To be on the safe side when #traveling, photocopy, scan or take a cell phone picture of any important documents you don’t want to lose such as a #passport, credit cards and driver’s license, says BestLife. Email the pictures to yourself so that if any of them so go missing on your trip, they’ll be easier to replace. Another hack? To ensure that checked luggage deplanes almost as quickly as you do, tag it “fragile.” Airlines usually put fragile bags on the top of the heap in the cargo hold, so they’re “the first to be unloaded. You’ll be hailing a cab while your fellow passengers are still looking for luggage carts.” #SummerTravel
Tag: summer
Look for Summer Flights Sooner Than Later
With prices going up and most people eager to get out of town after two years of delays and lockdowns, the sooner you plan a trip, the better. But even procrastinators can find good deals if they keep their plans flexible. To find #cheap flights, for example, use a site such as Kayak or Google Flights to find the best options by using “+/– 3 days” or grid option when searching. Once you find a flight you want, double-check the airline’s site to see if you can’t save a few more bucks. And if you’re ultraflexible about your destination, many sites offer a map that shows current airfares to cities worldwide. #SummerTravel
Theme Your Cookout to Maximize Memorial Day
After you call, visit or #memorialize your favorite #veteran(s) on Memorial Day, a cookout is the perfect way to launch the summer with family and friends. To make it truly memorable, give your gathering a festive theme, The Spruce suggests. Good menu options include Southern barbecue, craft-beer tasting, hot dog/burger bar, and (for maximum potluck potential) “You bring it, we grill it.” Add some outdoor games such as cornhole, croquet or badminton to work off those cookout calories, and let the summer fun begin! #MemorialDay
Celebrate the Start of Summer
The unofficial start to #summer, Memorial Day is ideal for a family activity, even if it’s just a short road trip or staycation. Celebrate those who gave their lives for the country by paying your respects at a cemetery, flying the flag, and making red-white-and-blue treats for a picnic or cookout, Country Living suggests. Parades are another great option, as are quick jaunts to a beach, park or nature preserve. It was a long and likely stressful winter, so take advantage of the extended weekend and — as Grandma used to say — go get some air in your fur. #MemorialDay
Gardening Season Has Begun
An unusually cold and rainy spring has finally given way to warm and sunny weather in most of the country. If you haven’t yet planted your summer #vegetable or #flower #garden, there is no time like the present.
While starting seeds indoors is the #thriftiest option, you’ll likely need to turn to the local garden center for plants that are ready to go into the ground. Now is the perfect time to plant summer-maturing plants such as corn and tomatoes.
All is not lost if you start a little late, Gilmour says. You can plant a couple of weeks late in the season, or choose vegetables, fruits and flowers that thrive and produce late in the growing season.
You’ll need to prepare the soil for whatever plants you pick. Vegetables grow best in rich, crumbly, loam soil, says Family Handyman. Tilling and amending sandy or clay soils with compost, peat, manure and other soil builders can help plants thrive.
After planting, press the soil surrounding your seedling firmly in place and water as needed. You may need to support plants such as tomatoes (which grow too tall to support their own weight) or send out vines (like grapes and beans).
Why do all of this? Because you can often get a much more flavorful and nutritious end product than you’d ever be able to buy at the grocery store at a fraction of the price. We at The Organizing Blog plant a variety of tomatoes every year for that simple fact. Is there anything better than a #homegrown tomato?
If you prefer decorative gardening, a perennial garden only requires a little bit of thinning each year. That said, you’ll want to weed and tend any beds soon, and help new plants get established to fill in any bare spots.
Container gardens, too, are an excellent option for those low on space. To slash the cost of getting started or adding to a container garden, shop the #thrift stores supplied by generous donations to ClothingDonations.org for lightly used pots and window boxes.
Whatever you decide to grow, gardening can be a relaxing and rewarding hobby that requires only a little bit of attention each week. And the time to get started is now!