First of all, did you see the new Facebook plugin on the blog posts?

This is super-awesome for two reasons (and thanks again to my VA, Trisha, for doing it, because I am USELESS at these things):

You can comment and share the posts easily on Facebook

You can now comment on old posts. I set up the blog to stop accepting comments after a certain time period because then all I get is spammed. This way, you can still comment through your Facebook profile.

Secondly, I’m going to be asking my very helpful VA to “encourage” a lot of my Facebook friends to “like” the Organising Queen page so that I can interact a lot more with you there.

If you do like this blog, then please “like” Organising Queen on Facebook. Thanks

Thirdly, people have been asking for an update on She Speaks.

I know, I know, I’ve been slack at telling you… but I’m working on an update. Hopefully this week… with some pics

my one bag (hand luggage-sized) ready for my last overseas trip to Dublin in 2009

Now, for another of my secret organising fantasies.

I first wrote about it here. And bonus! you can now comment on that post

One of our suppliers at work is doing a walk through a section of Spain. I think she leaves at the end of this week.

These kinds of things intrigue me since I am not a girl who would ever choose to walk so many kilometres out of choice.

Instead, I’m the girl who would enjoy a nice stroll through a quaint shopping district or on a tour, followed by a nice cup of tea and a scone!

We got chatting and I asked for a picture of her final backpack and when she gave me a look, I told her that I write an organising blog and these kinds of things are fascinating to me.

I got to thinking how, since the babies were born, we travel very heavy but then I reminded myself I actually still only travel with my clothes in one small bag.

So I deserve a little pat on the back for that.

I didn’t take a pic of my stuff when we went to Ballito in January but I only had ONE tog bag and one oversized handbag for all my technology – laptop, kindle, camera, and all the chargers and cables.

I must admit, it is a bit boring seeing yourself in the same outfits over and over, but nothing beats hauling only that one bag around.

How light do you travel?

Do you take just one bag or do you like to take tons of options?

You know how, when you travel, things aren’t the same as at home???

Well, this is what I did to create some order when we were in Ireland.

I hung a plastic bag on the key to create a wastepaper basket and used this lightweight travel backpack for my socks and underwear.

What do you do to make your stay in other people’s homes easier?

Is it just me or do you do this too?

I used to always look at people and think, “wow! I wish I could be like that”

Not at prettier, skinnier, cleverer people, mind you.

But at people that could travel with just one piece of luggage. I’d stand behind them in the checking in queue at the airport and literally be jealous that they could go on a holiday… to a foreign place….not their home…. with so little!

You might not know this about me but I’m (naturally) a very heavy traveller – I like to be prepared for every eventuality!

When I’d go home from university and my dad collected me, he’d joke and say things like, “only 3 bags?” yet it wasn’t really a joke because that was me!

But now I am FINALLY that person.

Check this out!

A mere 9,8kg of luggage taken all the way to Dublin, Ireland on our recent holiday. No hand luggage except for my handbag.

It did help that I’m pregnant and have 3 pairs of maternity pants and only so many tops but now that I’ve tasted the freedom of easy travel, I’m hooked!

So what kind of person are you? Do you travel light or were you like the old me?

This is how I usually travel for 4 – 5 days within South Africa. This is an actual picture of my luggage when we flew to PE for our anniversary last year.

(when I wrote those two sentences, it reminded me of the lady’s voice on the London Underground. This is West Ham. This is a district line train to Upminster. If you haven’t been on the Tube, you’ll think I’m crazy).

Anywayyyy, and this is how we travelled to the UK and Ireland for 22 days in May 2008. The blue and grey bags are mine and the lime-green and red ones belong to Dion.

Aren’t you impressed?

I never thought I’d EVER be able to travel like this. Never.

But wait!

We went on a 3-day trip from Dublin to Cork and surrounding towns (Kinsale, Clonakilty, etc.) and I only took the backpack! I know, I can hardly believe it myself.

Do you remember my super-duper plan to keep within the cabin luggage allowance of 15kg?

It worked.

I threw away decluttered 7 long-sleeved tops, 1 t-shirt, 4 pairs of socks, 2 books and of course, all the presents we took with us.

I was prepared to throw away some more stuff so I packed those right on the top in case they asked us to pay. Fortunately, I was only 0.8kg over so they didn’t charge us anything.

I will definitely do this again when we travel because it worked for me.

How do you make sure you stay within the baggage allowance when you fly? Or do you just pay if your bags are too heavy?

Hi everyone

Things are cooking on the travel front!

Sandra and I have arranged some tentative times to get together when she’s in South Africa and I’m back from the UK. Yay – can’t wait!

Travelling light

On our confirmation emails I noticed that we’re only allowed 15 kg (yes, only 15!!!) in the hold on the Ireland flights so my new plan is to travel to London with my full 23 kg allowed on British Airways, wear my oldest clothes in England, Wales and Scotland, and then throw them away declutter them before we fly to Ireland. That, together with offloading a few presents will definitely bring my luggage down to 15kg, don’t you agree?

I usually bring EVERYTHING with me but I can pack light when faced with hefty penalties. They want to charge us 7.5 GBP for every extra kilogram! That, people, is a staggering R120 per kilo. Assuming we only have 23 kg, we’d pay an extra R1600 (that’s my monthly car payment, so, um, no thanks!).

So what do you think of my plan?

Conquer your email

Have you registered for this email teleseminar yet? One participant will get a copy of Janet Barclay’s new ebook, Maximizing your Time with Outlook!

This week’s menu
Monday
Chicken rolls with salad

Tuesday
Pizza potatoes

Wednesday
Pasta with corn on the cob

Thursday
Curry and rice (gee – this has been carried over for two weeks now)
This is week 5 of the How to become a PO group coaching programme

Friday
Friends over for supper – baked spaghetti bolognaise

What does your week look like?

I’m sure you guys are sick of reading about my woes with cleaning ladies. I am with you on that one! Our new cleaning lady came on Wed and worked nicely.

However, we’ve decided that for our lifestyle, we really need someone on a Monday. So hopefully she can adjust otherwise it’s back to the drawing board!

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In other news, Suzanne introduced me to a really cool application on Facebook called on Track which has forced me to make a detailed action list to plan our next holiday. Dion and I are going to the UK in May and Suzanne and I will be meeting up in Scotland. I honestly can’t wait.

We are going to England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland so if you know of any must-do things or must-see places, please let me know. Thanks in advance. And if you want to meet up, great – let’s try and make it happen. Who knows? Maybe we can have ourselves an organising fest!

If you’re on Facebook, invite me to be your friend and just say something like “read your blog” so I know you’re not a weirdo By the way, I got some photos done on Saturday —>> there’s one on this blog, another on my facebook profile and yet another
here.

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Valentine’s is on Thursday but since we don’t do the actual day celebrating in restaurants, we’re doing our dinner on Friday. Here is this week’s menu:

Monday
Stirfried chicken, vegetables and rice (carried over from last week)

Tuesday
Spaghetti bolognaise, salad and cheese bread (we’re having friends over for supper)

Wednesday
Chicken a la King, rice and carrots

Thursday
Nandos, also carried over from last week

Friday
Out for our Valentine’s dinner to the Thai place at Montecasino

BTW, have you gone to get your free book yet?