When do You send out Invites?
posted by Annie
In the age of Facebook, it’s easy to get bombarded with invitations to “Events.” I don’t even have that many Facebook friends and I get them all of the time. Most of the time, I feel guilty about being on Facebook (I know it’s an enormous time-waster) so I rarely even sift through them.
But what happens when the tides are turned? When you want people to read the invitation you’ve put together, RSVP, and then actually attend?
I’ve started trying to give people three weeks notice. So far, so good. And I’ve sent invites out on Facebook, but I’ve taken to calling people as well to invite them to events that I’m having.
For example, on January 26th, I’m having an informal gathering to talk about Young Living Essential Oils. (email me if you’d like to attend, it’s on the Upper West Side, I’ll give you more details when I hear from you) Anyway, I put the invite out via email to some friends on January 5th. That same day I posted the event on Facebook. Then last night (a week after the initial invite, but two weeks before the event) I invited specific people via Facebook whose email addresses I didn’t have. So now I have another week and a half to try to get to my perfect number of people.
Am I bombarding people? I have no idea!
But for a less business-y event, like a simple birthday brunch for my family, I sent the invites out today via Paperless Post. Is that too soon? The event is on 01/23.
I checked with Emily Post. I figured she’d be a good source.
Quick Tips for Rude Situations #12: Invitation Timing
Whether you’re mailing invitations or inviting guests by phone, timing is key. Send an invitation too late and the guest may already be booked; send it too early and it might be misplaced or forgotten. The following guidelines aren’t set in stone, but will give you an idea of when to mail various types of invitations.
| The Event | When to Invite |
| Anniversary party | 3 to 6 weeks |
| Bar or Bat Mitzvah | 1 month |
| Bon Voyage party | Last minute to 3 weeks |
| Casual party | Same day to 2 weeks |
| Charity Ball | 6 weeks to 3 months |
| Christmas party | 1 month |
| Cocktail party | 1 to 4 weeks |
| Debutante Ball | 6 weeks to 3 months |
| Formal dinner | 3 to 6 weeks |
| Graduation party | 3 weeks |
| Housewarming party | A few days to 3 weeks |
| Informal dinner | A few days to 3 weeks |
| Lunch or Tea | A few days to 2 weeks |
| Thanksgiving dinner | 2 weeks to 2 months |
I’m just not sure. I would label my birthday breakfast as a “Lunch or Tea” in which case, I am right in there in the proper time. A little less than two weeks, but nothing over that. (And, yes, it’s for my immediate family, who are only a few people, but still, it’s the principal I’m curious about.)
So what do you think? Do you send out paper invitations at all? Would you send them out sooner than an email invite? What’s your favorite mode of inviting people?
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Change
posted by Annie
Sometimes change affects me more than I think. Even good change. Change that is important and exciting.
When I found myself not doing my normal activities – like blogging, cooking, or dealing with my new surroundings, it took me some time to realize what was going on. Now my place was beautiful. My kitchen was perfect. So why wasn’t I enjoying it the way I could?
Change. Change was affecting me more than I thought. And I was having a hard time dealing with it.
So if you find that your laundry is piling up, or your bed is perpetually unmade, or you couldn’t even be bothered to unpack your Christmas decorations, go easy on yourself. Take a little stock. New calendar years are good for that.
You may need to check in with yourself and see what’s going on and how you feel about it.
Funny thing is, when I did that, my papers all of a sudden got filed. By not being stuck in a certain place, I have been able to move forward and be productive again.
Funny how that works.
Here’s to a 2010 filled with simple, productive, happy days.
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Over Goo Gone, Switching to a Citrus Oil
posted by Annie
Recently I’ve been pulling lots of price stickers off products. Normally, it’s a job that I turn to Goo Gone for. Here’s what I don’t love about Goo Gone: it leaks. So I will buy a bottle and about half of it will wind up leaking out. Annoying.
So, I have turned to the citrus oils that I have on my essential oils shelf. Lemon oil, grapefruit oil, orange oil – they all work great!
Here’s what I do, when I encounter something sticky, I put a drop of the oil on the sticker. I let it sit for a few seconds. Then, I just peel it off and rinse the oil. Simple and effective. Great news? The bottles won’t leak.
How to Order Young Living Essential Oils
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Baked Potato Soup with Cheddar and Bacon
posted by Annie
Robin Rescues Dinner
Okay, so look out. This is the best soup! When I made it, my husband practically married me again. It’s really just the best parts of a baked potato in soup form. I love baked potatoes, but I never feel like I get enough food with one of them. This soup fills you up, for the rest of the day!
Here’s also what I like about this recipe, let’s say on Sunday night you make baked potatoes. Well, throw in 3 more than you’re planning on eating that night. Use those the next day for the soup. Brilliant!
I got this tip from the awesome book, Robin Rescues Dinner: 52 Weeks of Quick-Fix Meals, 350 Recipes, and a Realistic Plan to Get Weeknight Dinners on the Table
Baked Potato Soup with Cheddar and Bacon
Prep Time: 10 to 15 minutes Cook Time: 8 to 10 minutes (provided you’re starting with pre-cooked baked potatoes) Serves 4 3 Tablespoons butter 3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour 5 Cups milk 3 reserved baked potatoes, peeled and cubed (about 3 cups) 4 scallions, chopped (green and white parts) 3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese 1/2 cup sour cream 4 slices bacon (regular or turkey bacon), cooked until crisp and crumbled Salt and fresh ground black pepper 1. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until the mixture is blended and smooth. Whisk in the milk until blended. Stir in the potatoes and scallions and bring to a simmer, stirring frequently. Simmer for 5 minutes. 2. Reduce the heat to low, add the cheese, sour cream, and bacon, and simmer for 1 to 2 minutes, until the cheese melts. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Submit a Recipe to All AbodeView all Recipes on All AbodeForever, I know!
posted by Annie
I know that it has been forever. Sometimes life creeps up on you in ways that you’re not expecting. Moving to a new place has been a big adjusment. In Jersey City, it takes me longer to get around than I was expecting. I feel like I’m spending lots of my time commuting. And then I’m sort of burrowing at home.
Enough excuses, though, I will do my absolute best to keep up with All-Abode! I love doing it, so why deny myself the fun? And if you enjoy reading it half as much as I enjoy writing it, that’s even better.
Young Living Page Added to All-Abode.com!
posted by Annie
Lots of Information!
Okay, I have finally put all of the Young Living info up on All-Abode! Phew! That was a lot of work. but now you will find:
- Info about Young Living
- An explanation of the three types of membership
- Ordering information
Check Out the Young Living Essential Oils Page!
Enjoy! And, as always, if you have questions about Young Living Essential Oils or any other products, please let me know!
WFAE 90.7 FM Pumpkin Shortage!
Jeannie962 had a great article discussing the pumpkin shortage that’s going on. Check it out here: WFAE 90.7 FM.
shortage!
Hoarders: A Family’s Secret Life Exposed – Oprah.com
Hoarders: A Family’s Secret Life Exposed – Oprah.com.
Fascinating!
I am totally loving the show “Hoarders” on A&E. How awesome then to see it on Oprah! Love it!
It is truly fascinating to see how far people’s extremes are. I’ve worked with some clients who are definitely on the spectrum. Very sad. But it is really great to watch them get it. And start to realize the power their objects had over them.
I highly recommend checking it out! So good!
What do you think of the show?
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All Abode on Hold
posted by Annie
My husband and I are moving to an awesome new place! Plus, my Young Living Essential Oils business is really picking up. My performance schedule with Chicago City Limits is the same, but I’ve been asked to teach a Level I Improv class. Have I mentioned that I’ve been organizing more too? That’s another part of my life that is happening.
All good things, but unfortunately, something has got to give!
So I’ll be taking a bit of a break with All Abode. As of November 5th I should be back up and running.
When I see fun content, I’ll throw that up. So the best way to find out when I have something new up is to subscribe. You’ll get an email every day that there is a new post. (Which will, during this hiatus, be about once a week).
I look forward to returning refreshed with lots of great tips and trick for cooking, cleaning, organizing, and entertaining!
Chucking Your Checkbooks
posted by Annie
Part of organizing is getting rid of stuff. Realizing what you do and do not need in your life. But how do you get rid of things in a safe way? Those items that have important info of yours on there that you don’t want getting into the wrong hands.
Well, I’ve recently made the change to use my married name all of the time. So I needed to get new checks. But I wasn’t sure what to do with my old checks. They had my bank account number, name, and address. Could be dicey.
Here’s what you do: take used checkbooks right back to your bank. Your bank has tons of shredders that can handle it.
I brought them to my bank and no problem! They took them right away.
One less worry, taken care of. Awesome!
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