Blog

Packing Cubes – Traveler’s Must-Haves!

Bagail Packing Cubes – Traveler’s Must-Haves! As I planned for my first trip overseas I knew I had to try the packing cubes which are a traveler’s must have. I didn’t want to pack more clothing than I needed and also to preserve room for my must have traveling items.

My first trip overseas was to Paris, France in April. The weather ranged from the 40s to the early 60s. When searching for wardrobe items to pack I ran across a style guide on Pinterest.

Style Guide from https://worldinparis.com/what-to-wear-in-paris-packing-list-fall-winter

This style was such a clever way to help travelers narrow down clothing when preparing for packing. When I discovered this style guide I followed it by only taking a few items. The items I did not pack were 2, 4, 5, 7, 11, 13-16, 19 & 21. There were two items I did end up purchasing while in Paris and they were a scarf and a frock coat.

Frock Coat from Zara (pictured below), Image by @Tykeith_l_nelson

Travel Packing Cubes, Bagail Packing Cubes, Packing Cubes
Feeling good after having brunch in Paris at an amazing restaurant.

Here is another picture with the scarf that I purchased from a street vendor for $5.

Travel Packing Cubes, Bagail Packing Cubes, Packing Cubes
Taking in all the amazing walls and doors in Paris.

Why The Packing Cubes?

In the process of thinking about what all I would be packing for Paris I remember hearing about packing cubes. Once I remembered how some stated they helped them with packing I went straight to Amazon to browse the choices. Oh boy! Well there were so many options that I was overwhelmed at first.

The two main reasons I chose the Bagail Packing Cubes – Traveler’s Must-Haves Series was because of the Amazon reviews and the different color options. The price wasn’t bad at all.

Packing Cubes Features

While looking at the description on Amazon, Bagail listed six reasons why their packing cubes were the best.

  • Extra durable 6 Piece Packing Cube System – Small, Medium and Large cubes let you compartmentalize similar items and provide optimum utilization of interior luggage space
  • Constructed of high-quality nylon fabric; Both lightweight yet durable with two way easy-pull zippers
  • Open mesh design makes it easy to locate items; No more hectic searches for misplaced clothing or suitcase havoc at security checks
  • Clothes no longer shift in transit! Clothes stay neat and tidy in their own “small drawers”
  • A great gift for the frequent flyer, casual traveler, biker or backpacker
  • Bagail 100% Satisfaction Guarantee

While looking to buy the packing cubes I based my purchase solely off of the features. Surprisingly I was pleased and happy that the description fitted them perfectly.

How Did I Pack The Cubes?

When packing my clothing for Paris I only used 1 small, both mediums and 1 large packing cube. The small cube was used for hygiene products: deordant, toothpaste, toothbrush, lotions, body wash & soaps etc. One of the medium cubes was used for leisure wear: leggings, undershirts, socks, undies & two pair of casual shoes. The other medium cube was used for bottoms: pants & jeans. The large cube was used for my tote bag, blazers, pair of heels and some other miscellaneous items.

Thinking back to this list of item I packed it seems like a lot. Well we were there for 6 full days and half of a day. I packed so much because I wanted to be prepared for any weather change or any occasion. I will admit I didn’t wear a lot of things that I did pack but I was happy to know that if I needed it I would have access to it versus having to go and shop for it.

Are Bagail Packing Cubes Worth A Try?

From a scale of 0-5 with 0 meaning not at all and 5 meaning most definitely I would rate the Bagail Packing Cubes a 5. I really did enjoy the quality and the durability of the packing cubes. It was such a relief to see the items through the mesh which eliminated looking through cubes and not finding what I was looking for. The clothes did stay in their place which means no movement at all. When I pack I roll my tops which helped with wrinkles because we did not have an iron in our hotel room.

If you are a traveler and want to try something besides the traditional way of packing by just putting your items into the luggage freely and taking a chance on it being all over the place you should definitely try “Bagail Packing Cubes“.

How To Plan A Budget – Friendly Road Trip

Being a parent planning a budget-friendly road trip is always at the top of our to do list. For as long as I have been taking road trips with children I will admit I like driving while traveling. Planes are nice but when traveling with children you will need transportation once you land.

Road trips allow for sightseeing and stops to view scenic areas. When taking road trips it’s good to have the idea of keeping everything budget friendly and not overspend. In the process of planning your budget-friendly road trip take that into consideration.

Being a mother of three children I have to strategically plan our road trips. When I plan our trips I typically start with location, budget for gas, hotel & food and activities.

Top Budget Friendly Traveling Tips

1.Make sure your car is clear to drive

Anytime when taking road trips you want to make sure your car is serviced before doing so. The worst thing that can happen is your car breaks down on the side of the road in the middle of a road trip. Be sure to make that service appointment for an oil change and/or tune up. Also, make sure the tires are inflated properly.

2. Pick a location

When choosing to travel with children you always want to pick locations that are kid friendly. Choose a place that you all frequent or a nice place that you been wanting to visit with your children. Depending on time of travel pick a location that is ideal to the weather you wish to experience. For instance, for spring break me and my children traveled to Florida to enjoy the weather and beach. If you enjoy the cold weather than traveling to Alaska or Colorado would be ideal.

3. Budget Gas, Hotel & Food

Before finalizing any type of travel plans it’s best to prepare a budget. The budget must include cost for gas, hotel, food and activities. These things will give you a clear idea of what you will spend while traveling. The budget will provide confirmation on if this trip will be financially sufficient.

Gas

Gas can be costly depending on your area. The important key is to take a car that has good gas mileage. Depending on where you are traveling it’s good to calculate hw many stops you will make and

Hotel

While choosing lodging it’s important to factor in a few things. Since in this case we are traveling with children it’s important to choose lodging that provides washcloths/towels and provides housekeeping to clean. One less thing to worry about while traveling is cleaning up.

Food

Food can get expensive when traveling. Depending on the amount of people traveling it’s best to scout restaurants close to hotel and see what offers/specials they offer.

Activities

After picking lodging it’s best to check the area for places to visit and activities close in proximity. The hotel may also have special deals on excursions close in proximity. There is always, travelocity or trip advisor where you can book certain excursions or activities through.

4. Create Memories

The most important key to traveling is to create memories with your loved ones. Do not get so caught in capturing things that you are not present but snap some pictures and remain present on the trip. The reason for planning your budget-friendly road trip is to not splurge but also have fun being frugal.

What budget friendly traveling tips have I missed? Share your ideas in the comments.

Get Access To A Free Travel Checklist!

Subscribe to get your free checklist.

    We won’t send you spam. Unsubscribe at any time.
    Powered By ConvertKit

    Two Simple Hacks to Declutter Toys

    Want to know how to declutter your children’s toys with two simple hacks? Stay tuned because I will go into detail of how I do so. Moms if any of you are like me I have a love/hate relationship with toys. I would like to get rid of them all but what type of mom would I be.

    I’m not going to lie I hate for toys to be all over the place. With three children it’s never ending because it’s like I clean up just for them to mess it right up.

    Recently I’ve changed the ways I declutter my children’s toys and today I am going to share my simple hacks. Moms some of you probably already do this but I want to explain in detail why I declutter this way.

    Two Simple Hacks

    1. Dispose of loose toys
    2. Donate/giveaway toys that are no longer in use

    First Hack

    When I go through the kids toys I typically put everything on the floor. I start with toys that are together or look like they have everything and nothing missing. It helps that way because the loose toys will be left on the floor. Immediately I know that they are loose toys that serve no purpose anymore.

    This is the part where it gets tricky. To avoid any confusion with my children I allow them to help me with this step. I do it this way to make them feel like they are apart of the process. I find this way helpful so they won’t feel like mommy is just trashing all of their toys.

    Second Hack

    I clean house every so often. Usually when I clean house I am going through things the kids have outgrown and toys that they just don’t play with anymore. For instance, my baby girl has a walker that she no longer uses. I plan to clean it up and donate it or give it to someone I know that needs it.

    If you are a mom who struggles to find places to donate to I would recommend checking with your local county or state resources. I would search for shelters, church’s or even schools and see how you can donate items you may have.

    With having three children I’ve learned that buying new gadgets becomes pointless.

    Why?

    As a parent I feel like when you have more than one child you start to buy the same things over and over and so it only makes sense to recycle a lot of the gadgets. For instance, walkers, swings and rockers can be kept around if you are planning to have more children. Now if you know for a fact that children are not in your future than I don’t see a problem with giving them away to someone that may be in immediate need of such items.

    Every few months is when I declutter the kids toys because that’s when I usually swap out old things with new things. The funny thing is I don’t buy toys for my kids they usually get them on birthdays and holidays but I don’t allow them to open them all. They end up having these toys throughout the year and if I feel they deserve to open a new one I remind them of where they got the toy from.

    These are the two simple hacks I use to declutter my children’s toys and if you have been trying to figure out the easiest way to declutter your children’s toys try these two hacks out and let me know your thoughts?

    Vow to Celibacy – The Fearless Mommy

    In today’s article I will talk about my vow to celibacy. Have you read “Becoming Celibate after Being Sexually Active“? If not, read by clicking above.

    Disclosure: In the name of full transparency, please be aware that this blog post contains affiliate links and any purchases made through such links will result in a small commission for me (at no extra cost for you).

    What Now

    Committing to celibacy requires a vow. The vow states what’s the purpose and how you plan to stay the course. When I say refrain from intimacy I mean that I will not have physical intimacy at all. I know some might think how could a millennial mother do such a thing. Well, I am going to share a few reasons why.

    Why Celibacy

    Reason #1

    To grow my spiritual relationship with God – I will admittedly say I had grown away from God. I always had good intentions to grow my relationship with God but I grew away from the unknown. I am getting back into the word and will commit to my daily lessons.

    Raising three children it’s a must that I show them God is the creator and provider of everything. Since joining our church my oldest is learning more about God and what he has done for us. It make me proud that she enjoys learning about God.

    Reason #2

    To understand and know that my body is a temple – I have grown to understand that having physical intimacy with the other sex depending on the agreement of the relationship can lead to short term commitments and some times long term commitments. In most cases short term commitments mean becoming friends with benefits which usually ends up with no commitment at all.

    When most women engage in relationships of this sort they tend to feel used and lead on. Or in most cases in a long term commitment the level of intimacy is a deal breaker. For example, if a man and woman started off having physical intimacy and one day either party wanted to switch that up and practice celibacy it could lead to a break up.

    Reason #3

    To practice self-love and self-care at a new level – Most would look at me and assume I’ve always had high self-esteem when in doubt at times I questioned it.

    I was picked on in high school and thinking back on it now I never talked to anyone about it because I didn’t see it as a issue. I got picked on because of my big feet (I believe I wore a 9-10 in high school) and being skinny. Fast forward to today I on a high because I am a woman that thinks and speaks highly of herself. I am still skinny but I have embraced my physique without caring what anyone thinks or says. Now speaking on self-care I have learned to just take care of myself at all cost. In order to take care of my children my health is just as important.

    My Vow to Celibacy

    I bet you are wondering why make a vow to celibacy? While going through this phase in my life I have managed to vow to myself that I will not engage in any physical intimacy. I promise not to engage any activities that could lead to breaking this vow. Not saying that I can’t date but knowing that I don’t have to engage in anything that will trigger involvement that I know will break my vow. I will acknowledge and say I am happily dating and the difference is I am dating with a purpose in mind. The purpose is to meet a like-minded man that has a relationship with God, respects my decision to vow to celibacy until marriage, have similar goals and wants to build a family.

    Activities That Could Lead to Breaking My Vow

    • Sleeping in the same bed
    • Staying in the same apartment/house
    • Drinking too much

    Those are a few that I can think of right off the top of my head. I am sure there are more but I am sure you all grasp the concept. Do not put yourself in situations that can trigger your weakness and allow your flesh to give in.

    Promise Ring

    When I decided I was going through with the whole celibacy thing I told my close friends that I was buying myself a promise ring. All of my friends that I told were happy and encouraged my decision to want more. I made sure to explain my vow to celibacy. The promise ring symbolizes the vow I made to myself and serves as a reminder that this ring will stay on my ring finger until it is replaced. The promise ring will remain on my ring finger until it is replaced with an engagement ring and than my wedding ring. Most may not understand this concept but coming from a woman that knows her worth and what she can bring to the table any man that I come into contact with will have to understand my logic for doing this.

    Conclusion

    I am writing to the moms/women who are struggling to find love. The women who know their worth and will not settle for anything less than the best. In practicing celibacy you will learn that you are sacrificing a lot but knowing that the results will be even greater will bring joy and ease to your life.

    Moms & Women if you are practicing celibacy and are looking to make a vow to yourself let’s talk. Leave a comment below!

    If you are a mom or a woman looking into celibacy purchase and read this book today!!

    My Lessons Learned in 2018 (And How To Live a Fearless Life in 2019!)

    I sat and reflected on my lessons learned in 2018.

    2018 was quite a year for me.

    I’m sure I’m not the only one that felt that way.

    There were things that took a toll on me personally and professionally. I want to talk about my lessons learned.

    At the top of 2018 I had just welcomed my third child into the world. She had just turned one month at the beginning of 2018; my anxiety at this point was intense because I didn’t know how I would handle three children. Well let’s just say I made it through. She turned one last month. Yayy!!!!

    Things that happened to me in 2018:

    • removed me and my kids from a toxic environment
    • me and the kids moved into a new place
    • my honda was re-possessed
    • my two youngest children lost their father in late 2018

    Those four events that happened to me in 2018 would have knocked down the average person instead it made me stronger.

    I look back and wonder how did I ever allow myself to get into such a toxic situation? The only thing I can think is God wanted me to experience the bad in order to appreciate the good.

    Throughout all the things I experienced in 2018 I remained resilient because I knew things would get better. Better than I could ever imagine.

    Things I learned in 2018:

    Lesson #1

    I learned how to not overextend myself – Being a mother of three I had to learn to prioritize work, self care and time for family/friends. I will admit this took some work and advice from my therapist. I’m always that person that offers to help others but in return don’t get much back. Let’s be clear I don’t ask for anything in return but it’s the gesture that counts. I am selfless but I have learned to limit my commitment to others and focus on self.

    Lesson #2

    Make sure I am prioritizing things on my to do list based on urgency. I tend to make a list of 10 plus things and will drive myself crazy trying to do everything. It became quite crazy that I had to remove myself from blogging and figure out if this was something I really wanted to do. I will admit it helped a lot. It helped me create a plan to simplify everything.

    Lesson #3

    Strong willed individuals suffer in silence in different parts of their life – I am one strong willed individual and within my circle I had certain people that knew bits and pieces of what was actually going on in my life. I don’t know if it was the fear of being judged or not really feeling the connection of confiding in them. Either way all of my close friends found out and advised me never to hide anything from them. I felt really assured that they have me and my children’s best interest at heart.

    Lesson #4

    It’s okay to talk to a professional (My therapist is bomb!) I found talking to someone you don’t know helps eases the fear of being judged.

    In conclusion

    My lessons learned in 2018 may not seem like much to some but to some they may have went through similar situations and this could be hope that things will get better. These things didn’t happen to hurt me but to make me a stronger person. Everyday I am constantly working to be a better mother, daughter, sister and friend. I will admit nowadays I am more intentional of my actions. If I feel like something is not a good choice I don’t participate or entertain it and vice versa.

    I plan to be fearless in 2019 by simply being myself.

    I can go on and on about my lessons learned in 2018, therefore, I want to know at least one lesson you learned in 2018 to help you better prepare for 2019?

    Becoming Celibate After Being Sexually Active

    Mother of Three & Celibate

    **This article is a bit different from what I usually write about but I have been sitting on this for awhile and felt that the time is right.**
    Disclosure: In the name of full transparency, please be aware that this blog post contains affiliate links and any purchases made through such links will result in a small commission for me (at no extra cost for you).

    Let me rewind and provide a little bit more information. I know your mind is wondering how but brace yourself to find out why?

    My oldest daughter is six years old, son is two years old and youngest daughter is soon to be eleven months old.

    Well I know your wondering how long have you been celibate? I have been celibate for now almost 21 months.

    Let me explain.

    I found out I was pregnant on 4/26/2017. At the time I was seven weeks pregnant at the time I found out. I was hurt, confused and surprised.

    All weird emotions, right?

    Well, at this time I was already over and done with my previous relationship prior to me conceiving baby. I’m a grown woman so of course I took responsibility for my actions and took on my pregnancy like a champ. Baby girl was special in my eyes!!

    Why Celibacy?

    From the moment, I told the other party that there would no longer be a sexual relationship I realized that my body was more important than a quick satisfaction.

    I wanted and deserved better.

    I took in a lot of things that most didn’t and don’t know about. The relationship was toxic and I had to stand firm on what was important.

    I chose ME and to not suffer in silence anymore.

    It took me awhile but I had to forgive myself for staying in a relationship with this particular person for one and a half years but physically trying to co-parent in the same home for another year and a half. It was more so for my children but also because I didn’t want to move back to Ohio.

    Selfish on my part, right?

    Celibacy until Marriage

    I started practicing celibacy without actually making a pledge to myself right away.

    After hearing how good, ‘The Wait’ by Devon Franklin/ Meagan Good was I decided to read it and gain more insight into my decision. The book was amazing!

    Going through my situation of fleeing an physical & emotional abusive relationship I knew that I had to make some changes within myself first. First thing was to gain back a relationship with God. Second, take care of myself (physically, mentally, financially & spiritually). Third thing was to continue to care for my three children.

    Toxic relationships can put a hindrance on a lot of things that we can be blinded by. I didn’t chose to do this because of religious purposes. Looking back at my previous relationships I discovered a pattern of loving & being intimate with men that wanted nothing more. It seems as if marriage was far from their mind and I settled it for it. As women we must know our WORTH.

    I made a vow to be celibate.

    ..committed to this vow because I am powerful and I have no desire to be sexually involved.

    I matter.

    ..deserve to heal broken wounds.

    ..deserve to put my faith in God and know that marriage will follow when he see the time right.

     

    Since reading ‘The Wait’ I have recommended this book to so many women. I would exclusively like to invite women that feel stuck, suffer from low confidence/self-esteem, have been in abusive relationships or just want a change to add this book to their list of books to read.

    Once you start reading this book you will not want to put it down. Grab your copy now by clicking the book!!

     

    Verified by ExactMetrics