“I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers”, wrote L.M.Montgomery in Anne of Green Gables, and so are we. The 10th month of the year is when the charm of autumn hits full stride and nature treats us to a final encore of colour and beauty before the bare winter months arrive. There’s also a sense of excited anticipation in the air as we start to plan and get excited about all the fun ahead, and as we know, planning and getting organised is the key to enjoying life to the full.
For October we have some great little pointers to help get you organised, including ways to keep you and your family healthy, planning a pampering spa break away with the girls and reorganising your makeup bag, not to mention getting ahead with some Christmas gifting prep.
What to do this month
1. Stock up Your Christmas Gift Drawer
October is the perfect time to get ahead of the Christmas rush and start stashing away a few gifts! We all have that drawer (or maybe a cupboard if you're super organised) where we tuck away presents ready for the big day. Stocking it up now means you can avoid last-minute panic shopping and actually enjoy the festive season.
It’s a brilliant way to help you organise and budget for gifts for all the special women on your ‘to buy’ list. Teenage daughters and nieces will love our Mia large makeup bags, whilst the friend who has everything will not fail to be impressed with our indulgent Iris Carry All in recycled gold vegan leather. Or treat your mum and glamorous granny to our best-selling Emma 3 in 1 Hanging Wash Bag to take with them on their much-awaited trip or cruise. And here's a little tip: our gorgeous makeup bags make perfect low-cost stocking fillers or thoughtful gifts for beauty lovers – stylish, practical, and oh-so-chic.
Don't forget to drop your own hints and ask for the wash bags and makeup bags that YOU would be delighted to find under the Christmas tree. Maybe your wishes will come true this year?
2. More Christmas planning
Whilst we’re on the subject of Christmas, now is the time to get ahead to stay ahead and keep your head during the festive craziness! You may have already had your plans organised since July, but if not, it’s time to get them locked down.
If you’re hosting starting planning where everyone is going to eat, sleep and fun things to do over the holidays. Here’s what to organise now:
- Guest bedroom: is your guest bedroom still an office come dumping ground? Get the room looking welcoming and guest-ready now to give you one less job to do in the lead-up.
- New furniture: if you had visions of all your family around a new large dining table or being cuddled up on a squishy new sofa in front of a roaring fire this Christmas you better be quick. To guarantee a pre-Christmas delivery date it’s a matter of now or never, but even so, check delivery lead times before ordering to ensure you’re not disappointed.
- Let someone else cook: preparing the Christmas lunch or dinner can be a daunting task. If you’d rather a professional chef prepare the meal for you and your family this year, book a table at a restaurant. But be quick, tables are in high demand and depending on the size of your family, you will need to get your reservation in now.
- Home from home: maybe this is the year you and your family rent a cottage or house? It saves the decision of who is going to host and means you get to go on holiday together. There’s still time to plan this, but get booking right now before everything is gone.
3. Stay healthy
Cold and flu season is coming up and after last year, we are more aware than ever of germs and how easily they spread. As the time we spend indoors increases, which is a bugs and germs favourite breeding ground, it’s important to be organised and prioritise our health by keeping our immune systems strong with vitamins, probiotics, eating healthy, staying fit and getting outdoors as much as possible.
If the pandemic taught us anything, it’s what we can do to help protect ourselves from viruses and bacteria when on the move, so as well as boosting your immune system, keep a personal hygiene kit of essentials in your handbag for when you’re out and about. We like to pop a hand sanitiser, hand cream, mask, tissues and a travel pack of anti-bacterial wipes in a small makeup bag that permanently lives in our handbags. It means we never forget anything and also keeps all the items clean and hygienic.
Small Makeup Bag in Clear Pink
4. Book a girly weekend
When was your last girly weekend? There’s something about a weekend away with your besties that really recharges your batteries and refills your giggles cup. As with any trip, the perfect girls’ weekend away requires planning and preparation and that includes what to pack. This all depends on the type of trip you book - a weekend city break, a cottage in the countryside or a pampering spa break - and also whether you’re flying or not. When it comes to packing there are normally two camps - the pack everything or the keep it simple types and the same applies to weekends away with the girls. Whether you’re a maximalist or mimiliast packer, if you want some great tips on how to pack your beauty products for your holiday have a read of our blog post.
5. Reorganise your makeup bag for autumn
Just as we swap our summer floaty dresses and sandals for thick tights, slouchy jumpers and heavy boots so we should think about doing the same with our makeup. Summer looks tend to have a ‘less is more’ feel about them and are light, playful and easy, whereas autumn looks tend to be bolder and have a rich warmness to complement the season. Swap brights for darker more flattering colours, your bronzer for blusher and bring in heavier bases and foundations to brighten up your skin.
Take the opportunity to have a quick declutter of your makeup bag and bin or recycle any out of date items and near empty pots. It pays to be ruthless here to make sure your makeup bag stays organised. Don’t hang on to any items you bought on a whim, but never wore - we’re thinking the electric blue eyeliner that looked great after your makeover in MAC, but you were never brave enough to try again. Put the items in a pile and give them to friends who you think would look great in them. For tips on how to declutter your makeup bag see our blog and do it like a pro.
Before you refill your makeup bag with gorgeous autumn colours, it’s a good idea to give your makeup bags a thorough clean. If you have a Victoria Green makeup bag you’ll know that the fabric is deliberately crafted to be easy to clean, both inside and out. We’ve created an easy guide to show you how to deep clean your makeup bag and get it ready for a new season of fun.
And there we have it! Five great ways to get organised this month so you can get on with living life. We’d love to hear if you’ve tried any of our tips and if they helped you be more organised. Pop a comment in the box below.