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We all have those days. You know, the ones where you are running on coffee and fumes. Every sound your child makes sounds like nails on a chalk board. All you want to do is go back to sleep, but the list of things to do: contact the cable company, prepare a report, contact the doctor's office, get a gift for so and so, .... its never ending.
Are you a visual thinker? Do you like using pictures to help you organize your thoughts? I love making to do lists, but list creation doesn't always work for some people. Often times visual people have a harder time creating successful to do lists. A great tool to use when creating a to do list around a particular project is mind maps.
Decluttering is hard. Decluttering with kids is even harder. When we start to sort through our kids belongings, we get nostalgic, they discover how much they really love that thing they never played with for the last year, and letting go becomes hard. The following 5 tips will help you to declutter your kids' rooms with less stress and more fun!
This guide walks you through some of the major areas of spring cleaning the busy mom way. It has been spring for a few days now, so its officially time to start opening the doors and windows and cleaning house. But if you are like me, you don't suddenly have tons of time to devote to cleaning. This post will break down how to get that deep down clean feeling in your flooring, windows, and curtains with simple steps and in less time!
Every once in a while, I sit and dream about what it would be like to have one of those big, spacious, clean bedrooms like in the HGTV Dream Home. In reality, my bedroom is a lot smaller, not as nicely furnished, and can get cluttered from time to time. While I can't increase the size of your room, the following list will get you a lot closer to the feel of your dream bedroom by completing small manageable tasks.
Do you want to get organized but can't seem to find the right tools to help you do it? Organizing our homes and our lives is a constant struggle. New things keep entering our homes and new commitments are added to our schedule. However, the right tools can go a long in easing the process. Unlike many tools that claim to help but just wastes more time setting up, the following 5 tools have actually helped in organizing my household and my time.
It happens to all of us. We have the best of intentions for an organized pantry. We plan to use things before they expire and keep things rotating. Then one day we look in our pantry and it's a mess. Something has spilled, other things have expired and our organized rows have become a jumble. When you don't have time to really take apart your pantry, here are some quick tips to help it feel more organized.
Have you ever looked at your overloaded closet and thought "I have nothing to wear"? I would love to overhaul my closet. I have been putting this off for a while. A long while. Usually you go through your closet and look at what you haven't worn in a while and use that to help you determine whether or not you should keep it. I couldn't really do that for a while. First I was pregnant, so nothing fit. Then I had to lose the baby weight so only some things fit. Now most things fit but I'm breastfeeding. That means even if they fit, a lot of high neckline shirts aren't being worn.
Have you ever felt like you cannot keep up with the influx of paper in your home? Every day more and more paper comes in, but who has time to go through it all. I though it was bad before, but now with kids, the amount of paper coming in has multiplied. I have found a system that I use to manage the influx of paper in my house. Now I know what to keep and where it belongs so I don't have piles of paper on my counters, dining room table, side table, and pretty much every surface in my home.
I hate cleaning. Plus sometimes it just feels like a wasted effort when the mess is back an hour later. And then if that weren't enough to dissuade you, the time it takes can be incredible. Hours to clean what takes my kids 30 seconds to dirty. On the other hand, the peace of mind that comes with a clean and organized home is amazing. You can physically feel the difference when you enter a clean room. It also does wonders for your mindset! So, in order to help you get in and out of cleaning mode more quickly, here are some tips to make cleaning go faster.
Do you ever feel like your home is being taken over by paper? I know I can't be the only one. Between bills, papers from school, instructions, loan documents, deeds, papers from church, calendars, warranty documents, and everything else, our homes are overwhelmed by paper. Paper keeps flooding in and then staying because when we don't know how long to keep things, we end up saving everything. We fall behind with filing things and we end up with stacks of paper all around the house.
So last week we talked about things you can do quickly to organize your house. I gave you five tasks that take 5 minutes or less, but make a big impact on how organized your house feels. Sadly, not everything can be done that quickly. Some tasks take longer to complete. Here is one tactic that can help you get a handle on the organization of paper and even errands.
It's the new year! Let's kick off the year by creating new habits that will help us be more organized throughout the year. These 5 things take 5 minutes or less to do, but the impact they will have on your home will be immense. You will feel more organized and your home will look cleaner with very little effort. Who wouldn't love that?
The new year will be starting in just a week and a half which means we are at the time of year where people are reflecting on the past year and making resolutions for the future. Did you set resolutions last year? How did you do with keeping them? Many times we set a resolution or goal for New Years and we make a big punch to reach it in the month of January and then our efforts slowly fizzle out. Or we write them down on a piece of paper that we never look at again until a year later when its time to set a new set of goals. Then were run around all year feeling super busy but with no direction and therefore accomplishing far less than we could.
I know, I know, it's not even Halloween and I'm talking holiday shopping. I'm the first to complain when I see Christmas decorations up before Thanksgiving. I am all about giving each holiday it's due. Plus now that I have a child that can actually anticipate holidays, I don't need him pestering about presents so far in advance.
On the other hand, there is no logic to cramming all that shopping into the month of December. I mean with so many other holiday things to do like holiday parties and visiting Santa, who can possibly do all that and not stress?! Not I. For me, slow and steady wins the race. So, here are some tips on how I keep holiday shopping stress free.
If you haven’t started yet, start now. There are two big benefits to this; time and money. Starting early means you have months to get your shopping done instead of weeks. No pushing your way through over crowded stores. No running around on Christmas Eve. No rushing from store to store because what you want is sold out. Expense wise, you get to spread the cost of the holidays over multiple months prior to the holidays. Unlike spreading the cost over multiple months after holidays, this method does not involve paying interest.
Make a list but only be super specific when you have to be. For example, Tyler is at an age where he wants specific things. He wants to complete his collection of Ghostbusters mystery minis, and he wants certain Lego sets. Items for him are very specific. Hailey on the other hand is unable to voice her opinions. Therefore, her list might look more like: clothes, stuffed animal, educational toy. For my brother I might write model train equipment. Then anytime I find model train equipment on sale, I can buy him something and check him off my list. The less specific you can be for people, the better. Then you have a broader range of options and can find better deals. Of course, you want it to still be something they would want/need and like.
Make a spreadsheet listing each person or group of people you need to buy gifts for in the first column. For example, individuals I need to buy gifts for include, my hubs, Tyler and Hails, my nephews, my mom, my brother, etc.. Groups might be my aunt and uncle, Tyler’s teachers, etc. In the next column list what you plan on purchasing them. If they are getting more than one item, make a new row for each item. The next 3 columns are as follows: bought, wrapped, delivered/shipped. You could of course do this by hand, but I love the clean look of spreadsheets! Print out your completed list and bring it with you wherever you go. If you are not sure what to get someone, leave their line blank. You can fill it in when you get inspired. Now anytime you find something that someone on your list would like, you can check it off your list. No more over buying because you forgot you already got something. This also keeps track of your wrapping so you won’t get behind on that either. Check out my sample spreadsheet below. Note that this is not my actual list incase these people are reading my blog…
If you have been through any gift giving occasion with kids before, you know you will be bombarded with questions from relatives of what to get your kids. Be prepared. Once you make the list of things that you will be getting your kids yourself, make a second list of things that they want or need. Keep this second list with you as well or give it to your husband, but not both. You need to have a designated go to person for this list. You don’t want both parents giving items out because the whole purpose here is to avoid multiples of the same gift. Now when someone asks what to get your kids, your go to person can give them items from your list. Be aware that these people may not necessarily get the item you suggest to them, but you can hopefully prevent multiples of the same gift. You also avoid the texts back and forth “did you get so and so this?”, “No, OK then I’m getting it”, “OK so then what should I get them now?”…. You can always hold onto the list and if your kids didn’t get the item for Christmas, now you already have a list for their birthday!
I hope you find this list helpful! Do you have tips to reduce holiday shopping stress?? If so leave your tips in the comments!
Cheers,
Emily
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It is time to prep for the holidays! There's so much to do in the coming months between holiday get togethers, Christmas shopping, decorating, baking, card sending, etc.. It really can be a daunting time of year. To help you (and me) out, I put together a little planning guide to take us from Thanksgiving to Christmas.
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I don't know about you, but I already feel it. The mad rush that begins in October and doesn't end until the new year. Halloween is huge in my house. It's my husband's favorite holiday and it has rubbed off on me as well. October is a crazy month for us fill with events and activities for the season. There's Apple/Pumpkin Picking, Harvest Fest at the New York Botanical Garden, Boo at the Zoo, The Count's Halloween Spooktacular at Sesame Place, and of course Halloween itself. We also host a marshmallow roast every year around Halloween. On top of that, our 5 year wedding anniversary is October 29th. Are you feeling overwhelmed yet?
Then the holidays start with Thanksgiving and Christmas shopping, holiday lights shows, Christmas parties, visiting Santa, and Christmas itself. Add to that my sister in laws wedding in early November, and Hailey's baptism in December, and the next few months are packed. And of course there's still grad school and work and family and life. For these last two weeks of September I will be enjoying the calm.
Altering costumes: T's Halloween is in so, in the next few weeks I will slowly be taking it in. The character he wanted to be didn't have a costume in toddler size, so there is a lot to take in... I ordered a plain dress for my costume and once it arrives, I will need to add a few extra touches for my character. Hailey's costume is ordered and some pieces have arrived. Luckily, her's doesn't need much work. As for the hubs, he likes to take his costume into his own hands... Note: I am being purposefully vague here. I want you to really enjoy the big Halloween costume reveal!
Planning our weekends: There are a lot of activities that we want to pack in to a short period of time. This is especially true in October. In the next 2 weeks I will be prioritizing the activities we want to do most and try to schedule times to do them. Since my husband works weekends, this may be difficult. We may recruit grandma to join us for the more minor activities and make sure the hubs is there for Sesame Place and Pumpkin/Apple Picking. My husband already took the day off for Halloween; it's that important.
Start Holiday Shopping: Holiday shopping starts now. If we see something that T seems to like in the store, we make a note for his Christmas list. Hails is a lot easier seeing as how a 4 month old doesn't really make demands regarding toys. Also, presents for friends and relatives starts now. If we see something someone would like we just pick it up and save it for the holidays. This also goes for holiday outfits. If we see something now, we just pick it up and save it.
Plan for Hailey's Baptism: We are not having a huge get-together, but we will have a little reception for family and close friends after Hailey's baptism. So nothing crazy, but there will be invitations, food, and some decor. Oh, and of course, cake. Definitely something DIY which I of course will share here!! So, the planning for that will start now!
That's it. I mean it would be silly if this was a long list. It wouldn't be calm, it would be just as stressful as the coming months. These four things however can really help us to enjoy the experiences of the holidays instead of being bogged down by the stresses. I always get my holiday shopping done by the latest, Black Friday. This way in December I can enjoy the holidays and just have to do some wrapping. I like to have our October events planned so we are not stressing about fitting everything in, but instead enjoying the events. As far as November, I am lucky to have 5 sister in laws and a wonderful mother in law, so Thanksgiving is never stressful for me. I bring my always requested dessert which you can find here, and maybe a side or two. Everyone chips in, so it's not so overwhelming.
So, are you enjoying the calm before the holidays? What are you doing to make the holidays less stressful? Share in the comments and let's help each other out!
Cheers,
Emily
Let me send you a whole list of tips to help you make more time for yourself and your goals! Plus you will get weekly emails with more tips and advice.
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Grocery shopping is a hassle, especially with kids. Either they don't want to be there, they don't want to sit in the cart, or they want you to buy things that you don't want. Or their carrier takes up so much room in the cart, there's hardly any room for food. No shopping trip highlights this more than when you try to shop in bulk. How can your child pass by a bulk sized box of cookies?! On the other hand, there are many great benefits to shopping in bulk. You can get a better price and you can shop less often. I have found an app that allows you to get the bulk prices you love without ever leaving the house and no membership fee! Let me tell you about it.
Boxed Wholesale - Boxed is an app for people who like wholesale prices without the hassle of going to a wholesale store. Through this app you can purchase non-perishable bulk items that will be delivered right to your door. Shipping is free on your first order as well as on any order over $50. Believe me, it's easy to get an order over $50; I have yet to pay shipping.
Boxed is great for bulky items like paper towels and toilet paper, as well as cleaning supplies, k-cups for your keurig, cereal, and snack items. I get T his chocolate milk boxes, Annie's Mac and cheese, and Belvita breakfast biscuits. There are tons of items to shop for on a regular basis as well as seasonal items. For example right now they have a bunch of back to school items. The prices are comparable to Costco, but no membership fee.
This app definitely saves you time: you don’t have to drive to a store, shop, wait on line, checkout, load up your car, and drive home; gas: you don’t have to go anywhere - your order comes to you, money: you are getting wholesale prices, and sanity: you avoid the hassle of going to a wholesale store with your kids! There are no membership fees and the delivery is fast.
The customer service at Boxed is great. I once had an item inadvertently missing from my order. I emailed customer service who got back to me quickly and allowed me to reorder the item for free. The reps were very nice and accommodating. I also love the hand written notes in each package thanking me for my order. So personal!!
Another great feature is the Boxed rewards program. For every dollar you spend on an order, you get 1 boxed rewards point. 500 points = $5.00 off an order. This allows you to get an even better deal! Boxed is always coming up with new freebies and discounts to add to your order. With one order I got a free selfie stick with my order and with another order, I got a free flag. On my latest order I got a free can of juice and a free roll of toilet paper. This free app is available in the Apple Store as well as on Google Play, so whether you're Android or Apple, you can get it.
Bottom line, it's a free app that allows you to get bulk prices and free shipping on the items you need. There is no reason not to get it!
Click this link to get $15 off your first order of $60 or more on boxed!
Have a great Labor Day Weekend!!
Cheers,
Emily
Let me send you a whole list of tips to help you make more time for yourself and your goals! Plus you will get weekly emails with more tips and advice.
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As busy moms, we put pressure on ourselves to do it all. There is so much on our plate and not enough time to do it in. We have jobs to do, kids to nurture, husbands to support, houses to clean, not to mention meeting our own needs. Having the kids around constantly can make some of these tasks near impossible. The problem is, often times we don't have people we trust or the resources to pay for someone to watch our kids. I recently came across a new app that solves this problem in a really smart way. Komae to the rescue!
Two easy to use apps that you can use to help make money doing things that you already do.
Here are 5 ways you can save time during the holidays and still get stuff done. It's all about prioritizing what needs to get done by you versus what just needs to get done.