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Holiday Fab Finds: My Bills Folder

8 December 2008 Ibyang Sanchez 14 Comments Category: Memes, Tips

The Filipino Mom Blog‘s Fab Holiday Finds Week 2

Since we moved to a new place recently, one of my goals for the house is to re-organize my filing system. In managing a home, there are several bills to pay and file. It was timely that last Friday, I found a cute and user-friendly folder where I can file away our bills.

The “MY BILLS” Folder is part of kikki.K’s “My Series Organisers”

On the Bills To Pay divider, they stated the Instructions:

As soon as you get a bill:

check that it makes sense;
make a note in your diary when it’s due, then:
file it under BILLS TO PAY so you know exactly where it is when you need to find it.
once paid, mark it paid and move it into the category it best fits for easy reference. Simple!

Tabs include: Bills To Pay, Utilities, Health, Finance, Home, Lifestyle Family, Telephone Internet and Motor Vehicles Misc

This is a perfect gift for newlyweds who moved to a home or for those who need help with organising their bills.

Available at all kikki.K stores: Store Locations or you can shop online via their website: kikki.K. Cost: AUD$39.95.

It’s Finally Official…

2 December 2008 Ibyang Sanchez 2 Comments Category: Tips

America has declared recession.

“WASHINGTON – The United States is in a recession and it’s getting worse. Wall Street convulsed at the news — and a fresh batch of bad economic reports — tanking nearly 680 points.”

How To Get Along With “Monday”

24 November 2008 Ibyang Sanchez 8 Comments Category: Charmed Life of a Mrs, Tips

I used to have a chronic illness called “Monday-itis”. A few years back, I’m one of those people who avoid contact with “people” in the office on a Monday. Not so long ago, I was one of those employees who suddenly feels sick on Sunday night knowing that the following day is the start of the workweek.

When I was a trainer in the Philippines, I had to get over my Monday-itis because my work entails that on any given day “I have to be happy and I have to show my trainees I love what I do.” And because I really love what I do, I decided to get rid of my “Monday-itis” and came up with some strategies to get over Monday sickness.

Acceptance is the key. It really just starts with accepting that the weekend is over and that Monday will always be inevitable. Life is a cycle—and we all know that.

Be grateful that Monday happened. It is another day, another gift of life.

Be ready for Monday. Prepare for it. Get your Monday clothes, your bag, shoes et al, ready on Sunday night before retiring to bed, so that when you get up in the morning, all you have to do is shower because all you need in order to get out your door is ready. I religiously do this (I do this every night actually) and to make things easier the following morning, I also get our “baons” ready for the next day.

Make a list of things to do at work on Monday. On Friday afternoons before I leave work, I make it a point to write down my Things-To-Do List for Monday. In that way, when I’m back at the office and my head’s still floating from a weekend hang-over, I just look at my list and there I find my center once again.

Take it easy on a Monday (if possible). As you can see on the photo above, I only start with my top three things-to-do as I don’t want to overwhelm myself with so much work on the first day of the workweek. My to-do list on a Monday can only go up to five tasks. I give myself some room for being a bit slow—based on my work patterns, I take my time at work on Mondays (because I don’t want to get stressed early in the week). I also avoid scheduling or confirming meetings on Mondays, I schedule my meetings on a Tuesday.

Start your work-week with a positive affirmation. I love affirmations because it is a great way to pick-up your mood or remind you of something positive. I used to share Affirmations before. Sometimes my affirmations are inspired by people I’ve met or known via the blogosphere. I’ve stopped doing them for awhile but I plan to share some again soon.

If Monday has feelings, it would be very hurt. Put your shoes in Monday’s shoes, how would you feel if everybody hates you? Be kind to Monday…and be kind to your lovely face—frowning causes pre-mature wrinkles!

Smile. It’s only Monday. It won’t hurt trying to be happy on the first day of the work-week.

We all have a choice on how we will face the day, whether to be happy or grumpy on the first day of the workweek. As for me, I have realized early on that we should greet each day with a big smile, grateful for a new start of the week.

May we all have happy Mondays all the time!

[photo source]

Food Find: Sweetened Dried Cranberries

14 November 2008 Ibyang Sanchez 6 Comments Category: Food, Health and Well-being, Tips

Want a healthy option for a snack? Try this…

The brand is Craisins because it’s like raisins, only this is

sweetened dried cranberries.

I love it! I’ve been snacking on these since I’ve discovered it from a party that we attended. It tastes better than raisins because it gives me a more sour taste.

You can eat this with yoghurt, salads, cereal, porridge or simply eat it straight out of the bag.

Nutritional Value:

Naturally fat-free
Source of antioxidants
May help maintain urinary tract health

Effects I’ve experienced after snacking on dried cranberries:

No more constipation blues (I find this more effective compared to raisins)
I feel more “detoxed” everyday

This brand may not be available in the Phils, but there might be another brand of the same thing and there might be sweetened dried cranberries available in stores that sell peanuts and dried/preserved fruits.

While window-shopping at Paddy’s Markets two weeks again, I saw sweetened dried cranberries in the markets, so it’s probable that these may be available in other wet and dry markets too.

Edited: After a few minutes of posting this, a friend of mine from the Phils has informed me that Craisins is available in Santis Delicatessen (thanks Alyn!).

My Top Three Cleansing Agents

11 November 2008 Ibyang Sanchez 3 Comments Category: Domestic Bliss, Tips

When it comes to being clean in the home, my logic has always been: IF YOU SMELL SOMETHING NOT GOOD, THEN IT MUST BE DIRTY. And if it is dirty, then it is not home to me. Simple, diba? Siyempre hindi, nakakapagod kaya maglinis. But in the name of cleanliness, I’d rather be exhausted than live in a dirty and stinky place. Not to mention that the husband is also keen when it comes to cleanliness in the home.

When we arrived in our unit on the first night we got the keys, the unit was clean but it smelled old and dusty. We inspected the unit thoroughly and discovered that the cupboards were not that clean, there were stains as well. The kitchen and floors had a bit of grease. There was a lot of work to be done.

I had three angels in the guise of cleansing agents that helped me make our new home feel like a home to us.

In every cupboard, cabinet and surface, we applied these cleansers:

White King Surface Spray. It has a bleaching ingredient so it is very effective in making off-white white again. Its main ingredient is for killing E. coli, Listeria, Salmonella and Staphylococcus. It can also remove molds and soap scum.

Oomph Degreaser. To make sure that we eliminate grease on every surface.

Glen 20. Disinfectant spray that eliminates odours, kills germs and a scent that lasts.