I'm feeling hopeful these days. Maybe it's because my new shirt arrived, or because I just got connected with an organizer doing fantastic work in NC that I'll be coaching pro-bono this fall through Blue Wave Coaching, or the trip to Spirit Halloween I took with my 8-year-old that reminded me that the fall season will eventually actually arrive someday. I hope you are having some hopeful moments in your life, too. Let's get to your Friday Five!
Saving Recipes from Social Media: I saw this tip on Instagramthis week about how to use the Reminders app to save recipes you see on social media. The concept would work for any recipe online, and I already am trying it out this week myself and liking the approach. I'm going to continue to print out recipes when I actually want to try them (and put them in my very low-tech recipe binder). In case you don't use Instagram, the tip is essentially to use the "share/send" button from whatever app you're using and then send it to your Reminders app, where you've created a list called "Recipes" for yourself. I'm a big fan of the Reminders app and shared how I use it here.
What We Bought in August: I started a few months ago sharing what we've bought in our home in the past month and liked, and it's been super popular so I'll plan to continue. This month, you can see here that we are getting ready for Halloween, adding another Saintly to our house (all of us have become fans of these little machines in the bathroom), sent snacks to a family member who is rehabbing from an injury, and refilled household items and my favorite blush. We also got an embarrassingly early start on advent calendars because we celebrate Christmas here and it was fun to browse what's available early. We got some hooks to setup a station near our garage door where each kid activity has a bag with the relevant supplies inside. I also got this low-cost light therapy lamp that I’ve enjoyed even more than I expected - I’m excited to see how it feels when the darkness of winter arrives. Finally, I’m trying a new approach for the clipboard where we keep our family to-dos with a stand-up clipboard.
3 spots remain: Joyfully Managed Worklife is beginning on Tuesday and there are 3 spots left! Folks are getting set up in our private Slack, surprises are arriving in the mail from me to those who have signed up, and we've added some bonus sessions from my friends Rupa and Melissa to the incredible workshops we'll be doing together. If you want to take your professional organization and systems up several notches this fall, join us! I can invoice your organization if you have professional development funds available. If the cost is prohibitive and you need support with that, email me. I'd love to help!
Easier meal planning this year: With the crazy schedules we’re always up against when September rolls around, the daily decision of what to feed yourself and the family gets much more stressful. That’s why I love utilizing food delivery companies like Purple Carrot to take some of that weight off. Unlike some of the others out there, Purple Carrot’s menu is fully plant-based. Plus, they have tons of easy grab-and-go options like healthy cereal, ready-to-eat breakfast burritos, and snacks. You can get early access to their 50% off Labor Day sale right now to try it out! Grab The Promo Here! Thank you to Purple Carrot for helping keep this newsletter free for readers as a sponsor!
AARP back with the trunk organizer through 9/10: AARP isn't just for retired folks (did you know you can join as long as you're at least 18?!). I've been saving literally hundreds of dollars using their deals as a member just this year. They are running a Labor Day Sale right now - you can join for $9 - $12 per year and get a Free Insulated Trunk Organizer or Red and Gray Spider Splash Day Bag. AARP offers discounts on travel, restaurants, retail, entertainment and more.
Bonus Democracy Deeds: I have so many ways you can support democracy if you're in America like me! This week instead of sharing one or two ideas I couldn't wait to share more! If you’re wondering what these “democracy deeds” are all about, they’re around for the next 8 issues of Friday Five and here’s why I am including them.
Donate: As those of us who have worked in politics say, "Early money is like yeast - it rises." Campaigns don't need your donation in late October - they need it now. And they need us to be as generous as we can. Vote Save America is a great org that has 3 different ways to donate that are based on where donations are most strategically needed.
Help Others Donate: My friends Leah and Carlos are hosting a party with Flip the Vote (you can do it virtually, or like my friends are, in-person) to encourage their friends to get together and make contributions. My friend Sanford and I are organizing a group of Auburn and Alabama alumni (we are rivals, if you don't know) to come together to preserve democracy before we go back to being foes after the election (let me know if you are a Bama or AU fan and we'll invite you to our gathering!). Maybe you could do something like that? Happy to share details on how we're doing this if helpful.
Check your voter registration and then ask everyone you know to do the same: I'll let Luvvie Ajayi Jones' words stand here because they're better than mine: "Listen up, fam. This is crucial. There are states actively removing voter registrations from the rolls. Visit VOTE.gov and make sure that your registration is still active and that you’ve updated your address and all. Our voices matter, and we need to make sure we're ready to use them come November. So take five minutes right now and check your registration. For real. I'll wait."
Talk to voters: My friends Karma and Sarah have shared their experiences that might help illuminate what it's like to phone bank or knock on doors (and who you're actually going to be calling/talking to - it might be different than you think!). Karma: "I called for 2 hours tonight. I helped a dad in Harrisburg make sure his son was registered before he went to college. I also talked to a lovely woman in a retirement home in Chambersburg whose lunch table was pro-Kamala (4 out of 6). I was also hung up on and called some names. Overall, I'm proud of what I did tonight and will volunteer again tomorrow." Sarah: I know this is not true everywhere, but one thing I learned about canvassing here in Charlotte is that the Dems' strategy is to get the registered Democrats out to vote. So they have a list of registered Dems and that's whose doors you're knocking on. We're not going to Trump supporters trying to change their minds, because if every registered Democrat in NC came out to vote, we'd flip the state. This made me feel much safer and willing to canvass than I did previously. All that to say, if folks are nervous, plugging into their local chapter might be a great way for them to get more info about who they'd actually be talking to." Not sure where to get started? This is a good spot to get plugged in.
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