feeling generous, fountain pens are a sign of class and remain as a timeless staple to a refined business person’s desk.

Stapler.

Consider this the step up from the tape dispenser. Heavier duty, classier, and just as (or possibly more) useful, the stapler is a desk essential. You don’t even have to ask around to see who has one and who doesn’t; if one of your coworkers’ desks are bare of a stapler, they couldn’t deny that this was a need for their office if you were to get this for them.