Lists

Study Abroad Series; Pre-Travel Checklist

8:30:00 AM


I'm the kind of person who has to triple check things before I even walk out of my room. There are only 40 days until I depart for England, and there is a long checklist to get through before I actually leave my house and board the plane. I also worry a lot about whether or not I have locked the door, or left anything behind! It's stressful. 
SimpliSafe home security has a ton of great tips for keeping the home safe while traveling. Their wireless security system was designed with the traveler in mind and is perfect for busy, individuals. After seeing their pre-travel checklist around the house, I wanted to share it with you, along with some of my own tips for leaving before traveling!

Tip: Put sticky notes where you'll see them. I make a list of bathroom products that I need to bring with me onto a little sticky note and tape it to the mirror so I can double check that I have everything I need. 
     What's on that sticky note list? 
                     
Though you can buy a lot of things when you get to wherever you are going, it is still better to cut panic and make sure you have everything in the first place!
Packing for a trip is another story (I haven't even gotten my head around the fact that I have to pack for four months.) 
Tip: Research where you're going. The weather can be the biggest "if" factor in packing stresses. If you're going somewhere where the weather is warm, then pack in those summer dresses and shorts. But also bring a light jean jacket, because the nights can be typically cool. 

Making sure everything is in my backpack that I need while travelling on my own, is definitely going to be my biggest worry while I'm over in England. 
Tip: Pack the backpack the night before. In the morning, you can always check again, but if you pack in a rush, chances that you missed something are pretty high. 

While I make sure i have everything I need (and probably more than I'll need), before we leave the house, there is still a checklist to get through before locking up. SimpliSafe Security sent me their list of things to do to reduce travel stresses and eliminate worrying about my home while away. 
A lot of things can go wrong, but by going through the checklist below, it can all be reduced and you can fully relax on that hiking trip or soaking in the sun on the beach. 
C


Tip: If you're gone more than a week, have a neighbor or friend mow your lawn for you! 
Tip: There is a smartphone app that lets you watch your house while you're away, and will email you if there is movement! You have to have an ipod, or other device with a camera in order for that to work

While getting your home ready for your absence inside and out, it is also important to use the community around you. 
SimpliSafe has this list of things to do before you leave as well. Luckily, I live near some pretty great neighbors and they watch our house for riffraff while we're gone away. 

Tip: If you don't live near great neighbors, or you're new to town, ask a relative that lives nearby to come and check on your house!

I hope you found these lists and tips helpful! I have really enjoyed writing this series, and hope you enjoyed reading it. 
What kind of lists do you make before you leave for holidays? What is the longest you have been away from home? 




Adele

Road Trip Tunes

7:30:00 AM


Road Trips call for two things: Great people and good music. While I took my roadtrip earlier this summer, I came up with a list of songs that I listen to when I drive from home to university that I love! 


1. Drag Me Down by One Direction
2. Fire by Ed Sheeran
3. Hello by Adele
4. Hands to Myself by Selena Gomez
5. Cake by the Ocean by DNCE
6. Pillowtalk by Zayn
7. Viva La Vida by Coldplay
8. Sorry by Justin Bieber
9. Chandelier by Sia
10. I took a Pill in Ibiza by Mike Posner


These are just a few of the songs I've been loving at the moment, usually my playlist changes every month! What kind of music do you like to listen to in the car? Depending on how I'm feeling sometimes I'll just listen to one artist. 
I hope you're all having a great day! Thanks for reading! 
x Kenzie


Anniversary

2 years of Blogging.

11:00:00 AM


I really don't know what I can say. My little corner of the internet is 2 years old today. Usually my blog posts come Wednesday and Saturday, I'm going off track and putting this one up on a Sunday.
Thank you all for reading, some of you comment and some of you don't, but each and every one of you is great and whether or not you've stumbled upon this corner by accident or through another blog, thank you for being here! I'm so glad I get to share these stories and recipes and bits of life with all of you!

Hyperbole and a half
Source
If you're new to the blog, then I've come up with 5 reasons why I blog. 

 1. To Connect. I think the coolest part of the internet is being able to talk to people from all over the world. Even people who might live nearby. I love learning about different people and discovering new blogs through other blogs. I feel like each word I type gets sent out to someone I want to be friends with.

 2. To Write. While school is all about attending classes and taking exams, it's easy to get caught up in it and lose your creativeness. (I don't have time to read a book unless I'm on a break). Writing is something that's relaxing, and I can come off a 7 hour day and just sit down and write it out.
Meryl Streep

 3. To Share Memories. This is probably along the lines of connecting, but while this blog also acts as a place to keep memories and look back upon all of the fun times, it's also a place to share them.

 4. It's an Outlet. Sometimes when I blog, it's a really good way to get rid of stress. In a way, blogging distracts me from feeling anxious, and it was extremely helpful when I lost my dog. It was really helpful when I felt all worked up about my roommate situation. Blogging is really great, there's just something peaceful about it.

 5. To Learn. There is only so much you can learn at school. People have so many stories shared on their blogs about life lessons and things they've had to overcome, as well as going on trips and top places to visit, and posts about getting clear skin or eating right. There is so much to learn when you read a post someone writes. I love it.

While I love to blog, here are the all-time top 3 posts!
#1. We Danced All Night  #2. Deviled Eggs #3. Rainbows Can Run

Thank you all again for reading Kenzieblogslife in 2016, I hope this next year is a great one for us. I do have a couple goals and wishes for this blog and I can't wait to be working on them and seeing them come true! 
Do we have any of the same "Why I blog" reasons? What's your favorite thing about reading someone else's blog? Do you have a favorite blogger? 
xx Kenzie 

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