Adjusting to Your Surroundings After Moving

Move1Is there anything worse than being so far removed from your routine that you don’t even feel like you anymore?! We think not! When you move, this can be the case for quite some time until you get unpacked and adjusted to your new surroundings. This might also be something, as Sweetness mentioned in our last post to think about BEFORE you move! As people who have moved many times we are very familiar with all that changes and want to impart our wisdom on those who have an upcoming move, hope to move in the future, or to simply commiserate with those of you who have shared in this experience!

With just about every move we’ve made we can recall the mounds of boxes, bubble wrap, tape, and trips to Bed, Bath, and Beyond for more plastic containers and drawer organizers! Moving is chaotic even for the most organized of us. No matter how organized you are, like Sass, the box labeling psychopath (yes, she even color codes her markers by which room the box should go into), at the end of the day all of your stuff that’s in boxes and suitcases has to come out and go into some new “place” in your space that you probably haven’t quite figured out yet. Depending on your situation or how much stuff you have, this process can takes days, weeks, dare we say months?!

Move 3Moving can also mean chaos for your physical and mental health. You’ve probably just come off of take-out for a few days since you packed up your kitchen and emptied the fridge and are coming into a few more days of take-out until you’ve unpacked your kitchen and found your new grocery store. We don’t know about you but this is one of the most challenging parts about moving for us…being out of our normal food routine! Ugh. It could also mean that you’ve taken a few days off from the gym because well, packing is exercise, right? But mainly, moving is exhausting!

Basically, the natural chaos and stress of any move combined with a complete diversion from your routine can wreak havoc on your body. One of the first things we do when we move to a new place is look up ahead of time where the nearest grocery store is and where we’ll be exercising whether it’s a new gym or a yoga spot around the corner, just figure it out and book a class…any class! Even if it means dropping the full box of shoes you still need to unpack… your body and your mind will thank you.

It might seem silly but I (Sass here), can recall very specifically the moment after one of our moves in DC when I made a big salad at home, opened a bottle of wine and poured it into a wine glass (rather than a paper cup), and sat down on the couch to enjoy and watch an episode of Keeping Up with the Kardashians. It was blissful. It was routine. It was normal. This is the part about moving that we love…when it’s over!

Move 2It might seem obvious but it’s the little things in life that don’t seem so little when suddenly everything is new. New doctors, new delivery options, new workout spot, new drug store, new parking space, and new trash pickup nights (this one gets us every time). And then of course there are the bigger things but usually we are prepared for those, which is ironic, isn’t it? New job, new friends, new commute, new time zone, or a new distance from home. These are the big ones that usually determine how long you will stay in this new place because as adults we get over the little things but sometimes the big ones can make or break our experience in a new place.

So it’s okay to take time to adjust, to try a few nail salons, to ask the “locals” for the best sushi spot, however it will take time to get the hang of this new routine. Being patient is probably the most important part of moving and trying not to stress out about certain things. The more prepared you are and the more research you’ve done the better off you may be, however things will not always go as planned so it’s better to be prepared for the unexpected!

Xo Sass and Sweetness

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5 Reasons Why You Should Travel with Friends

Traveling with friends seems like a no brainer. It’s a chance to get away and just have a good time with your closest peeps! We feel pretty lucky to have had the opportunity to travel with our friends to a variety of different places. We’ve been around the US and even out of the country and have learned A LOT about each other during our travels. For the most part we have always had positive experiences and have grown a lot closer to each other. We feel that to maintain a great relationship with your friends and to create even greater memories, you should definitely travel with them and here’s why!

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  1. You’ll have the ultimate bonding experience

Like duhhh but it’s true. There’s nothing like bonding with your friends when you are forced to be with them 24/7. You are doing the same activities, eating meals, and feeling exhausted and grumpy together, as well as showering, changing, and going to the bathroom all in the same tiny hotel room. And since you are sleeping the same room, you will most likely end up laying in bed and talking for a million hours before you actually go to sleep. We’ve had some of the most meaningful and deep conversations this way and are so grateful for these types of experiences!

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  1. You will learn each other’s routines

As stated before you are with these people pretty much the whole vacation. It allows for you to get a good understanding of their morning and evening routines and even understand some of their personal habits. You will see them at their worst (no makeup, dirty hair, maybe hung over) but also at their very best (in awe of a sight or glammed up ready to go out)! You might even get some inspo from your friends based on their own routine and products that they use. For example – traveling with Sass quickly taught all of us that she is definitely not a morning person and we all learned that Sweetness has this crazy night time routine that requires removing her makeup no matter the time or intoxication level.

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  1. You’ll get comfortable… real fast

So there’s a lot of things that happen on the regular that as friends we don’t see all the time. However, when we are traveling, some things just can’t be avoided. Like pooping. Yes, girls poop and when they are all staying together over a long period of time, you end up having to poop in the same bathroom. You can either be discreet and try to hide it (minus the smell) or you just announce you are pooping and understand that at some point, everyone else will too. Also changing in front of each other brings a whole other comfort level like never before. Whether you are able to strip down in front of everyone or you go into the bathroom to get changed, there’s going to be some point in the trip where you are getting somewhat naked in front of your friends.

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  1. You might have a scuffle!

If you are like us and have never really fought with your friends before, be prepared because when you travel together, things can take a different turn. Not saying that you will get in a full blown argument, however you will realize that everyone will have different opinions on what they want to do and how much money they want to spend. We recommend figuring this out before you actually go away so everyone can be on the same page, however be prepared that there could be a small disagreement. There will be times when you have to make some sacrifices, but your friend might make them for you as well so it’s important to understand that!

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  1. You’ll learn how to share again!

Now as adults we rarely have to share our belongings with other people like we did when we were in high school and college. When you travel though, we can guarantee you one of your friends will ask to use something of yours! Whether it’s using your hairspray or borrowing an entire outfit, be prepared to share! Sharing is caring 😉 Butttt what if you don’t want to share the item your friend is asking about? Well that leaves you in a tough spot, however if you will be with your friend during their borrowing time, at least you can keep an eye on your item!

Have you traveled with your friends? Share where you went and a highlight from your trip below!

Xo Sass and Sweetness 

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Top Tips for Traveling with a Baby

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baby travel 7Lucia is only 5 months old but we have traveled quite a bit! We’ve traveled to Maryland to visit my in-laws several times and we’ve also traveled #DTS (down the shore aka to the beach) quite a bit to my family’s beach house! That being said, I have a few tricks up my sleeve for traveling with her that I want to share with you that will hopefully make your first or continued travels with a baby a little easier.

Also I should note that all of our travels so far have involved staying at someone else’s home so some of these tips are helpful when you are trying your darndest to not impose your baby life all.over.someone’s.house. I do my best to keep our baby belongings together and minimized so we are not vomiting baby supplies all over every room of their home.

Anyway, one of the overall tips I can share is to have duplicates or travel versions of as much as possible, especially if you take long weekends as often as we do. Because if you’re like me, you’ve set up your baby’s room for ultimate function – everything has a place and for anything that needs to be plugged in, the cords and wires are tucked away out of sight and out of the way, etc. There is nothing I hate more than undoing the way a room is set up because I need to take half of it with me. It also eases the coming home process. If your baby’s room is untouched, no matter what time of day you get home, his or her routine can go as it normally would.

So, here are a few items I have travel dups of:

  1. Baby Monitor: I have the full video and sound monitor perfectly set up and positioned at home so when we’re on the go, I have a durable sound-only monitor. While it can be annoying to not have the video, the sound only version does the job. I also find that when we’re traveling I’m closer to her when she’s napping and usually sleeping in the same bedroom as she is when we go to sleep for the night so I am not as inconvenienced by not having the screen.
  2. Bathtub: I have an inflatable tub that fits easily in my bag and is quickly blown up and deflated.
  3. Bottle Warmer & Sterilizer: At home I have a large sterilizer that I can sterilize all of her bottles at once; I also have a separate warmer. However these items are large and difficult to pack. To consolidate, this sterilizer and warmer are combined but only fit two bottles at a time. It makes for a little bit more work when we’re away but I’d much rather efficiently pack and lug less stuff around!
  4. Drying Rack, Bottle Soap, and Bottle Brush: I have a travel-size drying rack because it’s easier than stacking paper towels or borrowing a towel when drying bottles. I also bring a travel size bottle of Babyganics bottle soap and bottle brush. I can be flexible about some things but when it comes to the cleanliness of her bottles, I am a bit regimented. I make sure to use a brush I’ve only ever used for her bottles and soap that is specifically meant for babies. I know she would survive a few days with regular soap but why bother when Babyganics makes travel size!
  5. Sassy Diaper Sacks & Large Garbage Bags: When we’re away I set up a place where I change all of her diapers, usually in whatever room we are staying in. I bring a large garbage bag with me so that for the duration of the weekend I can dispose of the diapers in the large garbage bag without stinking up the homeowners trash bins. The Sassy Diaper Sacks are baby powder scented bags with ties that mask the smell of #2! This way when the diapers are in the garbage bag they don’t stink up the room. Or if you do dispose of the diapers in someone’s trash, you aren’t staaaanking up their kitchen, bathroom, etc. I even use these at home for the doooodie diapers before I throw them in the diaper pail.
  6. Sound machine: Lucia sleeps with a white noise machine every night and rather than pull ours out from home, which is perfectly placed and cords tied, etc I have another one that comes with us. It also means when we get home she can go to sleep without a hitch since her room was left untouched.
  7. Pack N Play: We have several Pack N Plays; one we keep at my in-law’s house, one at the beach house, and another that for right now just stays in my car. They pack so quickly and easily and tuck nicely into any room. Lucia sleeps just as easily in the Pack N Play as she does her crib! If you travel to a place often enough, for example an in-law’s house, keep one there! It makes set up and travel much easier!

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And finally I have a few preparation type recommendations to make:

  • Have a list! Mom brain is real and you are likely to forget one of the 8 million things you need to bring with you when going out of town without one!
  • Keep anything travel related together and in one spot. Just about everything I’ve listed above is kept together in a bag in Lucia’s closet so when it’s time to pack, I know that everything is right where I need it. I don’t worry that I’ve forgotten something and I’m not scrambling around collecting items we’ll need from every room in the house.
  • I use boiled water for Lucia’s bottles. When we’re about to travel, I pack enough bottles to get through the day in a cooler with the ready-made boiled water. This is helpful because I would hate to walk through the door and feel like I need to immediately use someone’s kitchen to boil water for her. She’s also usually ready to eat again the second we get anywhere so to have it ready is quick and easy.
  • Lucia sleeps in, usually until 10am or so. She also sleeps anytime she is in the car. That being said, we’ve found it easiest to leave very early in the morning when she would otherwise still be sleeping so her long sleep in the car doesn’t throw off her schedule. It’s not a perfect science but it’s worked pretty well!
  • I bring a cloth sack for dirty clothes, hers and ours. Babies can sometimes create dirty laundry every hour so having the separate bag for dirties makes it easy to keep track of what’s clean and what isn’t. But more importantly it makes laundry SO EASY when we get home. I just dump the contents of the bag right into the washer when we get home.

I hope you find some of these tips and products helpful! The bottom line for me with traveling with a baby is preparation, timing, and duplicates! What are some of your best baby travel tips?!

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10 Tips to Stay Healthy and Germ Free While Traveling

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Traveling is such a rewarding experience, however can definitely take a toll on our immune system. I’ve compiled some of my top tips on how I stay healthy while traveling to make sure I don’t catch whatever germs might be floating around. Read tip #6, it’s a personal favorite!

  1. Before you even leave, load up on vitamin C. I like to drink a few packets of Emergen-C a few days before I leave so that it is in my system already. I also bring some with me to drink while I’m away, especially if I’ve had a few late nights!
  2. Wipe.everything.down. Sooo many people don’t do this and it is crucial! Not only while traveling but just in life. I always carry disinfecting wipes with me and wipe down the seat, seat belt, tray table, etc the second I get on a plane. I also wipe down the hotel room too! Crazy? Maybe. Less germs? Yes!
  3. Never lay on throw pillows or decorative blankets in your hotel room. Like never. These things don’t get washed and who knows what types of weird things were going on with previous guests (yikes). I always pull back the comforter and make sure that I only sit/lay on the sheets.
  4. Piggybacking off the previous tip, don’t put your suitcase on the bed! This is my biggest pet peeve and I don’t understand why people do this. Your suitcase was just dragged on the ground and thrown onto the dirty baggage claim. Use the luggage rack that’s provided or the floor – please!
  5. Don’t forget about your feet. If you are wearing shoes without socks to the airport, always keep a pair of socks in your carry on bag to put on when walking through security. Also, hotel floors can be dirty and you definitely don’t want to pick up any fungus from the carpet. Dramatic, probably but I always bring slippers to walk around in, plus it’s more comfortable!
  6. When we get to hotels, we often unpack our toiletries and leave our toothbrush out on the counter. When the maid comes in, our items get moved around to clean and they might just touch your toothbrush. Yup – dirty hands, maybe just scrubbed the toilet and now it’s on your toothbrush about to go into your mouth. I bet you’ll never leave your toothbrush out again…
  7. Get to the gym – at least once! Maintaining your same routine that you have at home is important when you are traveling too. Foregoing all the hard work you have put in would be so sad just because you are traveling for a few days. Try to get to the gym at least once (if not every day!) so that you can still maintain your healthy lifestyle, especially if you’ve indulged more on food and drinks!
  8. Eat at least 1 healthy meal a day! It can be tough when traveling to eat well for a number of reasons, however if you try to keep at least 1 meal healthy, this will help you better stay on track. My personal favorite meal is dinner so I would rather eat light for breakfast and lunch and indulge later. If you decide ahead of time what meals you want to keep healthy, you are less likely to make an impulsive unhealthy decision!
  9. Drink a whole bottle of water on the plane. I always have a bottle on me wherever I go and when I’m on a plane, I can literally feel the water being sucked from my body. My goal is to drink an entire bottle of water while flying to stay hydrated and keep my skin from drying out.
  10. This final tip is something that I do everyday, even when I’m not traveling, however I think it’s important. When “touching” things, like the elevator button or the touch screen on a place, I always use my knuckle. Your knuckle is less likely to touch your face like your finger tip would and it will prevent germs from spreading!

 

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