Packing Tips for the Holiday Season

Packing Tips for the Holiday Season

Oct 26, 2016

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #FreetoBe #CollectiveBias

The holiday season is starting up soon and that means mostly everyone will have to pack a suitcase or weekend bag at least once. I for one will be heading out east for Christmas and I'm already preparing myself for the insanity that lies ahead. Namely, deciding what to pack and how to go about it!

Now I'm always one to over-pack when I head home. My checked and carryon bags are always overflowing because I pack so many things: just in case. But, of course, I usually end up wearing about a quarter of what I bring with me. When I went to NYC in May I felt like I did the best job packing and now I'm here to share what I learned with you guys! Follow my guide below to get the most out of your holiday packing, from knowing how to decide on what to bring to ensuring that you have your all your essentials with you when traveling. And of course making sure your clothes are super clean without having perfumes or dyes that can irritate sensitive skin using all® free clear detergents before and after the trip to avoid irritation is a must!


1. Decide on What to Pack. The first thing you want to do when packing for a trip is being realistic. Do you really need two pairs of stilettos when you're going to be in 30-degree weather? And what about those short skirts...the answer is no. Packing for the place you're going to without over packing is tough but it can be done. Because most people tend to repeat items of clothing at least 3 times during a two week it's essential to pack items, like tops, that will go with more than one bottom.

2.  Clean Things Up. Once you've settled on what you want to take on your trip, make sure it's all nice and clean! I don't like to do laundry before I figure out what to pack because when things are folded nicely I tend to overdo it and waste space in my suitcase. Washing my clothes with all® free clear detergent is the way I like to do it. I developed allergies as I got into my 30's and I found that detergents with dyes and heavy scents not only make me sneeze like crazy but it's also had me super itchy. I love that all® free clear liquid detergent is the #1 recommended by Dermolotolists, Allergists, and Pediatricians for people with sensitive skin like me. Plus the fact that there's no fragrance means that it won't conflict with my favorite body sprays or perfumes. When I travel back from NYC in the spring, which is where I get seasonal allergies, I like to wash my clothes when I get home to get rid of all the allergens as it removes 99% of them.

3. Pack Smart. Now that you've got everything washed it's time to pack! I love using packing cases to store my socks, bras, and underwear because if I'm living out of a suitcase for a few weeks I want easy access to my necessities. They really are the greatest thing ever and will prevent the overwhelming suitcase explosion that can easily happen every time the suitcase is opened! I not only use these for my undergarments, but I use them for my toiletries as well. If I could have my suitcase filled with them, I will so trust me, these are everything.

4. Have Your Essentials Handy. With being all packed the last thing you'll need is to make sure you've got all your essentials within arms reach in case of a delay. When I travel I like to put things that I can use to entertain or refresh myself in my carry on bag just in case I have a super long lay over or my suitcase gets re-routed. This is must whenever someone hops on a plane but even more so when flying over the holidays. I like to always have my medication, wipes to freshen up my face, a book to read and something to play with. Oh and snacks! You must always carry snacks in your carry on.

All in all, if you follow these four steps not only will you stop yourself from overpacking but you will have everything you need within arms reach. If you're like me and have sensitive skin or travel to places where your allergies are sure to flare up having all free clear detergent is the best way to get rid of any irritants from your clothing. all® free clear comes in liquid form, all® free clear Mighty Pacs® (perfect for those with a heavy pour, like me),  and also all® Free Clear fabric softenerso all® free Clear fabric softener. With this array of products, there's no need to sacrifice your sensitive skin in order to have super clean and fresh clothes.

So give it a try! Plan your holiday packing wisely and start using a detergent that is both great for your clothes and your skin. Let me know if I've missed any tips and the difference that switching to all® free clear  has made for your skin!

You can find this entire line in the laundry section of most large stores. I went over to Walmart to grab mine and will continue to do so in the future. Like I always say, trust me...you will love this!

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10 Minutes to Deliciousness

10 Minutes to Deliciousness

Oct 12, 2016

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #FeedYourFoodie #CollectiveBias

As a blogger that has a full-time job I'm always on the go. Between campaigns and working late hours sometimes I have zero time to make myself an elaborate dinner so sometimes I just have something simple like tomato soup. But how many times can a person eat just that? The answer is not a lot. Actually no, the answer is having something that I can pop in the microwave and not only be tasty but different. 

I've had LEAN CUISINE® meals for many, many years and while they're constantly improving to include more flavor, having gluten-free ingredients and bringing organic ingredient options into the mix, sometimes I want a little something more. This is where their limited edition meals kick in. Back in New York City I wasn't a huge fan of Mexican food and I've always disliked Indian as well. After living here in Cali for a few years I've done a complete 180. If I can have tikka masala everyday, I would! Same with tamales, tacos, and anything spicy! This is why I was so excited for these limited edition meals.

I was given the chance to try out some of these meals and I've gotta say, yum! I started off with the LEAN CUISINE® MARKETPLACE Cheese & Fire-Roasted Chile Tamale and it was super tasty. I can't make rice for anything in the world so when I crave carbs I usually end up eating pasta. But sometimes it gets really boring so I liked that the rice in this meal satisfied that craving. It gave me carbs I love, the amount of spice that I love and, I mean, tamale. Need I say more? I don't but I will!

The portion of the meal was perfect for me on its own but because I love to eat I decided to make a side dish with it. A while ago a friend introduced me to guacamole with bacon and while I've always craved it, I've actually never made it myself. It was a wonderful addition to an already tasty meal and it only made it more enjoyable. Check out my recipe below. As per usual, if you're an avid reader of my blog you know that I don't measure. I'm an eyeball it kinda girl so I would suggest using your taste buds as a guide to making your crispy bacon guacamole.

Ingredients

-pico de gallo
-crispy bacon bits
- pureed Haas avocados
-5 cherry tomatoes


 As you can tell, this is going to be super easy. I didn't want the guacamole to be super chunky so I smoothed the avocados out in my magic bullet. I added cherry tomatoes into the mix because I always need something liquidy to have a smooth texture and I didn't want to add water to it. I have a cherry tomato plant right outside on my balcony so I grabbed a few and was able to add more if needed but I was totally fine with only 5 of them. Before I started to puree the avocados I put a few cooked bacon strips in the microwave and cooked them for about two minutes total. I wanted the bacon to be crispy enough to break about easy without getting burnt so I checked up on it every 30 seconds or so.

Once those were done I grabbed some pico de gallo that I always have made (because it's the easiest thing for me to snack on) and I mixed them all together while leaving some bacon aside in order to garnish the guac. It was fast, it was easy, and it went amazing with my Lean Cuisine Marketplace Cheese & Fire-Roasted Chile Tamale. The flavors complimented one another brilliantly and nothing was overpowering.

As I mentioned earlier, I'm a tikka masala lover so when I saw that there was a LEAN CUISINE® MARKETPLACE Chicken Tikka Masala I was super excited. Indian food isn't really cheap out here and I can never find tikka masala sauce that I like. I also have zero interest in trying to make it from scratch so finding one that I can pop in the microwave was super awesome! The amount of sauce in the meal was great because it didn't let it get soupy and the food tasted really fresh. It was nice to have found something that different as well as easy to make. I love eating but I can't have the same thing everyday or my taste buds will hate me!

With the chicken tikka masala I decided to pair with it garlic hummus and whole wheat pita chips in order to stick to the theme! It was another Lean Cuisine meal that was a hit and I'm happy to have been able to try this limited edition awesomeness before it was too late.

All of these meals are packed with protein and they have so many options that it'll be hard to get sick of them. It's great to have some Lean Cuisine meals in the fridge for days that you don't have the time or energy to cook. Seriously, take advantage of their limited edition options at Walmart before it's too late. You totally don't want to miss out! If you want to read more about why people love these meals  and would like to share your own be sure to check out and like their Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages! And don't forget that you can get some great recipe ideas on the Nestle Flavorful Moments Pinterest board. I will warn you though to not go there on an empty stomach!

where else but the frozen food aisle will you find these awesome meals?

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