Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Effective List-Making - How to Organize Your Thoughts

If you are feeling overwhelmed by your personal or career workload, the solution may be as simple as organizing your to-do list. Prioritizing your tasks will help you finish on time and simplify your life.

A proper to-do list will save you time and energy. Writing things down will help clear your mind of what needs to be done. Let's face it - there will always be a list of things to do! You can cross one thing off, only to add two more to the list. Focus on making a smarter list, instead of a longer list and you will be surprised with how much more efficient you will be.

To-Do Now/Short-Term Goals
Start with a sectioned notebook for organizing. The first section should be your tasks that need to be done within the next couple days up to the next couple weeks. If the task doesn't need to be done right away, move it to the "To-Do Later" section. If you are still left with a large short-term list, then number each task one through five by priority. Re-order them and go from there.

To-Do Later/Long-Term Goals
This section is for your long-term goals and tasks that don't have a deadline. The best way to tackle a long-term goal is to break it down into smaller tasks. Stuck on a task that seems impossible to finish? Stop thinking of the finished task and focus on the very next step instead. Move that very next step to your short-term list and you are one step closer to finishing that goal!

Planning Your Day
Pick a few things from your To-Do Now list for the next day. Once you get into the habit of planning your to-do list the night before, you will plan the time more efficiently. Whatever doesn't get done that day can be moved to the next day. Don't overwhelm your day with too many tasks, but challenge yourself to get enough done to feel accomplished.

Shopping List
Keep all your shopping needs in one list that's easy to pull out when you go to the store. Make it even more organized by keeping your grocery store needs separate from everything else.

Notes
Everything else that doesn't require an action goes in the notes or miscellaneous section. This section is great for ideas and brainstorming. Keep your thoughts organized and get closer to those goals.

Thursday, December 16, 2010

More Fun Theme Party Ideas

Theme parties are a fun way to spice up your social life. Here are a few more theme ideas for your next party.

Spend a little time preparing to make your theme party a success. Create a photo opportunity - designate an area for theme photographs by hanging a backdrop and have accessories available. Another idea to simplify party planning is to ask guests to bring a side dish or dessert.

Theme Ideas:

60's Mod
  • Decor: Anything retro
  • Dress: Pucci-inspired fun prints, beehive hairdo's, knee-high boots
  • Music: Pop music from the 60's - find a great online radio station with a British Invasion theme
  • Apps: Pigs in a blanket, Chex mix, Jello salad, Deviled eggs
  • Dessert: Ambrosia fruit dessert

Saturday Night Live
  • Decor: Stage area with lights, prop pieces from various sketches
  • Dress: Everyone dresses as their favorite SNL character, past or present
  • Music: Songs from former SNL guests - rock and pop mix
  • Dessert: Sheet cake decorated with well-known SNL characters

Dead Celebrities
  • Decor: Death-related decor, RIP grave markers, shrines, ghosts
  • Dress: Any deceased celebrity - musician, movie star, etc
  • Music: Pick songs from musicians that have passed on
  • Apps: This theme is great for Halloween - keep the food related to the holiday

Speakeasy
  • Fun: Require a password at the door and stage a raid halfway through the party
  • Decor: Art Deco accents and a Blackjack table
  • Dress: Roaring 20's Flapper Dresses and lots of feathers
  • Music: Jazzy tunes
  • Dessert: Chocolate cigars and candy cigarettes

Classic Theme Parties:

Pajama Party
  • Decor: Lots of pillows and have a few board games out
  • Dress: Your favorite pajamas
  • Music: Old-school hip hop playlist - reminiscent of high school days and slumber parties
  • Apps: Keep it easy and fun with pizza and cake

80's Party
  • Decor: Movie and music posters from the 80's
  • Dress: The best part of an 80's party!
  • Music: Online radio station for 80's music
  • Apps: Find some record-shaped bowls for serving food
  • Dessert: Cake shaped like a Rubik's Cube

Luau
  • Decor: Tiki, tiki and more tiki!
  • Dress: Buy a few extra leis and grass skirts
  • Music: Mix some Hawaiian tunes with Caribbean music and anything with steel drums
  • Apps: Fruit salad served in a watermelon, Teriyaki chicken skewers, Coconut shrimp
  • Dessert: Banana bread with Macadamia nuts

Ugly Xmas Sweater Holiday Party
  • Decor: Put your holiday decorations up and have guests help with tree-trimming
  • Dress: Have a contest for the ugliest Xmas sweater
  • Music: Holiday music
  • Dessert: Fruitcake, eggnog and other holiday goodies

Saturday, December 11, 2010

Great Theme Party Ideas

Theme parties are a fun way to spice up your social life. Here are a few theme ideas and tips on how to plan a great party.

Invitation: Start a theme party off right with a well-written invite. Let your guests know what your inspiration is and give suggestions for what to wear. Offer a prize for the best outfit to encourage people to dress up and participate in the theme.

Decor: Google image search is great for decoration ideas. Try a regular party store for some stuff, but get creative! Also check out vintage or Goodwill stores for fun items.

Dress: Halloween shouldn't be the only time we get to dress up! Get your camera ready. Decorate a designated photo spot for guests to take pictures. Have accessories available for those who don't come in costume.

Music Playlist: Thanks to the magic of the internet, we no longer have to play DJ at our own parties. Save time by creating a Pandora online radio station to match the theme of your party. Or check out many other options online for themed playlists. Keep the music light and easy-going when people are first arriving and then turn up the dance beats!

Signature Drink: This is one of the easiest things to tie in the theme of a party. Choose anything relevant to the theme that can be prepared ahead of time and easily served in a pitcher.

Appetizers: Choose options that can be prepared ahead of time to cut down on last-minute party preparation. Not everything served has to be part of the theme - one or two dishes will work.

Dessert: Pick one theme-related dessert, or even just decorations to match the theme on a plain cake.

Theme Ideas:

Cuban
  • Decor: Find vintage travel ads for Cuba
  • Dress: Fun dress you would wear to a salsa club
  • Music: Cuban music artists, such as Desi Arnaz, Celia Cruz and Buena Vista Social Club
  • Apps: Chips and salsa, empanadas, plantains
  • Dessert: Flan, Tres Leches

Playboy Mansion
  • Decor: Lots of pink and lace
  • Dress: Heffner smoking jacket and slippers, feather boas, bunny ears
  • Music: Fun, danceable Top 40 pop/dance music; also Dimitri From Paris' A Night at the Playboy Mansion
  • Dessert: Chocolate-covered strawberries

Mad Men
  • Decor: Anything retro
  • Dress: Find some inspiration from the TV show Mad Men
  • Music: Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra and other lounge music from the 50's
  • Apps: Look for recipes in a classic Betty Crocker cookbook published in the 50's
  • Dessert: Something made with jello

Popstar
  • Decor: Pop music posters, teen magazines
  • Dress: Come as your favorite Popstar
  • Music: Top 40 Pop, old and new
  • Dessert: Find a bakery that will decorate a cake using a photo of your favorite pop group

Strawberry Shortcake
  • Decor: Fun strawberry tablecloth and vintage country-style strawberry pictures
  • Dress: Stay simple with just accessories, such as a strawberry pin or an apron for the hostess
  • Apps: Something light since dessert is the focus
  • Dessert: Make-your-own Strawberry Shortcake buffet

Old Hollywood - great to tie in with an Oscar-watching party
  • Decor: Red carpet and lots of gold
  • Dress: Glamour
  • Music: Songs from old movies
  • Apps: Fancy finger food
  • Dessert: Mini tarts

Thursday, December 2, 2010

Party All The Time

I love theme parties. Basically, any reason to have a party is good enough for me. I've attended quite a few theme parties and planned a couple too. So I compiled some recent theme ideas and also asked a few friends and came up with a fun list here. And then I ran out of space in that article, so I came up with even more ideas here. You don't really need a reason to have a party, it's just more fun.