Ramadan Planner by The Organized Muslim

Edited in 2016 to add: When I wrote this post in 2015, you were only able to download this planner. In 2016, you are only able to purchase a hard copy of the planner, which takes around 3 weeks to ship from Sri Lanka! On to the post...

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Ramadan is right around the corner, and now's the time to start preparing for it! The month is not only about refraining from eating from dawn to dusk, but is also about changing negative habits and living a better life. How do you plan for such a change in your life? I have tried out the Ramadan Planner by The Organized Muslim and firmly believe that if you are serious about trying to make a difference in your life during this month, the planner will only make things easier for you! Although this planner was sent to me, all opinions are my own.

The planner consists of 105 pages and is downloadable. It is to be printed on B5 paper. My local printing shop did not have this sized paper, so I used the standard letter size. It still turned out nicely! I asked the cost of printing it in color and it was a whopping $60. I decided to print out the title pages in color and the remaining in black and white. I could add colors in myself with things I already had! Also, even though this planner is targeted towards women, I don't see why men can't use it. Just print everything out in black and white! :)

This is the table of contents page. As you can tell, the planner has a lot to offer. The various chapters help you work on different aspects of Ramadan and Eid. 

The Ramadan Planner starts off with virtues of the Holy Month, spread over 2 pages. I found this to be a great reminder, because we tend to forget as we get older and have so many things to think about and take care of. It helps to go back to square one and ponder on what Ramadan is really about!

Giving gifts increases the love in one another's hearts, and what better time to give gifts than the joyous occasion of Eid? There is a chart included in the planner over 2 pages for gifts for loved ones. It's better to get this done with before Ramadan begins so that you can focus on worship during the blessed month.

Here's the main part for having a productive Ramadan: setting goals! A box is given to brainstorm what you would like to achieve during this month. It can be absolutely anything. Be creative!

After that, a few pages are given to break down your vision for Ramadan, making it more manageable. You can even set an amount you'd like to donate and jot down where you will be giving a certain amount of money. If you have goals, you'll be able to accomplish a lot more in Ramadan compared to having no goals in advance.

Ramadan is one of the best times to make prayers and ask Allah (SWT) for anything. The planner consists of 2 pages for a list of duas. I chose to have a list of duas for Deen and Duniya. You could also break it down by writing duas for yourself and duas for others. 

Ramadan is about refraining from sin as much as it is about refraining from food. That's where this accountability chart comes in use. You can keep track of any bad habits you might have and strive to improve. 

The Salah chart is also very useful, where you can attempt to go beyond the usual obligatory prayers and increase your Sunnah and Nafl prayers. There's always going to be that urge of increasing the ticks on your chart in this one!

You can then get into the details of how will you spend your day during Ramadan. There is a section for hour by hour planning, high energy deeds, low energy deeds and meal planning on one page. 

On the second page of the first day, there is a detailed section on Quran recitation, along with boxes for accountability and gratitude to Allah. This really makes you reflect during the end of your day. There's also a to-do list for the next day. 

At the end of the Ramadan planner, there is a checklist of sunnah acts to do during the day of Eid. I love how there is a step by step list so we don't miss anything out! 

The planner also includes 3 bonus sections. The first one is Meal Planning. 

In order to get the bulk of groceries out of the way before Ramadan, there is a long list where you can add things you need to buy for this month. 

Here's a look at what the meal planning pages look like. Plenty of space! 

The next bonus section is a collection of easy-to-do deeds to get more rewards during Ramadan. I found this to be a great idea because sometimes when we get busy as adults we tend to forget ideas of what MORE we can do during Ramadan. There are many ideas in this section. 

Here's a sample of just one of the pages.

Finally, the planner ends with a list of general duas. 

Overall, I am definitely impressed with the content of this planner. I must admit, before I saw it, I thought the price was a little high for a downloadable planner ($29). After receiving it though, I can see that the planner has a LOT to offer and covers all aspects of Ramadan and Eid. It has a minimalistic look but is in-depth at the same time. Ramadan comes only once a year so we need to make the most of it. This planner can, without a doubt, make yours more productive! 

Click HERE if you'd like to purchase the printable planner. Let me know what you think of it in the comments below!

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Family Friendly Activities in Puerto Rico!

Trying to plan a vacation that has something of interest available to all family members can be rather tedious. After a few weeks of research and keeping a budget in mind, I discovered that Puerto Rico had a lot to offer for all age groups! 

Puerto Rico is one of the minor U.S. territories, but its uniqueness makes it feel like an international vacation. This is great because coming from any part of the United States, you don't need to worry about visas, yet it feels like you're in a different country. Apart from the obvious relaxing beaches, there are also plenty of other things to see such as the rainforest, caves, historical forts, a charming city dating back to the 1500s, the bio-luminescent bay and a lot of modern areas as well. 

 As soon as we knew we wanted to visit this place, I got to planning!

Things didn't go 100% according to plan, but whatever we did manage to explore was a wonderful and cherishable experience! 

The view overlooking the capital city of San Juan as we landed was incredible. We could see the blues of the ocean, the greens of the land and the array of colors in the architecture. 

We decided to stay at Hampton Inn & Suites in Isla Verde due to its proximity to the airport, beach and city. They had great rooms, service and complimentary breakfast. The reviews are amazing online and I agree with all of the positive feedback.

Also, renting a car is essential in Puerto Rico, especially with children. Taxi services aren't available everywhere.

The Isla Verde beach was a mere 5-10 minute walk from the hotel. It was almost completely empty during a weekday. Kind of felt like we had our own private island!

If you want to go shopping during your vacation, Plaza Las Americas is the place to go! It's a really contemporary mall with a flare of Puerto Rican style, and has a huge selection of shops. If you're not looking for a modern vibe, head on over to the quaint city of Old San Juan.

This city had the earliest settlement in Puerto Rico, dating back to 1521. Every single building is painted a different color, making it a fresh and unparalleled experience. This was definitely one of the most charming cities I've ever visited. We had some lunch at Cafe Berlin here, which specializes in Puerto Rican, international and vegetarian cuisines. The food and service here did not disappoint! 

Castillo San Felipe del Morro (or El Morro) is a must-see tourist spot. The history-lover in me really appreciated this location. It is a fort that dates back to the 1500s, and it has protected the Puerto Ricans for centuries as they guarded their land from this specific area. Outside the fort is a popular place for kite flying. The wind is absolutely perfect for it. I bought a kite from Amazon beforehand, and even though we had no experience with flying kites before, it flew beautifully over here. It was great to join the locals in on the fun, and my toddler loved chasing the kite as well! 

The views around the fort are absolutely breathtaking.

Cannons were shot from this gaps as ships came to conquer the land. The stories these walls could tell! Just thinking about what the troops who stayed in these forts to save their country went through gives me shivers! 

You can spot these chameleons throughout the city. Kids can get a zoo experience while walking around in historical sites as well!

This is the view from The Head ("El Morro") of the fort. It is from here that the ships came towards the country of Puerto Rico in an attempt to conquer it. There are hundreds of signs inside the fort describing each section of the fort. Definitely recommend visiting this place. It is very child friendly. Just remember to keep hydrated because it can get hot!

We wanted to visit a place solely for our toddler as well, and Museo del Nino (The Children's Museum) had really good reviews. This place was amazing! I would say it's a must-see for children 10 and under. There is so much to see here. We weren't able to see all of it in 3 hours. There are both indoor and outdoor areas.

The indoor area has 2 large floors with all kinds of activities. There is an entire section for toddlers as well, so it was wonderful for our son! 

The outdoor area has a large playground, a mini zoo, airplane tour, duck-feeding area, jungle train ride and more places we were not able to see! When the toddler is happy, the family is happy! :)

The main reason we went to Puerto Rico was to see the Bioluminescent Bay in Fajardo, an hour away from San Juan. It is a strange phenomenon where organisms within the ocean light up and glow when touched. There are only a couple of countries in the entire world with this bay, and Puerto Rico is one of them, making it another must-see attraction. There are two ways to see the "Bio Bay". One is to use a kayak, and the other is a small electric boat ride. You will need to make bookings online far in advance. Since we had a toddler, we made a booking for the electric boat ride. Unfortunately, we missed the boat by 1 minute and were not able to see this fascinating place! Make sure to reach an hour before the time you are emailed! I couldn't take pictures myself because I didn't get to visit, but here's one from Google:

Picture Source

Another great site to visit is the El Yunque National Forest. It is the only tropical rain forest in the United States National Forest System, making it an experience to remember with the children. We had visited rain forests in Malaysia, so decided to skip this attraction. However, I'm sure it would have been an enjoyable experience if we went!

All El Yunque photography by Brett Ackroyd

As if all of this wasn't enough, there are also caves to visit in this area! Since we were only there for 3 days, we couldn't visit the the Rio Camuy Cave Park, which is a 1 hour 20 minute drive from San Juan. If you are able to go, make sure to where sneakers as the floors are slippery. As you wait in line, there is also a small playground for children to keep themselves busy.

Photography by David

I feel like we need to go back to Puerto Rico just to experience the things we've missed out on! There's truly so much to do there.

Our trip was based mainly in San Juan. I feel that this area is the most family friendly as there are lots of activities toddlers and older children can look forward to. If you are looking for more of romantic getaway, Vieques or Flamenco Beach are places to consider in Puerto Rico as they offer secluded beaches.

If you eat halal food, there are 3 places to choose from in San Juan:-Ali Baba 1214 Avenida Ashford, San Juan

-Istanbul- 325 Calle Recinto Sur, San Juan  

-El Cairo- 352 Calle Ensenada, San Juan

There is also a masjid in this city.

Overall, our trip to Puerto Rico was incredible and I would recommend families with children to visit! Let me know if I missed out any must-see attractions in Puerto Rico or where you would recommend us to take our next family vacation!

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Graduation Cash Gift Ideas

Know anyone graduating this year? If you are about to give cash as a gift, put in a little effort to make it that much more special for the graduate! Here are a couple of ideas I found online and implemented:

Using $20, $1 and $5 bills, I arranged the notes to say "2015" for this year. Also, I rolled up a few bills and tied with red ribbons to look like graduation degrees. She definitely loved them! :)

Hope this post was helpful for you! Please comment below if you have anymore ideas! Would love to hear them!
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What to Pack for Hajj Part 3 {Healthcare and Religious Items}

Welcome to the third and final article in the What to Pack for Hajj series! 

Click here for the first part in the series: The Basics

Click here for the second part in the series: Personal Belongings

Today we will discuss healthcare and religious items. Let's get started! 

1. Band-aids for cuts or scrapes

2. Eye and/or ear drops

3. Tylenol (I use this for fever)

4. Advil (For aches)

5. Allergy medicine. I took Zyrtec. In Muzdalifa you will basically be sleeping out in the open on a bed of sand and dust :) Allergies galore. I sneezed just thinking about it!

6. Make sure you take Multivitamins on a regular basis. Start at least a few weeks before the trip to build your immune system. Nature's Way Gummy Vitamins taste good and are halal!

7. A high dose of Vitamin C. I took a 1000mg tablet every day from a couple of weeks before Hajj up until Hajj was over. Alhumdulillah apart from a slight cough which is inevitable, I didn't get sick! I also took the flu vaccine before leaving for Hajj and I am sure that contributed to not getting ill. I would definitely recommend it!

8. Neosporin, which is an ointment for wounds.

9. Ask your doctor for antibiotics in case you get ill over there. We just asked a Muslim family friend doctor to prescribe medication. He prescribed Amoxicillin and Ciprofloxacin. Only use if needed! We didn't need to use it thankfully, but it was comforting to know we had antibiotics on hand instead of needing to find a doctor and wait in line.

10. Laxatives

11. Imodium

12. Hand sanitizer

13. Medication to delay the menstruation cycle. Please make sure to start these around 2-3 months in advance to get your body used to it. Ladies can email me at simplyseher@gmail.com for more information on feminine issues.

I would also recommend getting pouches or smaller bags to organize your belongings. I used the Shacke Pak packing cubes for clothes and religious items. It comes in a set of four and also a laundry bag, which is very handy as well! I have linked the product below, it comes in various colors. It can be used during any trip of course.

Small cosmetic pouches are great for medication and toiletries. Everything being compartmentalized really leads to less stress during your trip. You can find those in many stores. Pencil cases will also do the trick.
Finally, a few religious items. 

1. A prayer mat is essential for each person because you could be praying anywhere at any time of day. I would recommend a small, children sized prayer mat for each person. It takes up less space in your bag and is lightweight. Also, there are many strangers who would want to share your prayer mat if you bring a regular sized one. With illnesses all around you, it would be best to not share something that you put your face on numerous times a day. Take care of your health so that you are fit enough to keep up with the rituals of Hajj!

2. A mini Quran along with mini books of supplication. I read the supplication books during tawaf and sa'ee as well. All of the duas in the book are directly from the Quran and Sunnah. Here's a closer look at the books:

3. Prayer beads (tasbih) for remembrance of Allah.
4. An iPod or Mp3 player loaded with lectures from beforehand, along with earbuds. This comes in use during all of the times you are transporting from one place to another, or in the tents if you are very tired and want to lie down but not waste precious time!
5. I also regularly used a large, lightweight shawl inside the tents. It covered my whole body, was comfortable, and was perfect for prayers.
6. A List of Duas should be written in advance, preferably a few pages long. This is the ultimate time to ask for whatever it is you want, so make sure to balance duas of both deen and duniya on your list. Pour your heart out on those papers! I was able to read those pages at least twice a day every day. Also ask your family and friends to list their duas and print these out to take with you.
Also, please remember me in your prayers during this blessed journey!
Hope this series about what to pack for Hajj was helpful for you! Please comment below if you have anymore ideas! Would love to hear them!
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Repurpose Wooden High Chair as Valet Stand

I've been wanting a valet stand for a few months. How awesome would it be to have all the things you need to leave the house in one place? Very awesome. In fact, an organizer's dream.

Unfortunately, living in an apartment, there was no space to keep this beauty, and it didn't make sense to spend $150 when I really didn't need to. However, I still wanted it! Cue my son's high chair:

His grandparents very graciously gifted us this highchair that transforms into a booster seat and a desk chair as well. It's a Keekaroo Height Right High Chair. If you purchase it, make sure to get the infant cushion insert separately as well! My son sits with us on a regular dining chair while eating right now, so I thought I'd use the highchair in a different way!

The plastic tray is removable, which really helps to give it more of a valet stand look:

I've added a few items that I reach for when leaving the house, depending on the weather. Hope this post inspires you to look at things from a different perspective as well! Also, check out how I repurposed my son's changing table to a beverage cart! Here's a link to the high chair if you're interested:

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What are some ways you've repurposed things around the house? Comment below, I'd love to hear from you!
Linked to A Bowl Full of Lemons and Remodelaholic 

How to Organize Sticky Notes and $50 Erin Condren Giveaway!

Spring is in the air, and with new seasons come new ideas! Remember the tea organizer from my post where I showed you how to create your own hot beverage station?

I realized that this handy organizer can be used in numerous ways. Those of us into planners are always on the lookout for ways to store our stationery. Well, the tea organizer fits sticky notes and washi tape in it perfectly! 

If you're like me and have a small collection, you can make everything fit inside here. I like to complete using my stationery before buying new things. However, if you're a planner addict and have a collection MUCH larger than this (thank you, Target dollar spot), then you can use this organizer to hold your frequently used items on your desk. 

Place your sticky notes organizer, pen holder and planner in a tray and you have your very own planning station! This is a new happy place in my home :)

I use the Erin Condren Life Planner. Make sure you check out my honest review of it and also how I personalize it inside. If you're interested in buying the Erin Condren planner, you can get $10 off your first purchase by using my referral link! 

Here's where you can purchase the tea organizer:

And finally, I have a giveaway for you! One lucky person will win a $50 gift card to Erin Condren! Just comment a fun fact about yourself down below and you'll be entered into the giveaway, which runs until March 27th. The giveaway is international, but please keep shipping costs in mind if you're a reader from abroad!
I'll start with the fun fact: I am an Indian-Pakistani-American who has lived in the United States, Malaysia and United Arab Emirates. Residing in so many countries and experiencing their cultures has given me a new identity. I love traveling and learning about new places just as much as I love to organize! Your turn!
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Good luck on the giveaway! :) One entry per person please, and make sure to tick the "I commented" button on Rafflecopter after commenting!

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What to Pack for Hajj: Part 2 {Personal Belongings}

This is the second section of the 3 part series on What to Pack for Hajj. You can find the first part, which elaborates on the essentials, over here. Today's post will focus more on personal care items. Please make sure you read Part 1 first to ensure you have the basics! :)

Clothes

2 ihrams will be needed for men, and 2 abayas for women. We did Hajj in October and expected it to be cool in terms of weather. However, temperatures were 110°F  during the day. I had taken a few abayas with me but ended up needing to buy a new one when I reached Saudi Arabia because my ones were all too thick. A jersey material worked well for the trip. I just ensured to get a size larger (but not too long for me) so that it didn't stick to me, and that did the trick. 

2 hijabs and 2 under-caps are a minimum for women. Hijab pins will be needed to make sure that the scarf doesn't move around while in ihram. Also, large safety pins are very important for men for their ihrams. This secures the pieces of clothes and is especially useful while praying. I bought a pack for my husband in Saudi Arabia itself and it all finished within a day because other men needed to use it as well!

Apart from this, you'll need to think about what to take wear inside the abaya or outside of ihram. I would recommend 4-5 pairs of clothes for a 2 week period. I was told to take at least 10 pairs of clothes for this duration but am glad I didn't! If the clothes get dirty you can easily was by hand and hang to dry. What I found most comfortable to wear was a loose and flowy dress inside the abaya of very thin material. Also take some thicker clothes in case it gets cold. Have a variation of different materials, and include a cardigan for cooler places. I would also recommend 4-5 pairs of clothes for men. All of this also includes airport clothes.  

On to footwear:

You will be needing:

1 pair of comfortable walking shoes for travel. I got Skechers Memory Foam ones and they held up great and worked wonderfully for long walks.

1-2 pair of flip flops for walking. I got myself a good pair from Adidas, but guess what, they broke! I was debating taking 1 or 2 for my hajj trip, and ended up just taking one because they were a good brand. However, I had no idea about the lengths we had to walk. I had to spend half of my hajj trip wearing shoes instead of flip flops, and had to carry the shoes inside the masajids in a bag as well. Flip flops would have been less bulky. I would advise to take 2 pairs. The picture shows my husband's flip flops in the middle, which didn't break Alhumdulillah. It doesn't say the brand name on it but it feels very sturdy.

1 pair of bathroom flip flops. I bought these in Saudi Arabia itself. These are a must! Not only will you be using them in the bathroom, you will also be taking a shower while wearing them because the floors are not pure. You just need something that will last you 2-3 weeks and will not break in the shower.

The sun will be blazing hot and if you're going from the West, it's something you might not be used to. I have sensitive eyes so I had to wear both sunglasses and a sun hat for sun protection and also so that I don't get headaches. Both of these combined worked well for me, Alhumdulillah. Most people had umbrellas for this purpose but the sun hat kept my hands free. If you are prone to sunburns then sunblock cream is also a must. Make sure it is unscented for when you're in ihraam. I didn't need to take that for myself, but kept some in my husband's bag for him.

You will also need to take unscented soap for your trip:

I bought a few bars from a grocery store in the States. I also kept a random plastic soap case to keep the bar in. This is far less messy than keeping it in a ziploc bag. Take a couple of extra bars because there will definitely be people who don't know that you can only use unscented items while in ihraam, and you should share with them. Cut the soap bar into medium sized pieces and distribute it. It should last each person at least a week, so cutting it into 4 pieces would work.

You might be wondering about the importance of having everything unscented during Hajj. Hajj is a spiritual journey in which we are to forget about worldly life and focus solely on the purpose of life itself. Everything is kept extremely simple and to a bare minimum.  

Other personal belongings:

1) A pair of scissors, primarily for cutting hair after Umrah and Hajj for women

2) A knife with a cover. I brought this in case I needed to cut fruits but ended up only using it for cutting the soap bars to distribute to people! Remember to check in both the scissors and knife at the airport.

3) A comb takes up less space than a brush

4) Ear plugs. I normally never use these but imagine 60 women in a tent with you for days. Someone is always talking 24 hours a day :) A must have in order to get rest.

5) A ziploc bag filled with plastic bags and more ziploc bags. Fold the plastic ones into triangles to maximize space. Tutorial here. Ziploc bags will be needed to collect pebbles in Muzdalifa.

6) A flashlight. Useful to search for pebbles in Muzdalifa at night time and also good to keep just in case.
7) A couple of pack of tissues

8) Unscented deodorant 

9) Vaseline is a must! Use for chapped lips, cracked heels, and also if your thighs rub while walking it is needed (especially for men) so that you don't get chafed. Chafing will make the remainder of your days at Hajj difficult!

10) Unscented baby wipes 

11) Antiviral face masks. Make sure they are antiviral because of all of the illnesses you will be exposed to amongst thousands of people walking around you. Ask your scholar if you need to pay any fees (damm) for doing this. I only wore mine for a couple of days at various spots, but a friend of mine wore it every single day for 2 weeks.

12) Mini shampoo bottle. Can be bought there.

13) Over the door hooks are another must have! You will need them in the bathrooms while showering or to hang your bags on. You cannot put anything on the floor, I can assure you that! Take at least 2.

14) Make sure to buy Microfiber Yoga Towels. These dry much faster than regular towels. I was thankful to have brought them. During Hajj, you are always on the move, and regular towels are not quick at drying. You will basically be taking a wet towel inside a bag from place to place.

15) A small washcloth is optional. I ended up using the bigger towel after going back to my tent in Mina after wudhu because it dried much faster.

16) Toilet paper roll

17) Nail cutter

18) 2 toothbrushes and toothpaste. Use one toothbrush outside of ihraam with toothpaste, and use the other one with only water (no toothpaste) while in ihraam. You can't use scented products while in ihraam. Using the same toothbrush will prevent you from being careful about the flavor.

19) 2 sports sacs. One will be needed for when using the bathroom to keep all of your toiletries in. You will hang the sports sac on the over door hook you will be taking iA. The second sports sac will be used for inside the masjids to keep your shoes, water bottle, snacks etc in. Also keep a small cross body bag for your valuables.  

I have a lot more to discuss but will leave that for another post! Hope you found this article helpful and stay tuned for the final part of the series! 

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Comment below if you have any questions or have more ideas on what to pack.
Read Part 1, the Essentials for Hajj Packing here!
Read Part 3 {Healthcare and Religious Items} here!