How To: Relocate Dust Bunnies

I think its time for the Mishaps dust bunnies to find a new home, because I'M BACK! 

I am at a total blank as to what to write about, so as I'm waiting for my creative juices to start flowing, I figure I'll just keep writing and see where it takes me. Please excuse the babbling for a minute or two. Even if I end up saying nothing of any importance in this entire post, it feels so good to be back! I have missed all of my readers. 

I have done so much growing up over the last six months, I feel like I should have tons of mishaps coming to mind to entertain you with. Being a homeowner definitely presents an entire set of issues I don't think I'd ever fully considered. Like water bills. What on earth? Why is it so dang expensive?! All I do is shower, wash dishes, and laundry. And then I remembered my valiant effort to save my grass this summer. That could be why.

Now that its finally getting out of the 80's in Dallas and decided to drop 20 degrees in two days, I'm presented with a whole other issue. Do I really need to turn the heater on? NO, I say! I can just wear a sweatshirt, pants, and slippers. This is Texas, its not THAT cold, I'll be fiiiiiine. Plus, I really was budgeting on a pedicure this month and I want some new books, so I can sacrifice some heat so my bills would be low. 

And then I woke up to a house that was 52 degrees. My stupid trees that provided my house with stupid shade in the stupid summer are now making my house STUPID cold. On went the heater and up went my complaining. I think I'm suddenly going from recent college graduate to senile old lady. "Back in MY day..."

The fun part about being a homeowner though has been working with Chris on the weekends. We have really gotten into our improvement projects, and my lack of confidence in our skills decreases a little with each project. See, we both have this habit of not being so good at easing into things. 

For example, since "ye ol' budget crunch" started ( I don't know why I'm saying "started." It's not like it ever ended), I've been bummed about my lack of adequate furniture for my house and lack of adequate funds to change this. This, of course, didn't stop my planning as to how to change the situation. My living room was just not doing it for me and patience when it comes to decorating is NOT one of my fortes.

So I went over to my trusty Pinterest account, started scrolling through all of the home decor ideas, and happened upon Anna White's blog with TONS of DIY furniture plans! How fun! I could just BUILD something instead of having to fork out the money to buy any of the furniture pieces I wanted. Look at me being so budget-savvy and a little Susie Homemaker.

What did Chris and I decide on for our first project? A five-foot long table/shelf/entertainment center type thing. We started planning for this table build and bought all of our supplies. It wasn't until we had several of Chris's dad's power tools lying around my garage that I started questioning our ability to actually do this. Maybe we should have started with a birdhouse or something. 

I am so happy to say that neither Chris nor I lost any appendages while building it. It may have taken us three weekends to finally get it built, stained, (then sanded back down when I didn't like the stain), and finally painted and moved into the house, but now I have the freaking heaviest, sturdiest, almost according-to-the-plans table under my TV. And I love it. 

Look at that. My first post back practically wrote itself. Consider the Mishaps dust bunnies evicted. See you again soon, fellow Almost Adults!

Coming Soon!

So I have decided its time to make Mishaps a priority in my life again. Within the next six weeks, be looking out for more regular posts from me! I have so many new and exciting things to tell you, especially now that I'm 26 and OFFICIALLY a mid-20-something.

See you soon!

So Long, Farewell

Today is a sad day for me. I think I've known this was coming, but have been in denial for weeks now. Today will be my last weekly Mishaps post. As I laid in bed last night thinking about how I could word this horrible, hopefully not permanent, goodbye, I thought of all of the wonderful things that have happened to me since I started writing this last September. 

You've gotten to experience so many things with me, from burning my eyebrows off last Thanksgiving to buying a house, from being a happy single to falling in luuuurve, from quitting a crap job to getting a new one, from being broke to budgeting, the list goes on.

I can't tell you how happy its made me every Wednesday to hear the comments I get about my newest posts and how much it means to me to know that somehow over 11,000 people have read my words. It just blows my mind. 

Hopefully the stress that I'm under will ease up eventually and leave me some spare time to start Mishaps up again. Hopefully I'll find time every once in a while to post and update. In the meantime, I'll be off living my life and having as many Mishaps as I've ever had - just think of all of the writing ammo I'll be giving myself to write about when I can start writing again.

-Aimee

There's a sad sort of clanging from the clock in the hall

And the bells in the steeple too

And up in the nursery an absurd little bird

Is popping out to say, "Cuckoo"

Regretfully they tell us but firmly they compel us

To say goodbye to you

How To: Spahh

I was pleasantly surprised at work last week to find out that I'm getting a bonus on this coming paycheck! My first thought was "I'm SO going to pay off my credit card!" My second thought was "And get a pedicure!" My third thought was "Wow, my life is lame." Clearly, my priorities are in line. 

Getting regular manicures/pedicures is something that's had to been put on hold in my life as I've been working on my house and living on a tighter budget. This is extremely sad. I am a big fan of being pampered.

Despite the fact that I'm trying to not get regular spa treatments, I also refuse to walk around with naked finger/toe nails. Not gonna happen. This is where this week's blogs come in handy. I've done research for you on how to pamper yourself at home for a fraction of the cost you'd spend at a spa/salon! YAY ME! You're welcome. 

1. Who doesn't love having their hair blown out perfectly straight and silky smooth? I sure do. I, however, can't afford to just go to the salon and have my hair done every weekend. If you've ever seen me get ready to go out, you've probably commented on the ridiculous size of the round brush I use. Yep, all the way on the right.. I'm always surprised by the number of girls who've told me that they don't have the slightest idea how/when to use a round brush. Mastering the use of one is essential to the at-home blowout. Check out this page for tips on how to use a round brush and what to do first.
2. If you're anything like me, you're constantly trying to grow your hair out from the last time you thought you wanted short hair. Since my hair is extremely fine and prone to breakage, I've become a big fan of hair masks/conditioning treatments. Never tried it? Prepare yourself for silky smooth, stronger hair with less split ends. It's AWESOME. The ingredients for at-home hair masks creep me out sometimes (full-fat mayo is one of the most recommended ingredients!) but they really do work. Check out this page for a few different types of masks to figure out which one would be best for your needs.
3. Not much is worse than waking up with super puffy eyes. One of the best things you can do to de-puff your eyes is soak a wash cloth in cool chamomile tea. The chamomile acts as an anti-inflammatory and will help the puffiness go away.
4. You know what is worse than puffy eyes? A big ol' zit right in the middle of your face. No fear! Get rid of zits with ASPIRIN. I'm not joking - same idea as the chamomile tea. Aspirin works as an anti-inflammatory to get rid of the redness associated with stupid acne. Here's how to do it.
5. You don't have to fork out the money on waxing to avoid those horrible razor burn bumps on your bikini line and under arms. Use Veet instead! They offer different types of hair removal creams including ones for sensitive skin. MAKE SURE YOU READ THE DIRECTIONS so you don't end up burning yourself and looking even dumber than if you had razor burn. 
6. Seeing as how much I love sandals, or preferably no shoes, my heels are constantly rough. Its gross. I love getting pedicures and feeling them so soft and smooth again, but as part of my new budget, I can't go very often. So how do you get silky spa-quality feet at home? Easy. Head out to Target and buy one of these things (the cheese grater looking tool) as well as a pumice rock. Pull the plug in your shower (as if you were going to take a bath) before you shower to let your feet soak in a few inches of water the entire time you're cleaning off. When you're done with your shower, turn it off and pop a squat on the side of the tub. Lather up your feet and scrub away, first with the cheese grater, second with the pumice stone. When you get all of that dried skin off, hop out and dry your feet really well. Lather on some thick lotion/cream and put on socks to wear for the next half hour to lock in the moisture. You'll have soft feet in no time.
7. Never nick your not-quite-dry nails again. After finishing painting your nails at home, let them air dry for about 2 minutes. Next, dunk your nails in ice cold water for 3 minutes. The ice water hardens the nail polish and locks it in place. No more smudging!

Here are some more at-home spa treatment ideas too in case I haven't listed something you had in mind.  I'm off to spahh myself until that bonus check comes through. 

How To: Clothes the Chapter on Bad Wardrobes

I'M BACK! Sorry for the delay. I have had a wee bit of a rough week. But better late than never, right? I am slightly guilt-ridden about my post this week because of how unbelievably awesome Chris keeps proving himself to be. To say I was under the weather this week would be an understatement and my dear boyfriend bent over backwards to make sure I was okay, even when I was puking and whiney. I was pretty positive that was when only your mom still loves you, but alas, Chris prevailed. Thank you so very much for that. You're the best!

You know what he's not the best at? Dressing himself. Holy moly. If you ladies have ever met your boyfriend somewhere only to find them wearing something completely atrocious you're wondering how they ever even thought they looked okay, go ahead and click JOIN THIS SITE. Yep. Its happened to us all.

This is a serious dilemma, ladies. There's no nice way to be like "Honey, I love you, but you dress like crap." Like almost every guy I've ever met, he's not so keen on shopping. If it can't be accomplished in less than 10 minutes, the look of pure misery slowly creeps onto that cute face of his and he suddenly turns into Oscar the Grouch.

I'm also not willing to spend money on new clothes for him that I'm not entirely positive that he'll actually wear. So I needed to figure out a way to rope him into deciding for himself that it was time for new clothes. This was one of the trickiest things I've ever had to figure out - I'm not usually one for conniving behavior, but it was time to figure out a plan.

Let me frame the situation for you. Chris is a victim of baggy clothes. First off, boys, baggy clothes do nothing for you. You know when you see girls that wear clothes that are too tight and you're like "WHOA, not good", baggy clothes have the same effect for you. You look like you either just lost a ton of weight and refused to buy new clothes or have been single for entirely too long. Now, by no means turn this advice into wearing t-shirts so tight that your "muscles" look bigger. Nope. Uh-uh. Don't do it.

I knew from the beginning that helping Chris's wardrobe was going to be a multi-step process. A complete overhaul is enough to stress anyone out, so how to do this as gently as possible? An opportune moment arose a few weeks ago when Chris forgot to grab a belt to wear with his shorts. (First off, if you HAVE to wear a belt, your clothes are probably too big.) This was my moment. It was time to seize the opportunity. As the day went on, Chris became more disgruntled with his shorts repeatedly falling down and having to hike them back up. I finally asked him if maybe he needed to get some new shorts that fit a little better? The seed had been planted.

The next day, Chris showed up at my house ready for a 10-minute-or-less trip to the nearby outlet mall to buy some new shorts. We left J Crew with THREE pairs of new shorts (all exactly the same but in different colors - this meant he only had to try on one), and on the way out, I was so excited, I took a picture of the back of Chris with his stupid baggy shorts. I quickly showed him how they were entirely too long and how dumb they looked from behind. What do you know?! I haven't seen those awful shorts again. 

In the car on the way home, I jokingly said, "YAY! You'll look so much better! Now we need to just work on your shoes next." He immediately looked down at his shoes, and didn't say much else. 

Two weeks later, I received a text message that made me nearly jump for joy. "Okay, lets find me some new shoes this weekend." I nearly fell out of my chair I was so excited. I automatically assumed that his old, worn-out tennis shoes had, in fact, fallen apart prompting this text message. Turns out, after just my little comment about shoes being next was enough for him to notice his shoes for the first time in probably 10 years (when he more than likely bought them). 

That Sunday, we made a trip to the nearest DSW and picked out some new shoes for him. As we were checking out, I grabbed two sets of new socks for him and told him he needed those too. He laughed, and as he was checking out, the girl looked at him with an adoring look on her face and goes, "I am so proud of you for buying new socks, too. No point ruining new shoes with the wrong sock choice." Chris blamed it on me, and the girl looked back at him and goes "You know what that makes her, right? A keeper. And she's cute too, don't mess this up." I just stood there with a smug look on my face and walked out to the car.

As we got in the car, I looked at Chris and said, "Well, are you going to put them on or what?! I'm so excited to see them on!" He started to put them on with his old socks and I just stared at him until he switched to his new socks, too. I then repeatedly complimented him on his new shoes and how awesome they looked, and said "Now we just need to get you some new t-shirts!"

The funniest part about this whole process to me has been the feedback I've gotten from girl friends of mine and even my sister-in-law. So many people have been like "Okay, HOW did you get him to get new stuff?!" Everyone seems to laugh hysterically at the fact that I did, indeed, take a picture of Chris from behind to show him how unbelievably ridiculous his shorts were. So how do you go about suggesting that your significant other work on their wardrobe?

1. Take it one step at a time. Especially for boys, pick one area to target. They're more likely to go along with it if they're only shopping for one thing at a time.
2. Nagging will get you nowhere. Find a way to plant the seed and then DROP IT. (ex: Chris's  no-belt dilemma).
3. After you've convinced them to change whatever it is thats awful, let them pick their own alternative. You are there to guide them - but it has to be their decision as to what they end up with. So suggest the correct colors/styles, but leave it up to them.
4. Implement rules once new items have been purchased. Chris's old shoes are to be Yard Work Only shoes. They're in my garage, because I'm the one with the yard.
5. Don't try to force anyone out of their comfort zone. No matter what you tell me, I'm never going to wear skin tight skimpy clothes, so I can't expect my other half to show up in seersucker and a bow tie. It won't happen. Thats not Chris, and I'm good with that. 
6. Guys are all about comfort. If they even THINK something might be uncomfortable, they're more than likely going to act like a 4-year-old and not even attempt to try it. Find an alternative that completely proves them wrong and work that angle instead. (Ex. boys who wear "shower shoes" instead of proper sandals like Rainbows.)
7. Compliment them like crazy when they do follow the "rules" - positive reinforcement will go a long way. 

To all of the dudes out there, we're just trying to help you. Don't you love having a hot girlfriend? We love having hot boyfriends, so bare with us. This is one area where you should be glad we know more than you. 

Look at how proud of his new shoes he was.
One small step for Chris, one giant leap for his wardrobe.

Chris - I love the crap out of you, holey t-shirts and all. Don't worry - we'll fix that next.

How To: Be Popular

First off, WHOA. Mishaps didn't just break 10,000 this week, it saw its bet and raised it another 250. I am in total and utter shock how many of you check back each week to read what I have to say. I'm not sure what my expectations were coming into writing this blog less than a year ago, but I don't think I ever expected this. As long as you keep reading, I'll gladly keep writing. So pass the word on - send it to your friends, repost it on your Facebook walls. Pin it on pinterest. JOIN THIS SITE! Keep doing what you're doing because SOMETHING seems to be working and I'm ecstatic. 

Unfortunately this week I haven't had much time to brainstorm some insightful advice to give everyone, seeing as I have been promoted at work and am now training the new girl who is the new me! As part of my big move to a new cube with a window, I am now sitting next to one of my friends and loyal Mishaps followers at work, who has inspired me to write this post.

I firmly believe that the usage of "lol" has gotten out of control. As someone who takes laughing matters very seriously, I would really prefer if use this acronym sparingly and only when directly appropriate. Stop crying wolf, you aren't really laughing.

I know you're guilty. You've all used lol when you aren't, in fact, laughing out loud. So what do you do when you're not really laughing out loud? Or you would laugh if it wasn't extremely inappropriate at the exact moment? Or it was only kind of funny but not funny enough to really laugh out loud? Or to emphasize when you really are laughing out loud but overuse lol so much that no one really believes that you are in fact laughing out loud?

Do what I do. Make up ridiculously long acronyms to portray whats really happening.

1. IWLOLBTWBI* = I Would Laugh Out Loud But That Would Be Inappropriate
2. IWLBIWRTFFMTLOL* = I Would Laugh But It Wasn't Really That Funny For Me To Laugh Out Loud
3. IMSTLOL = I'm More Smiling Than Laughing Out Loud
4. IWPLOLBIKYYAMBIDRLOL = I Would Put Laugh Out Loud But I Know You'll Yell At Me Because I Didn't Really Laugh Out Loud
5. WTLOLBIAM* = Want To Laugh Out Loud But In A Meeting
6. JSSICLOL* = Just Smiled Since I Can't Laugh Out Loud
7. FRIALOL* =  For Real I Am Laughing Out Loud

The use of any of these acronyms is a guaranteed way to make sure that you get a OINLOLSHIC in response. Okay I'm Now Laughing Out Loud So Hard I'm Crying. 

*These acronyms are actually used in my every day conversation. So much so that now my phone autocorrects to them. I count that as a win.


 Real text conversations between myself (in the white) and my coworker (blue):

How To: Get Through a Monday-Thursday

I LOVE Independence Day; it was a huge deal in my family growing up. Eric and I were in a parade in my grandparents neighborhood every year and we looked forward to decorating our bikes with crepe paper, ribbons and flags all year. We'd wear an obnoxious amount of red, white, and blue and listened to a guy dressed as Abraham Lincoln on the front steps of a penny candy store. It's one of my favorite holidays. Look at how excited I was. And my mom's triangle 'do. I am really thinking that this style should come back... No? I guess not.

You know what's not my favorite? Coming back to work after a day off right smack in the middle of the week. In an effort to make myself and some co-workers and friends laugh our way through this awkward Monday-Thursday, I made up a new list of moods, originally stemmed from creating a combo-shot of how I feel today. Then the idea kind of took off and we all started laughing. Here's what I've come up with:

• Hungry + Angry = Hangry
• "I know we haven't eaten yet, but there's no need to be so hangry."
• Sleepy + Grumpy = Slumpy
• "Its two hours past when she normally goes to sleep; I apologize for her slumpiness."
• Hot + Moody = Hoody
• "It's 102 outside. Don't touch me. I'm super hoody."
• Sick + Needy = Sneedy
• "Mom? Can you come over? I think i'm getting sneedy."
• Bored + Lazy = Blazy
• "My work ethic is zero today; i'm being super blazy."
• Sad + Mopey = Sopey
• "Don't be such a downer, i'm tired of your sopey attitude."
• Stressed + Psycho = Strycho
• "You probably want to steer clear of her today: she's acting a little strycho."

May I introduce you to Hangry, Slumpy, Hoody, Sneedy, Blazy, Sopey and Strycho; the newest, grouchiest bunch of Seven Dwarves. 

Its time to go back to my slumpy mood. Although thats slightly more difficult with the amount that I just made myself laugh.

How To: Meet the Parents

Welcome! Happy Mishaps Day! I'm glad to report that this week Mishaps is back and running at full capacity. Thank you all for bearing with me while I've been running around like a chicken with my head cut off. 

You've probably all read here or seen on Facebook lately that I have exciting news in my life. Everyone meet Chris, my awesome boyfriend.  Hi Chris! ::waves at computer screen:: He's cute, smart, loves dogs that are part mini-horse, takes me to baseball games and to see fireworks, preferably at the same time, and thinks my blog is hysterical. What more could I ask for?

One of the fun (kind of?) parts about having a new relationship is meeting all of the people in both of our lives: roommates, friends, dogs, and even families. We both came to the decision that meeting the parents was going to be as big of a deal as we made out of it. Since both of our families live in the Dallas area (at least part of the time) we were better off getting it out the way than trying to explain why no one had met this mystery person. (Please imagine me making the sound effect of a Band-Aid ripping off, because that is definitely the noise I made while I wrote this paragraph.) (I also apparently love parentheses.)  (At least its not air quotes.) (My eye just twitched.) (I'm done now.)

The plan was set: Chris was going to take me to church, where we would meet his parents, then go eat with them after. Being my typical self, I was confident. I'm funny, relatable, and could talk to a wall. What did I have to worry about?

This attitude stuck with me until we got to the church and Chris and I stood there waiting for his parents to arrive. Suddenly I was ready to put my head between my knees and start hyperventilating. What should I talk about? What should I not talk about? What if they don't like me? What if I don't like them? Why was I not freaking out before RIGHT NOW?!

This was no time to panic... It was too late to fake a sudden illness and try to get out of this. They'd be here at any minute and I'd probably just lost all color in my face as I was trying to remain calm. I might not HAVE to fake an illness if suddenly I hurl on myself. Clearly I was doing a fantastic job at remaining calm...

Turns out everything went just about as smoothly as I could have asked for. I didn't heave, which is always a plus. It did make me feel slightly better about myself that Chris went through the same sudden anxiety attack as we were walking through the parking lot of the restaurant to meet my parents two weeks later. We are just so compatible like that.

Have you had a Meet the Parents Mishaps? Are you ready to meet your significant other's family? Keep these rules in mind.

1. Bring Tums. 
2. Ask your boyfriend/girlfriend about their family so you aren't going in completely blind.
3. Always err on the side of conservative. Watch your language and be polite.
4. Find a balance between quiet as they talk about things you may not know about and talkative when they ask you questions about yourself.
5. It'll only feel like pulling teeth if you go into it with that mentality. Volunteer information rather than sit back for the firing squad of questions. Talk about your family, your job, etc. 
6. Turns out parents get really nervous about these kinds of things, too. My mom knew how important it was to me for it to go smoothly and ended up just as nervous as Chris and I felt.
7. Be yourself! There's a reason you're dating the person you are and more than likely thats the same reason their parents will end up liking you.

Apparently its pretty evident that Chris and I are chocolate-wasted happy together and thats all our parents seemed to notice. There was no need to spray paint a cat or anything outrageous. I even met his siblings this past weekend. So now all we have to do is meet my siblings and ease their FOMO (Fear of Missing Out). (I just learned this acronym today.) (Here we go again with the parentheses.)

How To: Keep On Keepin' On

Okay, so for a quick recap: In the last three months, I've:

• purchased a house
• left a crappy job 
• started a new, better job
• had over 3,000 readers read my little ol' blog
• trained my dog to use a dog door and apparently type
• started a new relationship (!!!)
• became an aunt to the cutest baby in the world
• went on my first all-expenses-paid business trip
• and now just landed myself a promotion-of-sorts.

Whoa. Look at that list. It's kinda long. And thats all over the course of just THREE months. Excuse me for a minute while I smile so big I can hardly breathe, and then end up with my head between my knees. What a difference a few months makes! When did I go from Not-Really-But-Almost Adult to For-Real-Almost Adult?

I don't have anything really side-splitting funny to say this week. If you haven't been catching the same whirlwind of luck that I have, here's what I've learned:

1. Everything doesn't happen for a reason. You may disagree with me, but I really think this is true. That does not mean that every situation isn't a learning experience. How else can you learn if you never have any mishaps?
2. Everything DOES happen when it's supposed to. Be patient! Your good fortune is just around the corner waiting for you.
3. Stay open and positive. Nobody likes a Debbie Downer.
4. Make your own destiny. Don't wait on someone else to make you happy.
5. You're twenty-something. Grab life by the horns! Live big!
6. At the very least, you have my blog to look forward to!
7. Never forget to appreciate all that is great in your life. Write a list of everything good that has happened this year. I bet it will be more than you were expecting. I stole this idea off Pinterest, but you can write them on slips of paper and stick them in a jar like this:

Sorry my posts have all been so short lately. Life is overwhelming in the best possible sense of the word right now. I'm working on some new ideas for you! In the meantime, keep on keepin' on.

How To: Take a Business Trip

I'm finding out this week! I'm in Austin all week for business and unfortunately haven't had much downtime to write a blog. So here are my tips:

1. Even if your company isn't paying for you to stay in a hotel the night before you have to be in a city thats 3.5 hours away, you should probably drive down the night before and just suck up the cost itself. Waking up at 3:30 in the morning so that you can be at an 8:30 meeting is a wee bit brutal. Especially at about 1:00 in the afternoon when you enter a lunch coma. 
2. Get over eating alone quickly. Yep, its just me.
3. Take workout clothes/bathing suit. My hotel has an awesome pool. Haven't gotten there yet. Maybe tomorrow.
4. Bring a book or some form of entertainment for when you end up at dinner by yourself or sitting alone in your hotel room.
5. Make friends with your business contacts. Find out if there are other people in from out of town also and suggest dinner with them. Networking + not eating alone for one meal = WIN.
6. Write blogs about sitting alone at dinner while alone at dinner.
7. Miss the crap out of your dog/boyfriend/bed/friends/house/real life. Probably in that order. Sorry to the BF. At least you were ahead of my bed!

'Til next week!

OH HEY! Did you notice Mishaps passed 9,000 views? I'm so dang proud of myself. I couldn't have done it without you! I mean, I guess I could have if I refreshed my page 9,000 times. But that's outrageous. I'm guessing I've only refreshed it about 1,500 times.

How To: Be the Best Aunt Ever Part II

I just had to post this as a follow-up! I followed my own advice (#2) and got to Denver ASAP to see this little bundle of cuteness in person. HOLY POOP. Reagan, my new niece is TEN TIMES more gorgeous in person than in pictures. But since you can't see her in person, I thought I'd just post more pictures.

I can't help but smile after my dad read me Aunt Aimee's latest post! She's so funny!

I Baby Tebow to thank God for my hilarious Aunt Aimee and her awesome blog.

I'm thinking you should click on the blue JOIN THIS SITE button
and follow Aunt Aimee's blog.

Despite the fact that my Aunt Aimee keeps saying i look like the Inch Worm

 in my multi-color striped hat and green blankie,  

I can't help but just love the poop out of her.

I think she might love me too! 

I'll have to remember to say funny things so she can use me as material.

How To: Be The Best Aunt Ever

I didn't sleep all last night waiting to hear anything about more progress from any of my family members camped out in Denver waiting for a new Miller's arrival. I finally got up, got in the shower, ate breakfast, and switched on my iPod while getting ready to dry my hair and get ready for the day. As i was scrolling through my playlist options, I laughed a little to myself and chose my Best of the 80's playlist. For those of you who don't know this, my brother is OBSESSED with Journey. Like, big time. Its "illegal" in his car, or any car that he happens to be sitting in, to change the radio from a Journey song to a different station. He belts out Don't Stop Believing so off tune you want to Stop Believing, and yet doesn't even care. And this is why I love him so much.

As soon as my iPod shuffled through the Best of the 80's and hit a Journey song, I knew that any child of Eric's would have to answer the call and come out singing. At 6:13 this morning I became an aunt! Reagan Charlotte Miller was born this morning to my brother Eric and his wife Diana. I may be slightly biased but she is the CUTEST DANG BABY I've ever seen. Complete with joint wrinkles - the best part about chubby babies! Who doesn't love a dent in the chub where joints are supposed to be?! I just want to squeeze her!

So how do you go about becoming the best aunt/uncle ever? 

1. You tell everyone you know that you have the cutest new niece ever.
2. You book a plane ticket to wherever she is and GO as soon as possible.
3. You charge your camera so that you can take poop-tons of pictures of her cute little self.
4. You are borderline rude to your mom in demanding more pictures. She'll understand.
5. You get so excited you can barely stand it and tip-toe on the line of annoying to coworkers.
6. You write a blog dedicated to how excited you are to be her aunt. 
7. That pretty much sums it up.

I LOVE YOU ALREADY REAGAN! 

XOXO - The Best Aunt Ever

Since I never got around to posting this week (boo me), I am hereby promising TWO posts next week! Yay me!

Only advice I have for this week:

Check to make sure you have replacement contacts before you throw out the pair you're currently wearing. Two lefts do not make a right. Especially with my vision. I'm off to go bump into walls and things until next week.

HAPPY FRIDAY!

How To: Speak On Command

Hey guys. Brodie here. My mom has been trying to teach me the command SPEAK. Its hard for me to explain to her that my bark is super loud and I like to save it for when I'm pretending to be brave and protecting her against whatever is ringing the doorbell outside. Just because I won't speak on command doesn't mean that I can't write though!

First off, nice to meet you. I hear my mom talk about how much she loves all of you for reading this thing every week. I'm glad you make her happy. So do I. Its super easy. All I have to do is pretend like I forgot a toy was on the floor and then pounce on it. She laughs every time without fail. 

So as I was between naps yesterday patiently awaiting her return I decided I could save her a little time and write an article this week. She does so much for me, it seemed the least I could do to help out. I'm so considerate, right?

The absolute best part about this new house that we bought is my backyard. Its awesome! Especially now that I've figured out this whole "my door" thing. I mean, it makes sense. Its the right height for me. Its a little squishy on the sides for my taste, but I haven't gotten stuck yet. I keep laughing at my bestie Buddy when he won't go through my door. I mean, come on dude, I'm younger, bigger and wider than you. If I can do it, so can you. He'll figure it out some day. 

They keep trying to give him treats to get him to go through. If only he could figure out the number of treats it really means just to jump through this thing - JACKPOT. Its like taking sticks from a baby. I did that last week. That little girl didn't need a stick... Me on the other hand. I'd never seen such a beautiful stick before.

Now all I can think about are sticks. But you humans don't seem to care too much about sticks. You just keep throwing them away from you. I mean, really, how many times do I have to give it back to you for you to understand how amazing these little trees are?

But thats beside the point. This isn't helping you or Mom. However, I did hear her having a conversation earlier this week talking about how expensive it is to have an awesome pup like me. I chose to ignore when she called me "the most expensive free thing" she'd ever had. Good thing I love her kind-of-a-lot already.

If you're considering making the best decision of your life and adopting a pup like me, here are the things you need to consider budget-wise.

1. I like to eat. A LOT. In fact, my middle name is Hoover. I think it's a joke about the way I eat, but I just choose to think she named me after the President because I'm smart. And just like you humans, the better quality food you eat, the more expensive it is. Mom doesn't have caviar and champagne every day, and neither do I. However, I do like something better than McDonalds. The instructions for how much you should feed us are usually on the bag. It depends on the size of my friend that you adopt, but for my big self, I cost about $45 a month in food.
2. I have to go to the doctor too, you know. And I'm not cheap. Twice a year I have to go pretend to be brave while I get shots to make sure I don't get sick or cause other friends to get sick. It stinks. I hate it. Mom put me on a monthly plan though now (Banfield's Wellness Plan) that makes it a monthly rate instead of just lump sums for vet visits. Its roughly about $30 a month per friend.
3. Its all fun and games until someone ends up in a cone. This one time I was following my mom through a door and the door slammed on my tail. It hurt so bad. I cried like a baby (but I was still, so it doesn't make me any less manly), had to go to the emergency room, got a cast and had to be mopey for two weeks. It was horrible. I don't know who I am without my tail knocking things over and swaying in the wind. I'd budget about an extra $150-300 for accidents a year JUST IN CASE. Stay safe, my friends.
4. I really like things to chew on. Especially since its apparently frowned upon to chew on TV remotes. They tasted kinda funny anyway, so I guess I'm okay with these rawhide things. Mom buys them in packs of 5 from the store. Estimate another $15 for something special for my friends to chew on a month if you'd rather it not be on your shoes or TV remotes.
5. If you don't have a backyard like mine, please remember that having me costs you an extra 15 minutes in the morning to take me outside. Just like you, I've gotta GO when I wake up. I don't make you hold it - so don't make me. It won't end well, I promise.
6. Some pups are like my bud Buddy and need haircuts. I've heard about how expensive those can be. Take into consideration whether my friend would need haircuts or not as an additional expense. 
7. I don't need haircuts, but my hair falls out. All over the house. On Sunday, Buddy and I were laying there staring at each other while on hiatus from Squirrel Patrol and a huge ball of his and my extra fur rolled in between us. I felt like a gunslinger. Ooo-wee-oo-wee-oooooo. You should probably budget for some kind of vacuum that specializes in pet hair pickup if you don't want tumble-fuzz everywhere.  Mom uses a Swiffer Vac. You should probably buy one.

The number one thing to remember about me and my friends though - we are SO worth it. Mom always seems a little happier when I put my head in her lap and give her a few kisses to let her know she's my favorite. If you can afford to give one of my friends a good life, I would recommend it. We guarantee a return on your investment. We'll love you 'til the day we die, no matter what.

I think I hear a squirrel. GOTTA GO.

Lieutenant Brodie Miller and Sergeant Buddy Brogdon

of the First Infantry, Squirrel Fighting devision.

How To: Change Bachelor Bad to Bachelor Pad

Today's lesson is mostly for the male audience. Girls, feel free to laugh along and pass this on to every guy you know who is guilty of one, or all, of these following examples.

Who here at some point in time had a movie poster on their wall? I sure did. In my freshman dorm room. Seven years ago. Who here at one point in time had furniture that slightly resembled Tupperware? I did. Seven years ago. Who thought that it was not only cool but also a good idea to have a beer pong table instead of a real table? Saved space, and was way more fun. Seven years ago. Who has ever seen a room that looked something like this?

Don't lie. We both know you at least thought about it. These people had much better taste/more money to spend on beer than the walls I've seen though. I'm sorry, but nothing is impressive about a family room "wallpapered" with Keystone boxes. Zero. Zilch. Congratulations. You drink a whole crap-ton of cheap beer that tastes like urine. Not that I would know, but you catch my drift. 

Are we sensing a pattern here? The things that were acceptable, and possibly even cool, seven years ago as college kids now make us look like we're suffering from Van Wilder Syndrome (the older brother to Peter Pan Syndrome).

Now don't worry boys, we are expecting to be underwhelmed by your place. The bar is set extremely low. If you have pictures hanging on your wall and a single throw pillow, we're automatically going to assume your mom helped you move in. If you have curtains, she probably did the moving in while you weren't even home. How nice of her.

Never fear, Mishaps is here! I am providing you with secret knowledge. Want to know how to seal the deal with girls and not make them run in the opposite direction when they see the inside of your Bachelor Pad?

1. CLEAN YOUR BATHROOM. I can't stress this enough. It doesn't have to be spotless, but if you have a clean toilet and I can't see evidence of the last time you brushed your teeth, I will forgive just about anything else in your place. If I can tell that you shaved this morning, or this week, just ew. You can forget it.
2. Tidy is the new clean. It makes no difference to me whether you dust or vacuum, but pick your crap up off the floor. Make your bed. At least attempt to push your clothes into a pile in the corner. Even better, buy a hamper!
3. Buy new bedding. Want any lady friend to plop down next to you in it? Buy bedding that actually matches. And sleeping bags unzipped do not count as a comforter, no matter how economical you might think it is.
4. No movie posters, please. Unless your walls are made of cinder block, there are Greek letters on the front of your building, or you have home theater room, resist the urge. Don't do it. I'm glad you love Gladiator and Tombstone. Me too! Take them down.
5. Don't even get me started on half-naked women anywhere in your place. Congratulations. That's the only one you'll be seeing.
6. Mattresses weren't meant to be on the floor. Did you know that you can but a plain metal mattress frame for under $50? They have them anywhere they sell mattresses. Having your mattress on the floor doesn't help your feng shui, it's not the same as a platform bed, and its not okay. 
7. If you can say the words "And its even collapsible!" about anything in your apartment, it means its not real furniture. Why, yes, I'd love to go to a bonfire or a tailgate with you, but my female bum is not touching a lawn chair while inside.

If you follow my advice, I guarantee* satisfaction. Trust me, it will improve your life AND your game.

*I can't actually guarantee this. If you are not satisfied, I'd be happy to return the $0.002 I earned for your page view. Except if you laughed. If you laughed, I'm keeping it. I earned my $0.002, thank you very much.

How To: Throw a House (Warming) Party

Why, yes I'm 25 and still love house parties. Especially themed house parties. That are also house warming parties. For myself. 

This past Saturday I decided it was time to break in my new house with its very first house party. Since I happened to pick May 5, which was both Cinco de Mayo and the Kentucky Derby, guests had three theme options: Mexican, Kentucky Derby, or Mexican Derby. I was excited about the possibilities this presented. Sombrero as a Derby hat? Yes please. 

I spent Saturday prepping my house, cleaning and hanging pictures to make it look like I really do live here. Good thing I had my mom in town to tell me to move everything slightly to the right and that I'm incapable of hanging a picture level. If its her opinion over what the little level bubble says, its generally best to go with her opinion. Love you, Mom. My dad was slaving away making his my garage all pimped out and organized and cleaning up the backyard in preparation for all of my guests to arrive. Good thing we got around to hanging my flag! I didn't even need to tell people that my house was the third on the left - they all just somehow knew which house was mine.

So you might be wondering what makes a 20-Something house party different than a college house party?

I mean, really. Cursive.  This qualifies me as an over-achiever.

1. It starts at 7:30 because I'm lame and now hate staying up late.
2. It has actual food. Well, kind of. There was a crock-pot in use. That has to count for something.
3. No one goes thru the dog door to see if it really is human-sized. Just kidding. Of course this happened. You can't just go around saying its human-sized without having someone test it.
4. It doesn't have just one theme but two because we're sophisticated now. Cinco de Derby? And yes, I wrote "derby" with STREAMERS in cursive. I believe this qualifies me as just plain talented.
5. Costumes could consist of a mustache on a popsicle stick. Or possibly a sombrero on a stick. Or anything seersucker. Even dogs wore costumes. We had a Bandito and a Prize Winning Horse. I'm sure you can guess which one was Brodie (its all in the legs).
6. Flip cup games don't break out on center islands. Just kidding, yes they do.
7. It requires two naps on Sunday to recover. Probably because I still woke up at 8:30 due to my inability to sleep in.

Thanks to everyone who stopped by!

Oh and by the way, THANKS FOR READING! Did you notice that in the last week Mishaps has had 900 readers?! HOLY COW! So go ahead and tell your friends! Like Mishaps on Facebook, repost it on your page, click the JOIN THIS SITE button, share the love!

How To: Give It The Old College Try

I had a lovely weekend showing off my house and chatting with my friends - both old and new! One of my guests even came up to me and said that she'd recently started following my blog. After I got over my oh-so-humble reaction of people telling me they think I'm hilarious, I started recommending articles that might be appropriate for things she'd been going through recently. 

Of course, our conversation led me right back to How To: Find 50 First Dates. It always does. I told her some of the pros and cons of online dating, a few of my stories, both good and bad, and then of course, as I always do, point out that really its different for everyone. To understand it, you'll just have to try it.

I realized afterwards that my knowledge base was missing one link - OKCupid. From a strictly research-based standpoint (and lets face it, I'm still single - can't hurt), I decided to give it one more College Try. 

I think I might have broken some kind of record. If I created a ratio representing the amount of time that I spent tweaking my profile to make it as accurate as possible compared to the number of hours I was actually subscribed... Let me just put it this way. I didn't even last a full 24 hours. 

Thanks for the free ego boost OKCupid users. Good thing I am completely comfortable being single. 

See you Wednesday!

How To: Read Between the Lines

Inspiration stuck this morning after having a conversation with my bestie Brad over interpreting something a guy had said to a friend of mine. Not everyone is as lucky as me to have a best guy friend to turn to (or vice versa) when you’re faced with tricky situations over figuring out the opposite sex.

I'm overgeneralizing here, but for the most part, women read into almost everything. We can't help it. It's part of the reason we're so good at adapting to situations - more than likely we've already thought of it anyway. Men, from my understanding, are much more simple. There are generally two reasons behind anything they say: 1. The truth. or 2. Something they think we want to hear in order to avoid the truth.

The biggest pitfalls happen when one party takes something at face value that isn't quite what they meant the other party to interpret and you wind up on the slippery slope of miscommunication. So frustrating!

Today’s post is slightly different than my standard format, but i'm going to give you some insight into several fabricated situations in where miscommunications are MOST LIKELY to happen. Luckily for you, Brad and I are here to give you the rundown on what everything really means.

EXAMPLE: 

Okay, everyone at some point in time has had this conversation or some version of it. It ends with both parties ready to slam their head into a wall. The open ended invite. To go or not to go - that is the question.

Guy Interpretation: Well, I was looking forward to a night with the boys. The only reason I even asked her was I thought she would say no! Its not like we're even dating. Can't we just hang out a different night and not have to ruin Guy's Night?

Girl Interpretation: He asked me to go! But he did say he was with a bunch of guys. Should I go or will I be crashing? I really like this guy though and I want to appear interested in the things that he likes even if I don't care about bar trivia.

General Rule: If they have something specific they mention (such as a guys night) that sounds like you might be intruding on, suggest an alternate plan for a different night and politely decline. This will get you much farther in the long run than becoming a tagalong. 

EXAMPLE:

Girls, if you've ever been left hanging with an awkward "Miss you!" left out there with no response, go ahead and start following Mishaps publicly. Just kidding! But really, you should go click the JOIN THIS SITE button on the top left hand side of the page.

Guy Interpretation: What just happened? We had a great night, and I thought things were going well. Is she really mad that I didnt say "Miss you, too"?? I dropped her off 5 minutes ago after just spent my entire night with her. I haven't had time to start missing her yet!

Girl Interpretation: He doesn't even CARE! Clearly by adding my "..." he knows that I was expecting something more and still didn't say anything! I'm completely disregarding the fact that I just spent the last 5 hours with him for the fact that 2 minutes later he doesn't miss me yet! HOW CAN HE NOT MISS ME, TOO??

General Rule: Consider the appropriateness of the stated "I miss you!"s before you throw it out there. Generally, if its immediately after a conversation with a guy or, even better, during a conversation, you're going to get left hanging. Don't jump to conclusions that this clearly means he's anticipating breaking up with you tomorrow and is glad to be rid of you - that would be a very girl-like thing to do so just CLOSE THE LID on the Crazy.


EXAMPLE:

The dreaded Friend Zone. This is the WORST case of miscommunication. Its like quicksand - once you're in it, there's really no coming out. Don't get caught!

Guy Interpretation: Awesome. I asked her to hang out and she wanted to do something tonight. This is even better than I thought. I wasn't sure if she was into me or not but I guess there's my answer! This could be a fun night!


Girl Interpretation: Its a bar - the more the merrier. He seems nice enough from what I know and this way i'm not forced into anything date-like. Is it 5 yet? I could really use a drink right about now. My feet are going to be killing me by 5. Why do I keep wearing these shoes anyway? Terrible decision. They do make my calves look good though. But for real. Ow.


General Rule: The second the words "Oh, we're just friends" comes out of either party's mouths - Donezo. You're sinking in that quicksand fast. If you are intending it to be a date rather than just "hanging out", be specific. Suggest a particular activity rather than just going with a vague suggestion. You'll get an immediate answer with a simple yes or no and move on from there.

So here is my only advice for this week.

1. Be specific. Say what you're thinking. I think you should click the JOIN THIS SITE button and become a loyal fan. Just saying.

How To: Teach a (not that) Old Dog New Tricks

I'm posting this little tidbit just for entertainment's sake - there will still be a full post on Wednesday!

For those of you who are lucky enough to know my furry friend Brodie, you will appreciate this post. For those of you who don't, well, its still funny. Go read the story about the day I got him here! 

One of the many perks of now owning my own house is having a backyard for Brodie! The two of us are loving having someplace to play with the tennis ball over and over and over again right out the back door.  Brodie was even lucky enough to get a dog door so he can access his own personal playground any time he wants. Only problem is that he has no idea this is the case. Look at him smiling.

You always hear stories about big dogs that think they're lap dogs and can just sit on your lap with their 75 lb self. Brodie, being ever the quirky one, seems to be the exact opposite. In his mind, he must be about 4 times as wide as he normally is. Here are some examples.

Situation: Someone's sitting on the couch with their legs up on the coffee table with a conveniently placed toy right underneath them.

Brodie Logic: Just sit here and stare at it in hopes that someone will move it out of this BY FAR to small space.

Situation: Something moveable is blocking the way to my food.

Brodie Logic: Find alternative route including going around the entire house to avoid it. And then when I get close, i'll sprint and end up tripping myself. Close call. 

Situation: New flap is installed in the door that seems to be on hinges and is exactly the right height for me to walk though.

Brodie Logic: Stare at the door, whine, and start shaking for no apparent reason when too close to this odd flap that magically leads outside.

And then something miraculous happened.

Situation: Someone on the other side of the door has a cookie in their hand. I can see it. And now its gone.

Brodie Logic: Screw everything i'm afraid of. This space looks too small for me but there are COOKIES at stake here.

Close call. I was starting to think the only solution was going be a game of Follow the Leader with me showing him how to operate the door. Pretty positive I'd fit but glad I didn't have to find out. That just sounds like a Mishap waiting to happen.

See you Wednesday!

How To: Be a Better Earthling

So lately I’ve been feeling a little more Adult than Almost Adult. I bought a house, I have a CAREER rather than a job, and life seems to be moving in an Adult-ish direction. I could not be more thrilled about it. It’s hard for me to determine the “best” part of my life right now, which is an amazing feeling. I’m writing and designing, have a job that I love, working on my house, and watching my puppy grow into an Almost Adult dog. He trips way less often now.

Maybe this just comes with the territory of being mid-twenties instead of recent grad, but life is just good all the way around. This past week I got a nice little reminder of why I wanted to major in Public Relations and why I am so happy to be back in this field. I, once again, have an opportunity to make a difference, outside of giving insightful, yet funny, advice to Almost Adults. 

There is nothing quite like the feeling of bringing a smile to someone else’s face. Whether it was from my obnoxiously-perky-at-6:30-in-the-morning self, the bass beats playing behind me, or from the idea of doing something good for the world, there were lots of smiles on little faces at Kramer Elementary School here in Dallas this past Friday. I was assigned to help out with the City of Dallas’ Cease the Grease campaign this past week and was at an Earth Day celebration hosted by one of the teachers at Kramer.

Every time I say that word I picture this and start saying things like "El Paso, I spent a month there one night." He never gets old. And his hair has so much movement, geez.

It was inspiring to see these kids not only participate in Earth Day events but to understand why we were having events like this Cease the Grease campaign. Rodolfo even carried in a jug that was practically bigger than he was – cutest kindergartener I’ve ever seen. 

Kramer, (yep, still picturing the slide entrance) and many other schools throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth area, are starting to participate in programs other than just Cease the Grease to inspire children to be good Earthlings. Programs like REAL School Gardens are teaching kids in underprivileged schools all about the importance of living a healthy lifestyle and being environmentally responsible. 

That afternoon I went back to the office with “The Grease Monster won’t like this song” stuck in my head. It's quite the catchy tune – and I had to listen to it roughly 82 times… but who’s counting. Maybe I should do the Kramer entrance into my co-workers office and start rapping the song just to break up the day a little. Later, I started thinking about what I could do to be a better person. Seems to me that if a kindergartener can be working harder on recycling, planting, and being good to our Earth, so can a 20-Something.

1. Pick a non-profit organization you feel strongly about and are ready to contribute to. There are tons of organizations dedicated to different kinds of issues, surely you can find one that hits close to home.
2. All non-profits welcome volunteers. Find an organization you’re thinking might be fun to participate in and sign up. If planting flowers and having deep conversations about cartoons with 6-year-olds is your idea of fun, check out REAL School Gardens volunteer page.
3. You don't have to be a tree hugger to recycle. Check out RecyclingCenters.org for a list of things that are easily recyclable and start doing your part.
4. Don't just recycle, UPcycle! Go read last week's post and reinvent something you would have gotten rid of.
5. Want to make yourself a better person WHILE making a difference? Check out Team in Training. Their program helps you lose weight, get healthy AND raise money for cancer research all at the same time. 
6. Check with your company to see if they actively participate in any organizations that would be beneficial to your company. If not, suggest one that would tie in with your line of work. It never hurts to look good from a boss's perspective.
7. If none of this sounds appealing to you, you can always donate money instead of time. Every dollar makes a difference to lots of organizations.

Even if its just imitating Kramer every time you walk through a door, go out of your way to make someone else's day better. I guarantee you won't regret it. Unless your slide turns into a face plant. That would be unfortunate.

How To: Clean House, Hoarder Edition

Welcome back! I hope everyone had a good weekend and start to the week. I am still recovering from my weekend (don’t worry… I usually write on Mondays). Since I’m a 20-Something, normally that would go along with a forehead/temple rub and maybe a few groans about how I can’t handle my booze anymore.

For me, it’s more that I’m still picking paint out from under my nails, flexing my sore arm muscles and trying to figure out where all of these bruises came from. I worked on my house all weekend getting as much done as I could, knowing that this week was going to force me to halt progress on my end. But look what I got accomplished! 

Makes the paint I still have on my legs under my work pants worth it. I really need to shower when I’m more awake… This week the progress isn’t dependent on me and more on my checkbook – new counters, backsplash and electrical work is all scheduled for this week! 

So that leaves me with the WORST part about buying a house. Packing. 

I think I might be allergic to cardboard boxes. I hate them so much. Even more than I hate cardboard boxes, I hate packing things I don’t need. For example, I actually have a box in my closet that I NEVER UNPACKED from my last move. That is pitiful. I can guarantee that if I haven’t missed it over the last year I can just pitch the entire contents of the box. I am embarrassing myself right now. I could have at least opened the box… But no. Lets just admire the picture to the left and pretend like I live  minimalist lifestyle with only two chairs and a side table for a family room instead of clutter and junk everywhere...

Why is getting rid of stuff always harder than it seems? They have entire TV shows dedicated to people’s inability to get rid of things. It’s terrible. Maybe its just the fact that it seems overwhelming and too time consuming to go through everything. 

Here’s my advice on paring down:

1. Watch an episode of Hoarders to get you in the mood. Its disgusting. It’ll have you reconsidering holding on to your Field Day ribbon from 3rd grade, I promise. 
2.  Make a pile of things you can take to Goodwill or a local thrift store. You can even look up stores like Plato’s Closet that buy back clothes to turn some profit. 
3. Once a year, or maybe even twice, go through your closet. This is the easiest place to accumulate things you don’t need, especially us females. This is the time consuming part, but take the time to try everything on. If it doesn’t fit or isn’t how you remembered it, it can probably go. 
4. If you’re anything like me, you should probably go through your movie/old music/video games collection. If you haven’t watched, heard or played it in the last year, you probably don’t need it anymore. Plus, selling them to places like Movie Trader or Half Price Books is a great way to make your lunch money for the week. 
5. Take this next piece of advice with a grain of salt or else you’ll be the next participant on Clean House: Don’t throw away something that you’re going to regret. If something has extreme sentimental value to you, then its probably worth keeping. My suggestion would be to buy one box (don’t get too carried away size-wise) and fill it with the sentimental items you do want to keep. If it doesn’t fit in the box, well, take something else out and keep the “one box” rule. 
6. General rule of thumb that I use is that if I have an item that I’m not currently using, I have to come up with three reasons why I’m keeping it, including at least one use for it. If I can’t come up with three solid reasons, it can be pitched or donated. 
7. Make good decisions! Don’t be a packrat! Decide which things in your life for the things that are worth keeping and make you a better person. Who knows what unexpected additions you’ll find when you actually make room.

Now that I’ve procrastinated packing for an additional 30 minutes writing this post, I guess I should go start. But I could do some laundry. Or maybe read a book. Brodie looks like he might need a walk. I should check my email…