• Warm Blanket
• FrostGuard windshield and side mirror covers
• Ice-scraper and snow brush (for the other windows on the car)
• Winter-formula windshield wiper fluid
• Flashlight with extra batteries (I chose a flashlight that includes a red emergency flashing option, as well a built-in multi-tool)
• Jumper cables
• Gloves (water proof)
• Warm Hat

The post Be Prepared with a Winter Car Kit appeared first on Blue i Style.

The Creative Options storage cases, like the one I bought, come in small, medium and large sizes. I started making a mental list of what I would want to keep in a car kit, and quickly decided that the largest size – called the Large Rack System – would be perfect for my on-the-go needs. The top compartment has ample space for large items, while the three different pull-out trays allow for organization of all of our smaller items.

I don’t know about you, but I don’t have time to be reorganizing things over and over again, so I’m always looking for solutions that are easy to maintain! I’ve learned the hard way that putting everything in one big bin just creates an immediate jumbled mess… so I knew that by giving things a designated place within the trays of this storage case, I would be able to create a car kit that I could actually keep organized!

Best of all, I was able to pull up a 40% off coupon on the Hobby Lobby website while I was standing in line to pay for this pretty, pink storage system! Stylish organization on a budget… talk about living the dream!

Watch this quick 20 second video overview of the Organized Car Kit I created… then read on for the details about everything I was able to fit inside this handy-dandy storage case.

As soon as I got home, I cleaned out the car and made a pile of the items I wanted to put in my new Car Kit.

Wet wipes and sunscreen {two cans – one for the adults and one for the kids} had been taking up about 75% of my center console space, and our first aid kit was floating around on the floor of the backseat. I was able to fit all of these items comfortably in the deep top compartment.

• liquid allergy relief for the kids {two kinds: one for allergic reactions and one for pet allergies}
• kids’ pain reliever/fever reducer
• antibiotic cream
• bandages
• allergy & bug bite relief cream
• ibuprofen
• antacid 
• indigestion/nausea pills

SNACK TRAY: I filled the shallowest, top tray with some of the kids’ favorite snacks, as well as bendy straws and plastic silverware. We chose snacks that won’t melt, and that aren’t too messy for eating in the car, including:

• Cheese and crackers
• Raisins
• Fruit strips
• Fruit bites
• Granola bars

This tray also came with movable dividers, so we’ll be able to easily rearrange it in the future to accommodate different snacks.

Too often we’ve stopped to get something to eat when we are on the go, only to realize after we’ve driven away that we forgot to grab straws or silverware, so keeping these items in the snack tray will make eating on the go easier for the whole family.

By having healthy snacks at the ready, we’ll be able to make fewer trips to drive-thrus when we are out running errands, and the kids will never have to complain about being hungry on road trips when the next town is still miles away.

• Stain remover pen and wipes
• Wrinkle releaser spray
• Lint roller
• Scissors
• Mini sewing kit with various colors of thread, spare buttons, needles, and safety pins

CAR TOOLS: The floorboard of the cargo area in our SUV lifts up to reveal storage for our spare tire, car jacks, jumper cables, and the like, but all of our smaller car tools were always floating around in the center console, glove box, or below the seats. Now these items are stored compactly in the center of the middle tray of our Car Kit, including:

• Mobile AC outlet and USB port
• Screwdriver with interchangeable bits
• Tire pressure gauge 
• Pen
• Small battery powered flashlight
• Crank powered flashlight with emergency flashers

HYGIENE: It seems like we are always on the go, and often running from the park or zoo to a dinner event. It’s hard to feel presentable for a meeting when you’ve just been chasing the kids around in the sun. To make the days a little less stressful, I filled the back section of this tray with some basic hygiene items so that I we can quickly freshen up when there’s no time to run home:

• Deoderant
• Saline solution
• Hand sanatizer
• Lotion
• Breath mints and breath strips 
• Lip balm
• Tissues

A few years ago, I created a small Restaurant Kit that we carry in the car at all times to keep the kids busy while waiting at restaurants, but most of those items would be hard for the kids to use while riding in the car {like card games and crayons}.

For in-the-car-entertainment, I filled the bottom tray of the Car Kit with items to keep the kids happy while driving down the road, or during a quick pit-stop.

The bottom tray has no dividers, providing the ideal, flexible space for larger items. This undivided tray will allow us to easily update the contents to keep it age appropriate. For now, my goal was to keep the kids entertained without electronics, so I included the following:

• Alphabet animal flashcards and number flashcards 
• Books
• Mini magnetic drawing pads
• Travel bingo cards
• Roll-up car carrier and playmat {DIY’d by my mom}

The post Organized Car Kit for Families On the Go appeared first on Blue i Style.

If there is one thing that I have learned in all of our travels – especially our international travels – it’s that it is inevitable that something will go wrong on any trip. It might be a lost bag, it might be a reservation snafu, it might be a technology failure. But it’s bound to be something.

I’ve also learned, however, that a little bit of planning and preparation in advance can ensure that whatever challenge arises can be more easily dealt with and you can be back to enjoying your vacation with much less stress!  That’s where my organized travel binders and my free printable planning pages come in…

ITINERARY

My travel binders always start with the most important part, the itinerary! I use the same format every time, and I continue adding to it as we plan our trip. Download an editable version of my Itinerary as a simple Word document.

My itinerary planning page starts with a “General Info” section. This is where I include a few basics that will prove very helpful for you, and for family or friends that may need to reach you while you are away:

• Primary phone number (usually a cell phone) where you can be reached. 
• Instructions for calling the destination country from the US {this is helpful if your flight gets cancelled and you need to call to change a reservation, or if someone at home needs to reach you at a hotel}
• Instructions for calling the US from the destination country. 
• Time Difference – If you are making an international call, you’ll need to know the time difference, so I always include the time zone and how many hours it is ahead of or behind home.
• Exchange rate – I update right before we leave on the trip

Below the “General Info” is a section for each day of the trip. I always include both the day of the week and the date, because it can be become hard to keep track of the date when you are traveling.

My itinerary template includes five sections for each day. I copy and paste these five sections for each day of the trip, and then as our travel plans come together, I delete any unused sections under each date.

• FLIGHTS/TRAVEL:
• Airline Name(s)
• Fight Numbers
• Arrival and Departure Times {noting time zones}
• HOTELS: 
• Hotel Name
• Address
• Phone/Fax
• Email Address
• Confirmation Number or Confirmation Details {I only list this on the day of check in}
• I copy and paste the hotel info for each day of our stay. This might seem like overkill, but if someone back home needs to reach you in an emergency {something always on my mind when I traveling without my kids}, it’s much easier for them to have all of your info in one spot for each day.
• TRANSPORTATION: This is where I add notes about:
• Hotel Transfers {whom to look for; will they have a board with our name, etc.}
• Rental Car Pick Ups {rental company name; reservation number; car type}
• Taxi Notes {I always research the expected rate from airport to hotel in advance, as you may get overcharged as a tourist if you don’t know the reasonable rate and confirm it up front}
• Any Public Transportation Info {which train to take, etc}
• TOURS & ACTIVITIES: In this section include:
• Tours:
• Tour Company Name
• Departure & Return Times
• Location or Pick Up/Transfer Info
• Contact Info (including a day of cell number for the guide, if available}
• Confirmation Number or Booking Details
• Activities (such as sights, monuments, museums, etc.)
• Destination Address
• Hours of Operation
• Admission Cost
• REMINDERS: This is the section were I make reminder notes to myself, such as: 
• Check in for a flight 24 hours ahead
• Call to confirm a flight in advance {especially important on very small airlines}
• Call to confirm a tour/activities {often required for activities that are weather dependent} 

LIST OF IMPORTANT PHONE NUMBERS

After the itinerary for our trip is complete, I always put together a list of important phone numbers. Download the editable phone list template as a Word document.

On this phone list, I include every number we might need while traveling,  as well as numbers that friends and family back home might need in order to assist us, or in case of an emergency. You can read all of the notes in the template above, but I’ll highlight a few important points:

• US EMBASSIES: If you passport were lost or stolen while you are traveling abroad {or if you were the victim of another crime}, you would have to contact the nearest US Embassy or Consulate for assistance. Most embassies have a daytime phone number, as well as an after hours emergency number, so be sure to note both.
• In the event that your passport needed to be replaced, you would also need copies of several documents, including a copy of your drivers license and your passport. I always travel with a copy in my binder and leave a copy, a copy in my email {or Google Drive}, and a copy at home with a family member who could fax it to me. Here is a full list of requirements from the Department of State.
• AIRLINES: Many airlines have different numbers to call for reservation changes, and for baggage. If you miss a flight or lose your luggage while traveling, it can save a lot of time and hassle to have each of these numbers at your finger tips {otherwise you may find yourself on hold and being passed around endlessly – trust me on this one!}
• CREDIT CARDS: If your wallet were lost or stolen, you would need to have all of the numbers on hand to quickly call and report it / cancel cards. All of the relevant numbers are listed on the back of your cards, but that doesn’t do any good if you don’t have your cards, so save the hassle by adding these numbers to you phone list. 
• In order to report your cards stolen, you may also need to know your account numbers, therefore it’s a good idea to make a copy of each card that you are traveling with and leave the copies with a family member. I don’t recommend putting these copies in your binder, or emailing them to yourself, since this risks the info getting into the wrong hands.
• Also be sure to inform your banks and credit card companies of your travel plans before you leave. Failing to inform banks/credit card companies of planned use abroad can result in fraud concerns, and if the bank cannot immediately reach you, they may freeze your account, rendering your card unusable for a period of time.
• Check with your financial institutions regarding foreign transaction fees. The fees can vary widely, so make an educated determination of which cards you want to use abroad so that you won’t be surprised by the fees when you return
• FAMILY / WORK / SCHOOL: It’s always good to list numbers for all of the people you might need to reach if you were to be delayed or in case of an emergency. Don’t rely on having these numbers programmed into your phone, because phones can be very unreliable when traveling abroad. Include even those numbers you have memorized, as it’s easy to forget a number when a stressful situation arises, or someone else back home might need to call for you if you get stuck somewhere.

GENERAL TRAVEL TIPS

• This is a good place in the binder to put any general info that you might want to reference quickly while traveling, such as: 
• Instructions from your cell phone carrier about how to get your phone working when you arrive {this may require international codes; etc}. If you arrive and your phone isn’t working, finding this info online won’t be an option.
• Tipping customs {who to tip, when, and how much} 
• A conversion cheat sheet {I make my own based on the exchange rate at the time}
• Basic questions/phrases if you are traveling to a place where you don’t speak the language
• Guidelines for appropriate attire {important if you’ll be visiting small villages or religious sites}

FINANCIAL

I typically don’t include a separate Financial section in my binder – instead I usually just put tipping and conversion info in with GENERAL TRAVEL TIPS section. However, there are times when having this separate section can be helpful. This was the case on our trip to South Africa two years ago.

Some countries {South Africa, China, and many in the EU, to name just a few} levy a VAT – or Value Added Tax – on many transactions, but offer a refund on of this tax amount to tourists.

• In order to receive your VAT refund, you typically have to identify yourself as a tourist when paying for goods and request a special tax invoice from shop owners. You then fill out a form at the airport and provide your tax invoices prior to departure. 
• The amount of your potential refund can add up quickly when you are traveling and purchasing goods and gifts, so you don’t want to miss out by failing to keep receipts organized! This is why, for our trip to South Africa, I included a dedicated financial section with information about which purchases qualified for refund, and pocket to keep all of the eligible receipts/tax invoices in one place. This made it very fast and easy to fill out the form and have our refund processed at the airport before flying home to the US. 

DESTINATION SPECIFIC TABS

Finally, I include a tab in the binder for each city or town where we’ll be staying.

• I put document copies relevant to each location behind these tabs, such as hotel confirmations, documentation for rental cars being picked up in this location, tour bookings, etc.

• Maps & Driving Directions: 
• When we travel, we love to explore at our own pace, so we often end up renting a car to drive from town to town. Any time we will be driving abroad, we always rent a GPS for that country {either from the rental car company, or from a third party if necessary}. But while a GPS makes driving in an unfamiliar country much less stressful, it’s also not fool proof. Like all other technology, GPS isn’t reliable all the time, and the last thing you want is to be lost between destinations in a country where you don’t speak the language enough to get directions.
• I always put an overview map from each Point A to Point B in my travel binder. Having this map provides a good check against the GPS. Before setting out to drive to a new town, we always zoom out on the GPS and ensure that the route looks somewhat similar to our printed map to make sure we are headed in the right direction. 
• We’ve discovered that often the American spellings for towns are different than the local spellings {Fira vs. Thira for the main town on the island of Santorini, Greece, for example}. There are often also towns with similar spellings. This can cause confusion when you are inputting the destination into your GPS, so checking against a printed map makes sure you don’t waste time driving in the wrong direction {this is another “trust me” moment”}.

• I also like to print out the turn by turn directions from Google maps, and include those in the binder as well. I only reference these directions if we run into trouble getting where we need to go via GPS, but it seems that at least once a trip I need to refer to these directions, and when I do, having them is a life saver!

• DESTINATION TRAVEL TIPS: 
• We like to visit a lot of small towns when we travel {to get more of a local feel}, and I often end up consulting more than one travel guide in order to find complete info on each place we are visiting. Rather than having to carry multiple bulky books with me, I simply make copies of the few relevant pages and put them in the binder behind the tabs for those destinations.
• I do the same with destination specific travel tips that I’ve found from online review sites or recommendations from friends. I copy and paste the info into a single document and put it in the binder behind the tab for the city/town.

• INFO TO BRING HOME: In addition to filling your binder with all of the info you may need while traveling, you’ll also want to be able to easily add to the binder throughout the trip. The easiest way to do this is to put a bunch of clear plastic sleeves at the back of the binder, and then move the sleeves to the appropriate sections as you fill them up.
• Invoices & Receipts: Make sure to hold on to the invoices and receipts from hotels, rental cars, tours, etc., so that you can compare them to your credit card statement after you return home. More than once we have discovered that we were overcharged {or double charged}, and it’s much easier to resolve this if you have the documents on hand.
• I always like to pick up brochures and post cards from each place we visit. They help me remember the trip, come in handy to recall names of places if you decide create a photo book, and make it easier to give recommendations to friends later on. Putting all of the brochures from each destination in a clear plastic sleeve in the binder keeps them from cluttering up your purse or luggage, and makes it easier to find them again when you need them {even if it’s years later}.

IF YOU HAVEN’T ALREADY – DOWNLOAD THE FREE PRINTABLE PLANNING PAGES! Make sure to also pin the image below so that you can easily find your way back to this post for all of these tips when you’re ready to put together your organized travel binder!

Be sure to pin the image below so you can find your way back to these tips when planning your next adventure!

The post Create an Organized Travel Binder + Free Printable Planning Pages appeared first on Blue i Style.

While we enjoy having games that we can play with the kids, there are also times when it’s nice to let the kids entertain themselves so that the adults can chat.

We don’t know what we would do without our restaurant kit! It makes eating out so much less stressful and more enjoyable, for us and the kids alike! Need one for your family? Or know someone who does? Be sure to pin the image below so that you can find this list of suggested contents again when the time is right!

I’m sure we’ll be rethinking the contents again in a couple of years as the kids get older, and I’ll updated you again when that time comes.

The post Restaurant Kit Update: Dining Out with Kids appeared first on Blue i Style.

It’s a bit ridiculous how excited I am to share the customized paint and fabric swatch kit that I made, but it has seriously made decorating so much easier, and that makes me so happy!!

This all started months ago when I was organizing all of the paint in our utility room and making this customized paint deck.

I loved the idea of having a sample of each of our paint colors, and I use my popsicle-stick paint deck frequently when heading into the utility room to pick a paint color for a project around the house. But for decorating on the go {a.k.a. shopping} I knew that I also wanted to create a swatch kit that could include both paint and fabric samples. So while I was in the process of transferring all of our paint into new, organized containers, I took the opportunity to create paint swatches on card stock.  I covered the kitchen counter in old advertisements {my kind of recycling} and then used blue painters tape to secure each piece of card stock down while painting.  After removing the tape, I trimmed off the unpainted white area (I originally intended to leave this white strip at the top of each paint swatch, but the painters tape tore the paper no matter how carefully I removed it).

I then made notes on the back of each of the color swatches to indicate the brand and name of the paint, as well as the locations around our house where the paint has been used.

Once all of my paint swatches were complete, I moved on to fabric. Many of the pillows around our house are handmade, as are the quilts on our beds and the wall hanging quilt in the nursery {thanks, mom!}, so I have several bins full of the fabric remnants. I also have always asked for a fabric sample each time we purchase a piece of custom upholstered fabric (like our living room couch), but until now, those fabric samples have been tucked in a file in my office. I sorted through all of the fabrics that have been used in the decor of our house, and cut a swatch of each (the same size as my paint swatches) using pinking shears. Unfinished cloth edges easily fray, and while pinking shears don’t actually prevent fraying, they do limit the length of frayed threads, minimizing damage.

When determining how to assemble all of my swatches, my primary goals were durability and flexibility. I wanted to ensure that my paint swatches wouldn’t get bent or torn, and that my fabric swatches wouldn’t fray too much. I also wanted to be able to quickly and easily add or remove swatches as we change things around the house. To create maximum flexibility, I wanted to use a binder ring to hold all of the swatches together, but this meant that I needed to punch a hole in each swatch.  I knew that the fabric would tear or fray without protection, so I opted to insert a metal eyelet through each hole to reinforce the fabric.

There are a few ways you can insert eyelets – either using a set of inexpensive eyelet setting tools that you can purchase at any craft or fabric store (like the tool set on the left), or you can use a multi-function tool like my Crop-a-Dile Eyelet and Snap Punch (on the right; made by We R Memory Keepers and available from Amazon for $17.50).

The Crop-a-Dile is one of my favorite craft tools because it is actually eight tools in one, including a hole punch and eyelet setter.

Based on the size of my eyelets, I determined that I needed to use the larger hole punch.  I measured and marked the top center of each of my fabric swatches, then punched a hole, inserted and set an eyelet in each.

For a few of the fabric swatches, I noted important details on mailing labels, then stuck the labels to the back of the fabric. I knew that overtime, the labels would likely not continue to stick to the fabric, so I inserted the eyelet through both the fabric and the label to hold them together.

I had originally planned to also use the eyelets for the paint swatches as well, but after stacking up all of the fabric swatches, I realized that the eyelets added quite a bit of thickness to each. If I had also added eyelets to all of the paint swatches, the stack would have quickly become too thick, so I instead opted to simply use reinforcement labels around the holes in the paint swatches to prevent them from tearing.

You all know I love to organize, so of course I had to create divider tabs to organize all of my swatches.  I printed the divider tabs on the computer (one for each room of the house), and cut the tabs to be the same width as the swatches, but about half and inch longer.  I punched holes in these divider tabs and again added reinforcement labels.

Finally, I created a front and back cover for my swatch kit. Since durability was one of my main concerns, I selected medium weight chipboard for the covers {thick enough not to bend easily, but thin enough for me to set eyelets}. I made the front and back covers just a bit wider and longer than the swatches and divider tabs so that everything would be safely tucked inside where they wouldn’t get bent or torn. I designed a pretty cover in Photoshop, printed it on card stock, placed it on top of the chipboard, and then used mod podge to give the front and back covers a protective coating.

It was time to assemble all of my swatches on the binder ring that I had purchased. I was so excited to see the finished product, but…FAIL. It turned out that my stack of swatches was just a bit too thick to hang nicely from my two-inch binder ring. I went to three stores looking for a three-inch binder ring, but couldn’t find one in stock. So I turned to my friend Amazon to save the day, and ended up finding an even better option. Rather than buying a larger, metal binder ring which would have been a bit big and bulky in my purse, I found a two inch flexible “manta ring” with a screw closure that I knew would work perfectly.

Even though the diameter is no larger than my original binder ring, the flexibility of the manta ring made everything hang very nicely {and I got it in pretty blue – so you can’t beat that}.

I just LOVE the finished product! It’s so functional and pretty, and it will be so easy to update.  All I have to do is open the ring to add or remove swatches as our decorating evolves.

It’s nice having all of my swatches in one convenient kit that I can easily take with me when I am shopping. Now I’ll no longer have to debate on whether to buy a vase because I’m not sure if it will compliment our pink accent pillows, or whether the color in a rug will work with the teal of our living room walls.

Just this past weekend, I took the swatch kit with me while choosing paint colors for Beckett’s new room.  I was able to flip to the section of the kit that contains all of the fabrics we are using , which made deciding on the right paint colors so much easier! My swatch kit also got a lot of questions and compliements from other shoppers!

The post Decorating On the Go with a Paint and Fabric Swatch Kit appeared first on Blue i Style.

For me, the biggest challenge when eating out with our kids is remembering to bring all the things we need to make it successfully through a meal. I’m constantly stuffing bibs and kid-sized silverware in my purse on my way out the door, and when we are out running errands and decide to make an unexpected dinner stop, I never have what we need. Until now…

**This post contains some affiliate links. If you buy something that I recommend, you pay the same price, but I may receive a small commission.


With two kids under two, our diaper bag is already overflowing, so I wanted something separate and compact to keep us restaurant-ready at all times. My solution was to repurpose a make-up bag to create a “Restaurant Kit.” After looking at a few options, I chose an Elle make-up bag from Kohl’s. Unfortunately, this bag is no longer available, but I’ve found you a couple of similar options like this one and this one!

This cute little bag has a few features that make it a winner:  there are a total of four separate zippered pockets – two large ones on the outer edges of the case, as well as one on each side of the center section;  all of the pockets are clear, making it quick and easy to see what’s inside; the black and white polka dot pattern with the blue interior appeals to mom without being to girly for my little boys; and finally, the plastic coating on the outside makes it easy to keep clean, even when it’s been in sticky little hands.

I filled up our restaurant kit with all the essentials for dining out with an almost two-year old, and an almost six-month old (who is just about to start eating “solid” foods). I’ll update the contents of our kit overtime as our needs change, but for now, here’s what’s inside…

{1} Bibs – Bibs are a must, and when eating out I like bibs that can be easily wiped clean so they don’t have to be carried home dirty.  Some of the wipeable bibs out there are fabric with a plastic coating, but I’ve found those to be problematic because once they are wet, the fabric backing can take a while to dry. I prefer waterproof bibs that can be quickly wiped clean and dry, and a pocket to catch spills is an added bonus.

{2} Kiddy Cutlery – Beckett is getting really good at eating with silverware, but adult sized cutlery can be hard for him handle.  By keeping a set of Gerber Kiddy Cutlery in our restaurant kit we can avoid having him revert to eating with his fingers when we are dining out.

{3} Baby Spoon – Cooper will be starting to eat solids in the next week or two, which means that we’ll need to have a baby-sized spoon at the ready for feeding him when we are on the go.  We use the OXO Feeding Spoons at home, but for eating out, I prefer the Gerber Rest Easy Spoons because they have a built-in support that keeps the spoon and the food off of the table and germ free.

{4} Food Pouch Spoon – Pouches of fruit and vegetable blends can be very convenient for kiddos who are old enough to self-fed directly from the pouch, but for a baby pouches require squeezing the food out a bit at a time onto a baby spoon. That’s why I was excited to find these Munchkin Click Lock Food Pouch Spoons that screw directly on to the end of the pouch making it much easier to feed a pouch to a baby, especially on the go.

{5} Wet Wipes – Wet wipes are a must for cleaning up little fingers and faces after a dinner out, so I love the conveniently sized packages of Wet Ones Hand Wipes.

{6} Adhesive Table-Toppers – These disposable plastic placemats provide protection from germs on restaurant tables, and they work especially well for toddlers who can’t yet be trusted to not toss a restaurant plate on the floor. There are a lot of options out there, but we picked the Neat Solutions Elmo Table-Toppers because Beckett loves Sesame Street. They came in a plastic travel-case, but I opted to just put a few at a time in our Restaurant Kit, and I store the extras in the case at home.

{7} Highlights Hello Magazine – My boys have a subscription to this great magazine for babies and young toddlers. We are excited to receive a new Highlights Hello magazine in the mail each month, and they make an excellent addition to our restaurant kit because of their small size and their durability! Each issue is filled with stories and activities, and the pages are made of a material that can’t be torn and can be easily wiped clean. The magazine is perfect for providing pre-dinner entertainment.

{8} Twistable Crayons – While many restaurants have crayons for kids, they often only give you three or four colors which can be a frustration to a toddler who is learning his colors and wants whatever color he asks for.  I like the Crayola Twistable Crayons because they require no peeling or sharpening, and because they are durable in the hands of a little boy who often snaps regular crayons while coloring because he doesn’t yet know his own strength. Note: If you live in a very hot climate, Crayola Twistable Colored Pencils {no sharpening necessary} might be a better option if you plan to leave the restaurant kit in the car.

{9} Coloring Pages – Most restaurants have kids menus with mazes and other games and activities, but Beckett is not yet old enough for much more than some spirited scribbling. Since Sesame Street is a favorite in our house, I downloaded a variety of coloring pages from the Sesame Street website here and here. I simply used the save option to download the coloring pages to a folder on my computer (so I can print more as needed), and then I printed them each at a reduced size (half page instead of full page) so they would fit easily in our Restaurant Kit. Parenting Magazine online also offers great Sesame Street themed activity pages perfect for older toddlers and young kids.

Now that you have all the details about what we keep in our Restaurant Kit, let me show you what it looks like inside the repuposed make-up bag.

We learned from some very smart parent friends of ours to always order Beckett’s food as soon as we are seated, even if the adults at the table need time to peruse the menu.  This way, his food arrives at the table quicker, requiring less patience on his part. But even so, sometimes we need to have a few snacks on hand to get us through the wait.  Luckily, even with all of our dining-out essentials packed inside the Restaurant Kit, there is still enough extra space for a favorite snacks (current favorites include granola bars and fruit strips).

It’s so nice knowing that all of these items are neatly packed and ready to go if and when we decide to eat dinner out.  We’ve already had a couple of opportunities to give the newly assembled Restaurant Kit a test run, and so far, it’s working great!  So well, in fact, that I made a second identical kit so that we can have one in each car at all times.

Need a restaurant kit, or know someone who does? Be sure to pin the image below so that you can find this suggested list of contents when the time is right!

UPDATE: I’ve received a lot of requests for an update regarding what we keep in our restaurant kit now that our boys are a couple years older, so be sure to check out my follow up post: Restaurant Kit Version 2.0: The Preschooler Edition!

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For a while now I’ve been needing to revamp this filing system, so I’ve considering what options might work better for us. The main problem I encounter with my coupons and gift cards is that, while I always know where they are, I don’t always have them with me when I need them. I have good intentions of grabbing the coupons or gift cards I need before leaving the house on any shopping trip, but inevitably I end up making an unexpected stop at another store, or more frequently, shopping on my way home from work when it’s not convenient to stop at home to get coupons or gift cards out of the file before I go.

Then, on a recent shopping trip in search of pretty file folders to organize my kitchen paper pile, I found the new line of See Jane Work products at Office Depot. After picking up some pretty teal herringbone folders, it dawned on me that the matching expanding receipt organizer could be the perfect solution to organize my coupons and gift cards in a portable manner.

First, I emptied all of my gift cards from the existing file and removed them from their paper folders. I used a black Sharpie on the back of each gift card to note its value before discarding the excess paper. I was amazed at how much less room my gift cards took up when all this unnecessary paper was removed for recycling.

I know, I know … we have a lot of gift cards! Maybe that means we are hard to shop for – or maybe just that we have very generous friends and family!

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