The So-Called Landing Strip

Where'd I put the . . . oh, yeah!


On Unclutterer there was discussion of the need for a landing strip, an area by the door* where the day-to-day stuff that falls out of your hands when you enter the home can go. Our dining table was plagued by such items until recently. My husband fixed the lettro wall organizer by Umbra above this formosa side table by CB2 and voila, we have our formal eating space back.

More important, our morning routine is running a bit smoother. I have, hanging from the envelope, the following :

• Baby's pediatrician appointment card
• Don't-leave-home-without list:
  
  Purse and cell phone
  White coat and badges
  Pump and parts
  Cold pack and milk
  Lunch box and water bottle

Do you have a similar system? What's YOUR morning routine like?

*Note that leaving your keys near a mailbox slot, or any other opening to your home is not a good idea (a burgular can get easy access).

In a Word: Handy

Itzbeen too long without this gadget in my life!

OK, so I've had a newborn for only a week, but really this little device has greatly improved things. The post-partum nurses successfully scared me into scrutinizing every wet and soiled diaper with its time of arrival. Thus at one point I could be found juggling baby in one hand, and dry erase board plus flashlight in the other to record nighttime activity. -What a debacle!

Now that I have the Itzbeen Baby Care Timer, things are going relatively smooth. It keeps track of how long it's been since baby was last fed, diapered, or went down for a nap. There is a night light and it even has a tab to help you remember which breast was offered last. This device fits in one hand and can be clipped to your clothes.

You can also opt to set an alarm if baby sleeps past the time his feeding is due. This is not yet a problem for us, but I would certainly welcome that sound over the buzz of my pager going off.