Fizzmation

We are finally in housing on the back in of the PCS! Here is the reverse of my list-making hack for cleaning out the kitchen-- post-it notes for pre-planning the new kitchen's cabinets. I've done this for three previous kitchens and have never had to reshuffle items after unpacking. Just attach the notes to the cabinets and drawers. Then while you wait for your HHG to arrive, run tests through the kitchen with the welcome kit or random cups and plates that you acquired mid-move. Move the notes as necessary for optimal flow. Then unpack and relax... At least in the kitchen.

Systems to keep your team organized and on-top of the incoming leads are what keep all that effort from being wasted when hot prospects turn cold. For Girl Scouts, we started with a visual of where the leads would come from and what the steps were to convert them from interested to registered as new members. Then we built them a simple tracker in Google Sheets to quickly see who was in which stage of the funnel (Curious, Interested, and Committed) and what the next step was for the recruiting manager.

A great recruiting campaign is really just a great marketing campaign. Girl Scouts Overseas- Lima was looking for a theme they could use over several recruitment cycles but that also captured the energy, excitement, and learning opportunities in Girl Scouts. Here's what we gave them:

We are shifting into another moving season here at my house--this time ultimate boss-level COVID which creates its own challenges. Between wanting to use up the pantry items, avoiding trips to the grocery store, and hoarding in case the food supply chain had issues here in Peru, it's become critically important to use every last item in my kitchen. Enter the super low-tech but husband approved paper tracking system.
1. Write down every food-like item you have in your house. Don't forget your earthquake emergency kit or the secret snacks in your underwear drawer. Keep your lists sorted into broad categories. I like ingredients vs convenience foods.
2. Distribute the lists and sufficient pens throughout the kitchen. Produce and fridge/freezer lists go near those places. Pantry list near the pantry.
3. THE MOST IMPORTANT. Find a collection of easy, pantry-staple recipes and write down the name and page number for every tasty recipe that uses something you have on your list. Post this near your main pantry/ingredient list.
4. Use the recipe list to do your menu-planning for your weekly or 10-day grocery store run. Limit yourself to produce, dairy, meat, or other perishables. Add any new items to the lists.
5. As you use up items, celebratorily cross them off your lists! I like to do it as part of clean-up after making dinner.

That's it. It's weirdly rewarding to see the list shrink. You can see our original from two months ago and the new one now which is half the size. The recipe list keeps you focused and makes ordering take-out less tempting and the produce list keeps things from disappearing into the far reaches of your refrigerator. Even if you aren't moving, that's a good thing!

For those of you following along with this series because you also are in this , you know that post-trip, you have to report what you did, what you learned, and how you spent your money. One of my favorite aspects of the Trello board for itinerary planning is that you can easily convert it to a travel diary simply by moving the activity cards into and out of your schedule. No need to journal, agenda, or go through credit card statements to figure out what you did on your trip. And if you need to share a recommendation with a fellow traveler or FAO, you have your whole trip ready to reference. ((Part 5))