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Shared Apr 29, 2016 comment

I may be fan-girling and geeking out just a wee bit…

Published: by Crystal Paine on April 29, 2016 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Okay, so you all know that I’m a HUGE fan of the Sorta Awesome Podcast. I’m super picky about podcasts and I only regularly listen to a few, but one that I always make time for is the Sorta Awesome Show.

So when I was emailed to ask if I’d like to be a guest, I may have squealed. I also may have immediately gone to tell my husband because he needed to know STAT about this very important thing. And I may have fan-girled on the show.

Truly, it was such an honor to be asked to be a guest on the Sorta Awesome podcast and I loved getting to share very personally about a number of things, including:

my background and journey to blogging (including some of my own history that I don’t usually write about publicly)
how passionate I am about South Africa
personality types and how I’ve been wondering if I really am an INTJ
why dry shampoo is changing my life
some of the most difficult aspects of Periscope & why I almost didn’t start scoping
Plus, things we splurge on and things I will never pay full price for.

Go listen to the episode here.

Shared Apr 29, 2016 comment

Brigette’s $70 Grocery Shopping Trip and Weekly Menu Plan

Published: by Brigette on April 29, 2016 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Aldi

Honey Wheat Puffs – $1.79

Corn Flakes – $1.49

Crispy Oats – $1.19

Honey Nut Oats – $1.19

4 dozen Eggs – $3.56 (this wasn’t an advertised price, so I was super excited to find this!)

5lb Ground Beef – $9.95

Pie Crusts – $1.49

Radishes – $0.99

3 cartons Egg Whites – $5.57

2 bunches Bananas – $1.44

Strawberries – $1.49

24-oz Pasta Sauce – $0.99

4lbs Red Grapes – $3.96 (My 5-yr old has been asking for grapes for weeks, so he was thrilled :))

2 bags Baby Carrots – $1.98

2 cartons Orange Juice – $3.38

Pineapple – $1.19

Dijon Mustard – $0.99

Cottage Cheese – $2.29

Cream Cheese – $0.99

Milk (not pictured) – $2.55

Total: $48.87

Harris Teeter

10 8-oz bags Shredded Cheese – $13.60

8 cans Green Beans – $2.96

Total: $16.56

Ollie’s

(We were at Ollie’s where the children were buying birthday gifts for Eirik. I looked at their spice selection like several of you had suggested, and was impressed with their prices and selection. Thank you! I didn’t actually NEED any spices – although I ended up with a few “fun” purchases – but I will definitely be returning for future purchases. :))

Cinnamon Extract – $0.99

Raspberry Extract – $0.99

Paprika – $0.97

Mediterranean Sea Salt – $1.99

Total: $4.94

My favorite “purchase” of the week: a friend is out of town this week, and gave me her CSA crate to pick up her share of fresh strawberries and vegetables. There were several kinds of lettuce, asparagus, kale, spinach, broccoli, and two large tubs of strawberries. Everything was excellent quality (and you can’t beat free! :)), so I want to check into prices as it’s something I’d love to do.

Grocery Total for the Week: $70.35

Weekly Menu Plan

Breakfasts

Cereal x 4

Homemade Cinnamon Swirl Bread, Strawberries, Eggs

Oatmeal x 2

Lunches

Cheese Quesadillas, Carrots, Pineapple

Almond Butter on Rice Cakes, Strawberries, Carrots x 2

Veggie Omelets, Toast, Grapes

Baked Potatoes with Cheese, Bananas, Green Beans

Leftovers x 2

Dinners

Cabbage Rolls, Mashed Potatoes, Asparagus, Cottage Cheese Pie (birthday dinner)

Hamburgers, Homemade French Fries, Tossed Salad, Grapes

Chicken Mozzarella Pasta, Homemade French Bread, Tossed Salad

Ham and Cheese Quiche, Roasted Broccoli, Applesauce Muffins

Taco Salad, Mexican Rice, Pineapple

Leftovers x 2

Shared Apr 28, 2016 comment

My Simple System to Eliminate 99% of the Paper Piles

Published: by Crystal Paine on April 28, 2016 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

This post was originally published in April 2015.

Recently, one of my friends who comes over to our house frequently commented about how she can’t figure out how we don’t have pile of paper anywhere. She wanted to know how on earth I accomplish that and what systems I have in place to maintain that.

At first, I told her I wasn’t sure; I just didn’t like piles so we didn’t have them. But being the analytical person I am, I spent some time thinking about it over the next few days.

Are there systems I have that I just don’t realize I have? Are there things I do on a regular basis to tame the pile monster?

I thought about it for quite awhile and slowly realized that I DO have systems. However, they have been in place for so long that I do them without thinking about them. I guess those are the best kind of systems, aren’t they? The ones that just happen without you thinking about them.

So, here are my systems and how you, too, can eliminate 99% of your paper clutter:

1) Find Out Where the Paper Is Coming From

Start paying attention to where the paper piles are coming from. Are they school papers your kids are bringing home from school? Is it bills? Is it mail? Is it newspapers?

Figure out the source of your problem and see if there’s anything you can do to cut down on some of the inflow. For instance, can you automate your bills with online bill pay? Could you throw junk mail out in the outside dumpster before you even walk in the house? Could you cancel a subscription to the newspaper if it’s just piling up and not really being read?

2) Stop Hanging Onto Anything You Don’t Absolutely Need

Very few papers really need to be saved. Ask yourself: “If all my paper piles were all burned up in a fire tomorrow, what would I desperately wish I had saved?”

Only save those really meaningful papers and get rid of the rest. There’s no sense in letting things that don’t matter to you take up residence in your home and personal space!

3) Implement the “Touch It Once” Policy

If you’ll stop to really pay attention, I bet you spend time each week moving paper piles. And you probably let them bog you down, too.

Here’s the truth: I rarely touch a paper that comes into our house more than once. For real.

I’ve determined that I just don’t want to spend hours of my life moving a pile from one place to another place, so instead, I institute the “Touch It Once” policy for all papers that come into our house. In almost 99% of the cases, this completely eliminates paper piles.

Here’s how it works for me: When a piece of paper comes into our house, be it bills, kid’s papers from their activities, a magazine, an invitation, there are one of four things that will happen to it when I have it in my hand:

I either Trash It, Scan It (and then trash it), Display It, or File It.

Pretty much every single paper can fall under one of these categories. And doing one of these four things guarantees that it doesn’t become the start of a pile.

Practical “Touch It Once” Examples:

Some examples of specific kinds of papers and how I deal with them:

Ads: These are trashed immediately — as soon as I go through the mail. You can pretty much always find all ads online. I may glance through them and might jot a note on my Google Calendar about a sale or a reminder of something in them and then I trash them immediately (or, stick it in the recycling bin if you recycle).

Kid’s Artwork: I either display artwork on the fridge (I rotate these display regularly. When I take one down to rotate in another, I take a picture if it’s something I want to remember and then toss it), mail it to grandparents or our Compassion children, or take pictures of it on my phone so I have a record of it and toss it. If it was something really special — such as a very touching note or beautiful picture, I’ll store it in our Keepsakes & Mementos tub.

Bills: Pay immediately and then scan and shred. If possible, switch to online bill pay so that you don’t even have to worry about remembering to pay bills.

Invitations/Notices/FYIs: Immediately make a note on your calendar of all the details you need to remember — times, due dates, details, etc. If you want to save the invitation for some reason, pin it to a board that’s designated for this purpose or display it on the fridge. Be sure to regularly cull these things on display, though. More than a few on display and you’ve sort of created a “Display Pile”!

I make notes in Google calendar of all events and details and then will put a reminder a few days before if I need to buy a gift, write a card, make a dessert, etc.

Cards/Letters: Want to know the truth? I don’t keep very many cards and letters from people. This might sound incredibly unsentimental of me, but the reality is that I’d have boxes and boxes of cards with signatures if I kept all the cards I’ve received in my life. So my rule of thumb with cards and letters is to ask myself, “Will I wish I had this in 25 years from now?”

If the answer is, “Yes!” than I’ll put it in our Keepsakes & Mementos tub. If not, I just toss it. You could also scan cards and letters to have an electronic record of them.

I dare you to try the Touch It Once System for two weeks just to see if it makes a difference. If you hate it, you can always go back to piling. But you might find, as my husband did, that it saves so much time and effort and keeps your office, countertops, tabletops and more much, much cleaner!

What are YOUR best solutions for dealing with paper clutter? I’d love to hear!

Start your day well and set it up for success with these 15 simple tips!

Shared Apr 26, 2016 comment

15 Ways to Start Your Day Well

Published: by Crystal Paine on April 26, 2016 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Want to set up your day for success? Taking time the night before to do things like lay out my clothes and put together a to-do list can make SUCH a big difference in my day.

Here are 15 things I try to do every morning that help my day go better:

1. Make My Bed

I’ve found that when I make my bed, something is signaled in my brain that says the day has started and that it’s going to be a good day. When I walk past my bed during the day and see that it is made, my heart does a little flutter, and I feel like I’m in a good place. It’s like starting your day with a little win!

Need some motivation to make your bed every morning? Watch this.

2. Pray and Read God’s Word

If I want to be able to give to others, I have to be intentional about filling myself up and replenishing my own supply. I don’t want to be completely drained and tapped out — or giving my family and friends the leftovers. One of the best ways for me to do this is by spending time in God’s Word.

I love the studies from SheReadsTruth.com. Over the years, I’ve also enjoyed The Daily Light, My Utmost for His Highest, and Jesus Calling for devotionals.

3. Count My Blessings

Each day, after I have read my Bible, I take time to write in my gratitude journal. I remember the wonderful things that God is doing in my life and some of the things He has done in the past. I love to use my gratitude journal because I can read over it later on. Every day, there is something that you can be thankful for, you just have to take time to pay attention to it!

4. Breathe and Spend a Few Minutes in Quiet

Our souls need a quiet space to breathe. I try to find a few moments in the morning to be completely silent and let my mind be quiet. Here’s what I’m learning: when I take the time to be still, it allows me to process through things, think more carefully, pay closer attention, give myself space to feel, heal, and breathe.

5. Read a Chapter From a Good Book

Maybe you are saying, “I don’t have time to read a chapter each morning!” That’s okay! Sometimes I don’t either. But I always try to begin each morning with reading at least a few pages from whatever non-fiction book I’m currently reading.

A few pages might not seem like much, but it adds up over time! And it’s a great way to start your day with good inspiration and to get the creative juices in your brain churning.

Related: My Top 10 Reads From 2015

6. Exercise

Even it if it is only 5-10 minutes, a little bit can make a big difference when it comes to exercise. Getting your heart pumping will help you to have a whole new outlook on life. It makes me feel more energized and ready to take on the day!

7. Eat a Healthy Breakfast

I used to skip breakfast all the time. I would actually go for half the day without eating at all. It wasn’t healthy for me and I would wind up feeling shaky.

Those few minutes I would save by not eating would cost me because I couldn’t focus and be productive. Not only that, but by the time I would sit down to eat, I’d usually be so hungry that I’d reach for foods that weren’t very nourishing.

The best thing you can do for yourself is to take the time to eat a healthy breakfast. Make a plan. Make it a priority. Then, make it happen!

Related: 8 Make Ahead Breakfast Ideas

8. Dress For the Kind of Day You Want to Have

Ask yourself, “Do I want to have a lazy day or a productive day?” There is nothing wrong with having a day where you stay in your comfy pants, but that shouldn’t be the norm.

Dress for success. If you want to get a lot done, wear something that helps you feel motivated, professional, happy, and focused.

9. Make a Plan

Every night before I go to bed, I map out what I plan to do the following day. This helps me to stay focused. I just look at what the next thing on my list to do is, and do it.

If you don’t start out with a simple plan, you’ll likely spend your entire day walking around, putting out fires, and not getting much done.

10. Turn on Music

I have fallen in love with Amazon Music. Apparently I’ve been living under a rock or something because, until recently, I didn’t realize that Prime Music was free for those with a Prime Membership.

I’ve been listening to music almost every morning. Each day, I get up and decide what I’m in the mood for and then turn it on! It’s a great way to immediately lift your spirits!

11. Stay Hydrated

Usually, when you get up in the morning, you’re going to be dehydrated. The first thing you should do when you get up is to rehydrate yourself by drinking some water. When you’re well hydrated, you’ll feel more energy and you’ll function better!

12. Smile at Someone

Take the time to smile at someone. It is a free gift that you can give to anyone in the world. It is also a gift that you can give yourself, because people will probably smile back at you. This is the perfect way to lift someone else’s spirit as well as your own.

13. Do Something For Another Person

What is one little thing that you can do for another person? One thing that I like to do is text a few people every morning and say something encouraging.

When I know someone in my life is having a hard time, a simple text will cheer them up and let them know I care. Plus, when you focus on others and serving them, it helps you to stop thinking about yourself and your own problems and discouragements.

14. Sing!

I don’t know what it is, but when I sing, I can’t feel grumpy. I just can’t! Try it and see if it works for you, too! Even if you don’t sing well, turn on a song you like and sing! I bet you’ll feel lighter and happier when you’re done!

15. Tackle The Hardest Thing First

It is amazing what a difference it makes to tackle your hardest thing first. When you don’t feel like doing something in a day, go ahead and get it out of the way. I find that it takes burden off of me and helps me to have more of a spring in my step and more productivity the rest of the day.

Related: Eat That Frog

What helps YOU start your day well? I’d love to hear!

Shared Apr 25, 2016 comment

How to Be a Better Friend Today

Published: by Crystal Paine on April 25, 2016 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

If you recall, my friend Mackenzie and I scoped on friendship awhile back. I’ve had several follow-up questions from that scope with people wanting me to expound more on friendship.

Today, I want to share 4 ways to be a better friend today…

1. Take Initiative.

Don’t wait for the other person to show up and do something for you. So much of the time, women feel lonely and left out, like nobody is inviting them to be a part of anything.

You have a choice in that moment to be self-defeating and live under the lies that you’re unlikeable and that nobody will ever want to be friends with you. This will prevent you from ever opening yourself up, letting people in, or taking initiative.

Good friendships require taking initiative, but don’t wait for the other person. Send that text, write that email, or invite that person into your home and life.

When I meet someone whom I feel some synergy with and see the possibility of a friendship with, I try to take initiative to invite that person into my home or even just out for coffee. There’s no long-term obligation with that. Sometimes it won’t be a great fit, but sometimes it will turn into something meaningful and beautiful!

Don’t wait for others to come to you. Go to them and take the first step. Look for ways to bless them first!

2. Ask Good Questions.

People are desperate for community. They want people to really care about them at a deep level.

When you take the time to look into someone’s eyes and listen, that means the world to them. Show people you care by giving them your full attention and fully engaging in conversation.

When you ask good questions in response, it shows that you care and that you’re interested in them. Sometimes you may really love someone but feel that you don’t share much in common. That’s a perfect opportunity to ask questions and learn about someone who is different from you!

There is SO much to learn from people who live different lives and have different viewpoints. I like to ask questions like:

“How can I be a better friend to you?”
“How does that make you feel?”
“What is the hardest thing you’re going through right now?”
“What do you most need right now?”
“How can I encourage you?”

Just recently, I was with a group of women that I’m getting to know. We went around the group and answered these types of questions openly. This helped transform the small group into true, authentic community. It prevented us from hiding and just showing up superficially without forming relationships. Good questions often facilitate friendship.

3. Find the Good and Praise It.

How are you celebrating others right now? People love to know that what they do matters. Find the good. Celebrate it, praise it, and affirm it.

I think everyone at their core has a desire to be noticed, affirmed, celebrated, and to know that they matter. It doesn’t take a whole lot of time or money to notice something about someone and then verbally affirm that.

Think about how you can celebrate other people in simple ways. Maybe it’s just sending a quick text to celebrate someone. Words of affirmation can mean the world to someone!

4. Learn Their Love Language.

Learning the love language of those in your life is SO important. You can feel like you’re pouring your love out to someone, but if it’s not in the way that makes that person feel most loved, there may be miscommunication. Once you know what someone else’s love language is, it really helps you to be able to demonstrate love in a manner that means the most to them.

For instance, my dominant love language is Words of Affirmation. It means the world to me when Jesse tells me how much he appreciates me and how proud he is of me. This speaks love to me much more than buying something for me does.

My husband’s love language is quality time. When he feels like I’m busied, hurried, and not fully engaged, he feels unloved. I’ve had to learn over time how important it is to love him well in the ways he feels most loved.

I’m not great at giving gifts, but I try to put forth that effort when someone’s love language is gifts. If you don’t know someone’s love language, simply ask someone what makes them feel most loved!

Related Posts:

I’d love to hear from you: How do you intentionally seek to develop and foster deeper friendship? How have other been a good friend to you?

P.S. If you’re struggling with friendships, I’d highly recommend reading the book, Safe People.

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Shared Apr 23, 2016 comment

5 Things I’m Loving This Week (+ an important note about next week)

Published: by Crystal Paine on April 23, 2016 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

1. Fresh Flowers — For Just a Few Dollars!

This picture is clear evidence of this whole new savoring life and slowing down transformation in my life: On the weekends, I’ve been leisurely walking to the store, picking out a $3-$5 bouquet of flowers, and then coming home and salvaging all I can from last week’s flowers and putting together some freshened up arrangements for around the house.

It makes me happy all week long to see these around the house and it’s a simple way I can cultivate beauty in our home, while also giving my soul space to breathe.

2. Launching Make Over Your Evenings

This week we accomplished a HUGE goal for this year — we launched my brand-new course, Make Over Your Evenings!! This was my only business goal for the year, so it was pretty exciting to have it D-O-N-E!

We worked so hard on this course and I am so thrilled with the finished product — and also so honored that thousands and thousands of you have already bought it and begun it. Thank you SO much!

3. Dusting Off My Bike For the First Time in a Long Time

After my poor bike has sat neglected for, um, maybe TWO years, I dusted her off tonight and took her on a 40-minute leisurely ride with Kathrynne and one of her neighbor friends on Thursday evening.

It was such a relaxing way to end a l-o-n-g and full week filled with prepping for our big Make Over Your Evenings course launch.

4. Brown Sugar Biscuit Twists

We celebrated the end of a long and full week and gearing up for a very full and busy weekend by taking a “Sabbath Day” on Friday. We went to bed early, slept in, and had a slow and leisurely morning.

I surprised the family by making Brown Sugar Biscuit Twists for a late breakfast. These are a family favorite and we’ve not had them in a long while. Yummy!!

5. Kaitlynn’s Figure Skating Competition

Kaitlynn competed in four events at the Skate Nashville Competition this weekend. It’s so fun to see her confidence building and her love and passion for this sport start to come out more and more and overcome the nerves of competing.

She pours her heart and soul into this sport and I just love watching her blossoming as a skater and an individual through the hours she spends on the ice every week. {You can watch a little clip from her short program here.}

An Important Note About Next Week

So you know how I only set 4 goals this year? And you know how one of them was that my husband and I would go on two overnighter trips without our kids?

Well, we were able to work out a bunch of details and plan a trip for just the two of us for 4 entire days beginning Monday morning through Friday morning this coming week. We are SO excited as we rarely ever get away by ourselves!

And I’m even more excited because I finally have a great team in place who can cover for me while I’m gone. Which means… drumroll… that I’m leaving my computer at home and plan to be 100% offline while we’re gone.

I’ve never, ever done this on a trip that I can ever remember. Even if I go offline for some of the trip, I always have my computer with me. So it’s a pretty big deal for me!

My team will make sure there are deal posts going up here and on Facebook like usual, I’ve pre-scheduled content pieces for every day of next week, but I won’t be around the comments section nor will I be on social media at all.

I’ll be back sometime on Friday, and while I’ll miss you all, I honestly cannot WAIT to have four whole days to just get to hang out with my husband! See you on the other side!

What are YOU loving this week? Tell us in the comments!

Shared Apr 23, 2016 comment

My Top 7 Favorite Books for Moms

Published: by Crystal Paine on April 23, 2016 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Want to encourage a weary mom this coming Mother’s Day? Or just need some inspiration and motivation for your own mothering? Here are 7 of my favorite books for moms:

Surprised By Motherhood by Lisa-Jo Baker

My friend, Lisa-Jo Baker, is one of the most beautiful women I’ve ever met. She just oozes with love and grace. And she’s hilarious, too.

I loved her book, Surprised By Motherhood — and it’s what actually turned my life upside down and inspired me to fall hard and fast in love with South Africa.

Seasons of a Mother’s Heart by Sally Clarkson

I’ve been so blessed by Sally’s life and her books. She’s inspired me so much as a mother to enjoy my children, nurture my children, and give them a love of beauty and learning.

I had trouble picking just one of her books to put on this list here, but I finally decided on this one as I think it was my favorite of hers. It’s a great read for homeschool moms!

Pocketful of Pinecones by Karen Andreola

I adore Karen Andreola’s books. She inspires me as a mom, she encourages me to really invest in my kids, and she motivates me to raise kids who love life and learning.

In this fiction book, she really encourages homeschool moms with practical ways you can weave learning and the love of learning through all of life. There is a followup book, Lessons At Blackberry Inn, that I also enjoyed.

Desperate by Sarah Mae and Sally Clarkson

Okay, so I chose just one more Sally Clarkson book… because I couldn’t help myself. 🙂

If you’ve ever whispered the words, “I just can’t be a mom today!”, this book will encourage and uplift you. Sarah Mae and Sally have a passion to encourage and build up struggling weary mamas and they do just that in this book.

Parenting the Wholehearted Child by Jeannie Cunnion

I usually stay far away from any book that remotely resembles a system or method of parenting. Because I truly have come to believe that there are no one-size-fits-all plans.

At any rate, I was hesitant to start this book because it fell under the “parenting book” genre. But I’m so glad that I did because it was one of my favorite reads and challenged me in a deep level as a parent.

Don’t Make Me Come Up There by Kristen Welch

Kristen is an incredibly gifted writer who knows how to communicate spot-on truth in a laugh-out-loud-funny manner. Some of her stories in this book were so good I immediately had to go find my husband and read them to him and then we both busted up laughing together. 🙂

Loving the Little Years by Rachel Jankovic

I really enjoyed Loving the Little Years. It’s not a book with lots of practical, hands-on advice, but it’s a book the deals with the heart issues we moms face.

I didn’t agree with the author on all points, but I loved how these book challenges moms to really delve down to the heart of the matter. As the author says, “The state of your heart is the state of your home.”

Encouraging Articles for Moms

What are YOUR favorite books on mothering? What books would you add to my list?

P.S. You may have noticed that I’ve been doing more book round-ups lately. I plan to continue to do more of these in the coming weeks and would love to hear from you: what topics would you love for me to share my favorite books on? Leave a comment and let me know!

Shared Apr 23, 2016 comment

How to Make Money by Self-Publishing

Published: by Crystal Paine on April 23, 2016 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Guest post from Jill of By Jill B

If you’re struggling to make money from blogging, consider self-publishing. I stumbled upon self-publishing by accident and discovered that it is a very viable way of making money from my writing.

The best part about it is that you do NOT need an existing platform to make it. Your books become your platform.

So how do you make money from self-publishing? Like any business, it takes time and persistence with no guarantees. However, here are some tips on how to turn self-publishing into a business.

Focus on a Niche that Sells

Look for niche markets that have large audiences. In non-fiction, big genres include how-to, self-help, health and motivational books. In fiction, the big-hitters include romance, sci-fi, fantasy, mystery and thrillers. Look for sub-genres that you can target.

If you’re looking to make money, avoid writing in difficult-to-sell niches like poetry. However, I’d also avoid trying to get traction in a very competitive niche like contemporary romance. Instead, find a smaller sub-genre that interests you, like Jane Austen fan fiction, for example.

A good place to figure out if you’re targeting a good niche is to see if the top-selling books in the Amazon subcategory are ranked at #30,000 or less (the lower the rank, the more the book is selling). A rank of #30,000 means the book is selling a few copies a day. In some non-fiction niches, you might also be able to tell if a subject is popular by the number of magazines that are available in stores.

Follow Your PASSION

Next, figure out what your passions are. What do you like to read? What do you like to do? What do you find yourself talking about a lot?

Those are your passions. Try to align them with a niche that sells.

While some people are able to do very well writing books that they have no interest in, I do not suggest following this route if you want to develop a long career in indie-publishing.

Understand Your Audience

Once you’ve decided on your niche, read a few books from the bestseller lists to see why they are selling well. Read some of the reviews. Positive and negative reviews can be very helpful in understanding what that audience is looking for.

Figure Out How You Can Produce a Lot of Books Within Your Niche

This applies more to non-fiction because you can always make more fictional stories up.

In non-fiction, try to figure out how you can position yourself as an authority in a niche. I admit that my own publishing plan took a while to formulate. I started with a “How to Keep Backyard Chickens” book and focused too much on trying to write many books around chickens. It is a niche that is too small to build a business around, and I couldn’t come up with enough marketable topics.

It turns out that I should have been looking at the forest and not just a tree. In my case, the tree was chicken books. The forest is the large topic of homesteading — which includes frugal living, livestock-keeping, gardening, food preservation, hunting, home business, emergency prepping and much more. Now, I can write a lot of books on the topic of homesteading!

Write in Series

While not a must, writing in a series makes it easier to sell more books to your readers. Once you’ve hooked them, readers tend to want to buy more from you. This applies to both fiction and nonfiction.

In fiction, a series can consist of books that focus on the same characters or about the happenings in the same area. In both fiction and nonfiction, you can make a sequential book series, or a series out of a theme.

For example, I used “The Modern American Frugal Housewife” theme to write a series of four nonfiction books, based around frugal living.

Produce Good Products (Books)

If you want to make a business out of self-publishing, your books are not “your babies”; they are your products. Write books that resonate with your audience, edit them well, and use a genre-appropriate cover.

By genre-appropriate cover, I mean to examine the covers of other top-selling books in your genre. Thriller books normally feature the author’s name in large, bold text and depict silhouettes running. Romance books normally depict a couple in some form of embrace. The cover should be legible even when viewed in thumbnail size.

Do not try to be original. Your audience has to be able to recognize what the book’s subject is at one glance.

If you’re hiring someone to design your cover, make sure that they know how to design a digital book cover. Good book cover artists understand the nuances of color and typography, which an artistic person may not necessarily grasp. For those on a budget who are design-challenged, I recommend using Canva.com, which is free if you use your own images.

Make Your Books Work for You

The nice thing about indie publishing is that you retain all the rights to your work. Make it work for you!

While Amazon is the biggest self-publishing platform, do not overlook publishing your book on other platforms like iTunes, Nook, Kobo (Canada), and Google Play (which is currently closed to new members).

For a 10% cut of royalty payments, you can use an aggregator like Draft2Digital.com or Smashwords.com to help you upload your books to all these platforms at once with a click of a button.

Expand your reach further by offering print books through Amazon’s Createspace or Ingram Spark. Certain books also do very well in audio, which you can distribute via Audible.

A few helpful resources:

Crystal has said that blogging is “a marathon, not a sprint”. This also applies to the self-publishing business. Take one step at a time to build your brand and backlist of books.

Your journey will be different from someone else’s. Always be kind to yourself.

Jill Bong writes under the pen name Jill b. She is a homeschooling mom, homesteader, author, entrepreneur and inventor of Chicken Armor chicken saddles. Visit her author site: By Jill B. You can download her Self-Publish on a Budget With Amazon ebook for FREE right now!

Shared Apr 22, 2016 comment

10 Productivity Tools You Should Be Using

Published: by Crystal Paine on April 22, 2016 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Wondering how I stay on top of tasks? Here are my current top 10 favorite productivity tools…

1. Sleep Cycle App

This app will gently wake you up within a 30 minute window at the optimum time when your body is most ready to wake up. If you are feeling exhausted all the time and hate being jolted out of sleep by a noisy alarm clock, I recommend giving this one a try. It might revolutionize your sleep!

It also tracks your sleep cycle, so that you know how long it takes you to fall asleep and how restless you are throughout the night. I love this feature, because it has helped me track trends in my before-bed routine or behavior each night that are preventing me from getting the best night’s sleep possible.

I don’t know the science behind this app, but I will tell you that I’ve truly felt more well rested and energetic in the morning since I started using it. The Sleep Cycle App costs a couple dollars through the app store.

Note: I also have been using my new Jawbone Up3 to track my sleep and love it so much. It’s a lot pricier, though, so I’d recommend the Sleep Cycle App as a great starting tool for tracking your sleep.

Related: How to Get More Sleep

2. Google Calendar

I’ve sung the praises of Google Calendar many, many times. Google Calendar helps me organize anything and everything in my life by getting it out of my brain and into a secure, safe place that I can access from anywhere. I love that Google Calendar syncs across all of my devices and I can share it with family members and business team members.

Any time I think of an appointment, task, meeting, or deadline that I don’t want to forget, I add it to my Google Calendar on the day I need to remember it by. Google Calendar sends me reminders, and I check my calendar each evening when writing my to-do list for the following day.

Their Drag & Drop feature has changed my life. If I don’t get to a task or need to reschedule something, I simply drag and drop that task to another day. It keeps things organized and simple in one place. No more messy loose papers with scribbled words and scratch-outs on them.

I also love the Recurring Tasks feature, which makes it so easy to add in tasks that occur on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis. Just add it once and specify how often it should recur. Super easy!

3. Gmail

This is another one you’ve probably heard me mention several times if you follow me online! Gmail has so many great features that help me keep my inbox cleaned out.

Their Send and Archive button allows you to reply to an email, hit send, and it will automatically leave your inbox. You don’t have to send and then go back to your inbox and delete it. All of it happens at once, which saves time in the long-run and allows you to follow the “touch it once” email rule.

I also love the ability to set up filters to have emails skip my inbox entirely if I don’t want to ever see those types of emails. I can use their labeling system to find emails later, or even have a filter set up to have an incoming email labeled and skip my inbox.

In this way, it keeps my inbox clean, and I can find all of those emails in one place when I’m ready to deal with them.

4. Boomerang

This is an app that is added to Gmail that allows you to choose when you want to send emails, or when you want to receive and deal with an e-mail.

For example, if an email comes in that is not a priority at the moment, I hit the Boomerang button on my email and choose when to have it be emailed back to me. I choose a later date when I will have more time to handle it.

This helps me keep my email inbox clean but still prioritize the most time-sensitive emails first and not forget anything important.

5. Feedly

I use Feedly to read all of the blogs I follow. I don’t follow too many, but I would forget to read them each day if I did not have Feedly set up. It’s such an easy way to quickly go in, check my favorite blogs, and read through them efficiently.

Related: How to Make Money Blogging

6. Waze

If you regularly drive to places you need directions for, or if you live in a city with high traffic, I recommend the Waze app for navigation. Not only will this app tell you the fastest way to get somewhere, but it will also alert you to traffic, accidents along the way, construction, and anything else you need to know. It will then give you a bypass detour route that will get you there much faster and help you avoid those obstacles.

This app has saved me so much time and frustration since we moved to Nashville where rush hour traffic can mean it takes 3-4 times the usual amount of time to get to your destination.

7. TripIt

The TripIt app has been a life-saver to me with traveling. What I love about this app is that once you set it up, you can elect to have it connected with an email.

Any time I have a new hotel reservation, plane ticket, or any other travel information emailed to me, I can just forward it to TripIt. TripIt then automatically sets up an event for that trip and will add all pertinent information — flight times, hotel reservation number, a map of the hotel, etc. in an organized file in my TripIt app.

It is so convenient, and I don’t even have to think about it! I usually just check the day before I travel to verify that everything is in my TripIt app for my upcoming trip.

8. Podcasts and Periscope

I love feeding my mind with good things, because I want to grow as a person. Podcasts and Periscope really help me in this area.

I turn on my phone when I’m getting ready in the morning, washing dishes, folding laundry, working on an easy project on the computer where I can multi-task, or riding in the car. It’s so nice to have great podcasts or periscopes to listen to right at my fingertips, so that I can fill my mind with good things while my hands are busy.

9. The Delete Button

This might seem like an odd tool to have on this list, but it’s really made a difference in my productivity so I had to include it!

I think if we would all do better at learning how to use the delete button very liberally in our lives, it would help us lead so much more productive lives. Delete the spam. Delete or archive the emails you no longer need in your inbox.

Don’t clutter up your life and time with the unnecessary. Become best friends with the delete button and free up time to focus on what matters most.

10. Pen & Paper

I am such a pen & paper girl at heart. When it comes to my daily to do lists, I’ve found pen & paper to be much more effective than anything electronic.

There’s something about the physical act of writing things down helps me to clarify, be more organized, and visualize in my mind what my day will look like.

If it’s only online, I will forget or have to go look it up. Writing it down on paper helps cement my priorities into my mind as I face each day. It makes such a difference in my daily productivity.

What are YOUR favorite productivity tools?

P.S. You can find a list of my Top 10 Favorite Productivity & Time Management Books here.

Set your next day up for success by doing these 3 simple things every night! If you're feeling overwhelmed with life, this is a great place to start!

Shared Apr 19, 2016 comment

3 Things You Should Do Every Single Night

Published: by Crystal Paine on April 19, 2016 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Do you struggle to get up and around every morning? Does your day start with you feeling overwhelmed by everything you have to do, need to do, and feel you should do?

I want to challenge you to try doing three things every single night before you go to bed. These are not hard or difficult or time-consuming, but by doing these three things almost every single night before bed, I set myself up for success every morning when I get up. And I truly believe that a successful day begins the night before.

Here’s my list of three things I think you should do every night before bed:

1. Clean Up the Kitchen

Waking up to a clean kitchen does wonders for my spirit. I don’t know what it is, but when my kitchen is clean, it feels like my whole house is clean!

Jesse and I usually work together to clean up the kitchen at night before we head to bed. Not only does this mean that we don’t wake up to dishes with food crusted on them that then we have to try scrape off, but it also makes me feel like I have a fresh head start on the day.

A few tips: I’ve found that if I make sure the kitchen is completely clean after breakfast and after dinner (here’s our simple system for keeping the kitchen clean), it makes it so much easier to stay on top of the kitchen. It seems like letting it go for more than two meals makes for an almost insurmountable job!

Also, if you have a dishwasher, use it. And if you don’t, maybe consider simple meals and paper plates as often as possible?

2. Pick Out Tomorrow’s Outfit

When I dress in an outfit that makes me feel great, I tend to feel happier, more energetic, and more productive. Taking a few minutes each night to pick out an outfit — down to shoes and jewelry — not only saves me time in the morning, but it makes it so much easier to actually get dressed in something I love.

A few tips: I found that keeping my closet simplified (here’s my system for keeping my closet pared down) and only owning what I love, makes it much easier to put together outfits that I feel and look great in.

I also have found it so valuable to wear things that are my type and style (here’s the course that changed my approach to how I dress).

3. Plan a Time-Blocked To Do List

Every night before bed, I write out a prioritized to-do list. It’s simple and it only takes a few minutes, but it has revolutionized my productivity, helps me sleep better, and allows me to go to bed feeling peaceful and calm.

I check my Google calendar to see what projects and activities are already planned for the next day and then I write down a to do list with time blocks for each item on the list. (See my system for creating this to do list here.)

I aim to focus on getting the hardest tasks done first because I’ve found that when I “eat my frogs” early in the day, I have a sense of accomplishment and fulfillment to carry with me the rest of the day.

Want some practical help with setting up your day for success? Be sure to grab a copy of my brand-new online course, Make Over Your Mornings.

This 14-day online course includes videos, a workbook, and step-by-step projects and is designed to help you revolutionize your productivity, streamline your routines, invest your time in things that truly matter, and find more joy and peace in the process.

If you’ve ever wished that you could figure out how to get more done, have more organization in your life, and find time to spend on things you love, the Make Over Your Mornings Course is for you. Find out more about it here.

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Shared Apr 19, 2016 comment

That Day I Was The Mom Who Forgot To Bring Snacks

Published: by Crystal Paine on April 19, 2016 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Last Saturday, in the last few minutes of Silas’ baseball game, I heard one of his teammates say something about the snacks after the game. And my heart skipped a beat… Because I suddenly remembered that Jesse had told me the week before that he’d signed us up for snacks that day — and I had completely forgotten to put it on the calendar or buy the promised snacks!!

It was one of those Worst Mom Ever Moments. Not only did I let all those little boys down, but I was sure I had completely embarrassed my son, most of all.

I started telling myself all sorts of things about how I was probably the only mom who had ever forgotten she was on snack duty. I started beating myself up for failing, yet again, to get my act together. And I just felt shame and guilt and failure.

Jesse was so encouraging and told me that it was his fault for forgetting to put it on the calendar. Which was kind of him, but I still I dreaded having to apologize to my son for being The Mom Who Forgot The Snacks.

When I apologized, however, Silas shocked me by smiling and saying, “It’s okay, Mom! I should have remembered to remind you and I totally forgot, too!”

And just like that, I realized how we can often beat ourselves up and make up stories in our head about how we’re such failures and how everyone must be so disappointed in us… When usually, the stories are entirely fabricated between our own two ears.

Moms, give yourself grace. And if yesterday was rough, know that today is a new day! We’re in this together, we all have our struggles, and we’re all going to mess up.

That’s why there’s this thing called grace — even for The Mom Who Forgets to Bring Snacks.

Shared Apr 18, 2016 comment

The Greatest Gift You Can Ever Give Someone (and it’s FREE!)

Published: by Crystal Paine on April 18, 2016 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Over the last year, a few of my dearest friends have walked through some of the greatest struggles and most intense grief of their life.

Because I’m by nature a doer and a fixer, I want to be the Solutions Girl. I want to swoop in and make everything better. I want to wave a Magic Wand and take away all the hard from them.

But the reality is that I’ve been powerless to fix the situation, heal their broken hearts, or take away their anguish and hurt.

The one thing I could do? I could show up and give the gift of myself.

Show Up -- The Gift of Your Presence is the Greatest Gift You Have to Give

Showing up and giving of ourselves is one of the most valuable gifts you can give — and often, it’s the one that is the hardest. It’s the gift that says, “I’m not here to try to change or fix or solve; I’m just here. And I’m not going anywhere.”

In the midst of others’ grief and loss, we often want to slap on bandages and trite phrases so that we can feel like we’ve “done something”.

However, the greatest gift we can give is not “the perfect word” or “the perfect solution”. As I’m slowly learning, in the middle of intense grief, there really aren’t any words that will be perfect.

Show Up -- It's One of the Greatest Gifts You Can Give

No, the greatest gift we can give is the gift of our presence. To show up again and again.

Practically speaking, this might be:

To just sit with someone in their pain, listen to them, look into their eyes, and say, “I’m so sorry.”
To send them that text to let them know we’re thinking of them.
To call them to pray with them or ask how they are doing.
To drop off flowers or coffee or a note of encouragement at their door.
To order pizza for them for dinner or to make a simple meal and drop it off.
To hug them and hold them and let them ugly cry on your shoulder.
To pick up their groceries or run an errand or watch their kids or clean their house.
To send a little note in the mail or an email to let them know we care.

However it practically plays out, the most important thing is that we show up without an agenda or a quick fix or a solution. We just show up to remind someone that they are seen and noticed and loved. And we keep showing up — even when maybe no one else is.

We can’t show up like this for everyone we know or we would be exhausted and spread too thin. But I challenge you to step outside your comfort zone, and look for one or two people who are hurting in your life right now.

Find one simple way to show up for them today. To give the gift of your presence — with no strings attached. To let them know that you are there for them, you love them, and you are walking with them as best as you know how.

There’s a powerful bond that is forged when we are willing to give the gift of ourselves like this. It doesn’t cost us anything financially, but it’s one of the greatest gifts we have to give.

Notes:

The first quote is from the book: A Life of Being, Having, and Doing Enough by Wayne Muller.
I recommend the book, Just Show Up, if you need further encouragement & practical ideas.
The second quote is from the book: Rising Strong by Brene Brown (such a great book!)

Shared Apr 18, 2016 comment

6 Ways to Save on your Weight Loss Journey

Published: by Crystal Paine on April 18, 2016 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Guest post from Jessica.

Have you ever set out to lose weight and get into shape, only to find out that, while your pants might be feeling bigger, your wallet isn’t?

Did you end up crashing and burning after adding up the costs of gym memberships, fresh fruits and vegetables, workout clothing, and fitness gear?

My name is Jessica Bowman, and I am a failed dieter! After trying about every diet under the sun, I finally figured out how to lose 50 lbs the healthy and happy way, all while remaining frugal.

Here are 6 ways I have saved money while on my weight loss journey:

1. Make a meal plan.

I have experimented with pre-made meal plans in the past, but now I make my own each week.

First, I look to see what I have in my kitchen. Then, I search some of my favorite healthy food sites and cookbooks for recipes using these ingredients. This helps me use what I have in my pantry, saving me money while still getting to try some new and exciting dishes.

I cook or pre-cook everything on Sunday mornings, and this makes weeknight cooking a breeze.

My husband and I used to be so tired after working and then working out; we’d be tempted to get a pizza or fried chicken from the endless supply of restaurants nearby. But thanks to meal planning, we can save money and calories by just heating up our healthy dinner!

2. Shop at big box stores.

I LOVE Sam’s Club when it comes to buying healthy foods! I’m sure the other big box stores like Costco and BJ’s have great healthy items as well.

Not only do they have excellent buys on meat, but Sam’s Club also has amazing buys on produce and individual-sized snacks, too!

Some of my favorites are the Hormel fully-cooked Black Label bacon, the Planters individual size peanut packs, and giant bags of Mandarin oranges. You can even order your groceries online and go pick them up. Which brings me to…

3. Buy groceries online.

Did you know that some grocery stores will let you shop for your groceries online and then pick them up either inside or curbside? This can save you a lot of time when it comes to shopping for healthy groceries!

A frugal friend of mine and I disagree about this money-saving tip because there is a $5 charge for this at my local grocery store. However, I usually only shop on “free” weeks or can justify the $5 very easily. For one, that’s at least an hour of time I will not have to spend at the grocery store, and my time is valuable to me. However, the main money-saving feature for me is I don’t get distracted by impulse buys.

Last week I created my meal plan for the week and saw that I only needed to buy $8 worth of additional items to complete my grocery list. With some breakfast items it grew to $22, but that still wasn’t enough to justify an online shopping trip to me. I asked my husband if he could pick up these items in the store instead so we could save our $5. He came out with over $50 in groceries! We definitely save time and money on our healthy groceries by shopping online.

4. Make a thrifty home gym.

Whether you turn your laundry bag into a punching bag or find free workout videos on YouTube, it can actually be pretty easy to give yourself a space to workout at home.

You just have to have enough literal space (and don’t forget that cleaning burns calories, too!)!

5. Take advantage of the outdoors.

Did you know there is a free gym that everyone can join? It’s called nature!

When the weather is nice outside, nothing can keep me indoors! I want to be out in it as much as possible, whether it be walking, jogging, hiking, swimming, or even playing a sport or game like Pickleball or Disc Golf.

If you’re good at sports, you can check out some sites like Meetup or Facebook for some fun intramural sports activities in your area. If you aren’t, you might find lots of great walking or hiking trails or parks in your area.

Most high schools have walking tracks around their football fields you can go to for free!

6. Make money with your big-purchase items.

Did you know you can make money with FitBit?

I used yard sale earnings to buy my Fitbit Flex two years ago, but it still felt like a huge purchase to me. I was determined to make my money back on it! Little did I know, having a fitness activity tracker is actually an awesome way to make some extra money and earn prizes and rewards.

No, you’re not going to get rich, but being able to earn money just for walking is a great motivator, and your Fitbit will at least be able to pay for itself! I have paid for my FitBit many, many times over!

By making small changes, I was able to change my bad habits into good habits and lose 50 lbs without hurting my wallet!

How have you managed to save money on your weight loss journey?

Jessica Bowman is a weight loss blogger who loves to eat and hates to exercise. In 2014, she decided to stop dieting and start living a healthy lifestyle and managed to lose 50 lbs in the process. She lives in North Carolina with her husband and two dogs. Her favorite pastimes include watching 80s new wave music videos, creating lighter versions of Southern comfort food, and putting Lisa Frank stickers on everything! You can find her at The Failed Dieter.

Shared Apr 16, 2016 comment

5 Things I’m Loving This Week (+ some thoughts on a slow life!)

Published: by Crystal Paine on April 16, 2016 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

1. My Big Family

It was National Siblings Day this past week and I dug up this picture for it… yes, there are a LOT of us in my family! 🙂

We had this taken together with my parents at their 40th anniversary celebration last year.

While it’s always loud and crazy when we’re together, I wouldn’t trade my big family for the world! (Also, yes, we’re not really a touchy-freely kind of family, if you hadn’t figured it out by this photo. We make up for it with lots of laughter, though! ;))

2. This Girl Who Inspires Me to Be More Creative

Kaitlynn came in before bed one night this past week with her hair washed and braided and says, “Hey, Mommy, do you like my new braid style?”

I said yes and asked her where she’d learned that braid from.

“Oh, nowhere, actually. I just made it up. I was trying to figure out a new way to do a 4-strand braid.”

That’s my Kaitlynn! Why settle for a normal braid when you could “invent” a new type of 4-strand braid?

This is how she lives her life… I love it and am constantly inspired by it.

3. Slowing Down & Savoring Life

I’ve been slowing way down this year, living life at a much quieter & relaxed pace, and really having time to enjoy the moments and memories.

I’ve also been giving myself space to feel instead of stuff.

To listen intently instead of rush through my days.

To pay attention to the heart needs of my family instead of just trying to come up with quick fixes.

I’m learning that slowness can be good, powerful, and life-impacting. I’ve missed so much depth in life by hurrying through it instead of slowly savoring.

I just got this book in the mail this week and it looks like perfect reading material for The Year of Rest. Have any of you read it?

4. A Fun Surprise at the Chicago Airport

Do you recognize those two books in that display window?? Yes, there are not one but TWO copies of Money-Making Mom by yours truly!

LeAnn snapped the pictures and emailed me and said:

“My family and I went to Chicago last week. We were in O’Hare, walking to our gate to catch our flight home to Atlanta, when something familiar caught my eye in a shop window. I looked up to see two copies of your book on display, surrounded by lots of random things with red and pink. I had to take some shots of it because it was such a nice surprise to see it there. -Leann”

What a fun surprise!!

5. My New Exercise/Eating Plan & Feeling SO Great!

Y’all. I’m just not sure what’s gotten into me. Not only have I consistently been working out (mostly weight training) for an hour and half every single week day and absolutely loving it, but I’ve also consistently stuck with this eating plan Jesse put together for me.

I’m even eating — and enjoying! — things like Greek yogurt. Something I used to hate.

Did I mention I feel stronger and happier and more energetic than I have in, well, quite some time? Yeah. It’s amazing how much this whole “taking care of yourself” thing really does work!! 🙂

I don’t know how long this motivation will last, but I’m going to ride this wave as long as it lasts!

What are YOU loving this week? Tell us in the comments!

Shared Apr 16, 2016 comment

3 Steps to Make Peace With Your Starter Home

Published: by Crystal Paine on April 16, 2016 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Guest post from Alicia of Turquoise Grace

My parents have been married for 36 years. For 30 of them, they’ve been living in their “starter home” – the very first home they ever purchased.

I can tell you from watching, it hasn’t always been easy for them to be content with staying there for this many years. But I know without a doubt they did the best thing for their family, and I’m thankful for their example.

Fast forward 25 years or so, and here I am with my own family, five and a half years into our “starter home of 1-2 years”.

I love our starter home. It’s not huge, it’s not extravagant, but it’s ours.

It’s cozy, treasured, and filled with the people that matter the most; but I will be the first to admit that I was not always so lovey-dovey about my home. There was a time when I wanted more, and contentment with regard to my home was something I had to learn.

Maybe you can relate?

Maybe your grand plan has been greatly impacted by an uncomfortable dose of reality.

Maybe life has hit you with one hurdle after another and your ideal plan of living for 1-2 years in your starter home ended 5, 10, or even 15 years ago.

Maybe you’ve simply decided that your budget is more important than your square footage.

Whatever your reason, there is always a way to make peace with your current living situation.

Starting right now!

If you are discouraged about living in your starter home – take heart from these suggestions below.

1. Stop comparing yourself to other people.

Comparing ourselves (and our homes) to others is SO easy to do… and gets us absolutely nowhere.

Comparison is the thief of joy. By comparing what you don’t have to what others do have, you are not only allowing, but inviting yourself to dwell on only the negative aspects of your circumstances.

If you’re too busy trying to keep up with your peers, you will quickly lose sight of what you DO have! Stop focusing on what other people have and start focusing on what you can do with your starter home and your smaller space.

Think of some things that you can do to maximize and make the most of your space, and then make a list of them. Then make a plan to tackle your list and turn it into a reality.

2. Remember your WHY.

Why did you decide to stick with your starter home – either for the time being or for the long haul? Focus on the bigger picture of WHY you’re staying put.

There are many practical reasons why you might want to make peace with your starter home.

To save more money by maintaining a smaller mortgage
To make a larger down payment on a future home, or even to pay cash for the entire purchase.
To avoid relocating. Maybe you like your kids’ current school district, or maybe moving is just not something you’re willing to tackle right now.
To avoid a larger mortgage. Not to state the obvious here, but maybe you just plain can’t afford to take on a larger mortgage. That’s a totally respectable and responsible reason to stay put.
To free up more of your money to spend in other areas like travel, hobbies, or giving.
To pay down debt (student loans, credit cards, car payments, or other outstanding debt you may have accrued over the years)

Whatever YOUR reasons may be, make a list of them and position them front and center where you will be reminded of what your larger goals are. And WHY you’re doing what you’re doing.

3. Change your mindset.

Make the best of what you have. Focus on the positives, be thankful, and own it.

You are blessed more greatly than you realize. When you change your mindset to choose positivity, it is so much easier and obvious to see where your true blessings lie. Realize that owning a home in and of itself is an enormous blessing.

And then… do something about it! If you’re unhappy with something, change it. Begin the changes within your home to make it as comfortable, welcoming, and homey-feeling as possible for you and your family.

Do what you can to create more space – or simply create the illusion of more space. Clear out the clutter, deep clean the entire house from top to bottom, and reorganize. There is much that can be done to make the most of your home, no matter how small it may be.

After 30 years, my parents are still living in their starter home. It’s filled with love and tons of memories. And you know what? I could not imagine growing up anywhere else. It’s still home to me.

At the end of the day, it’s not the size of your house, it’s not the amount of money in your bank account, it’s not even the quality of your things. See, you, your husband, or your kids won’t remember any of that. I know this first hand.

It’s the memories you make in your home that will never be forgotten.

Have you come to a place of peace with your starter home? What did that look like for you?

Alicia is a Jesus follower, coffee lover, avid reader, chocolate addict, self-proclaimed health enthusiast, wife to one amazing husband, boymom of three. She writes about all things faith, motherhood, and making the most of her home over at Turquoise Grace, where she offers up a little dose of grace for the mommed-out heart.

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1) Find Out Where the Paper Is Coming From

2) Stop Hanging Onto Anything You Don’t Absolutely Need

3) Implement the “Touch It Once” Policy

Practical “Touch It Once” Examples:

1. Make My Bed

2. Pray and Read God’s Word

3. Count My Blessings

4. Breathe and Spend a Few Minutes in Quiet

5. Read a Chapter From a Good Book

6. Exercise

7. Eat a Healthy Breakfast

8. Dress For the Kind of Day You Want to Have

9. Make a Plan

10. Turn on Music

11. Stay Hydrated

12. Smile at Someone

13. Do Something For Another Person

14. Sing!

15. Tackle The Hardest Thing First

What helps YOU start your day well? I’d love to hear!

1. Take Initiative.

2. Ask Good Questions.

3. Find the Good and Praise It.

4. Learn Their Love Language.

I’d love to hear from you: How do you intentionally seek to develop and foster deeper friendship? How have other been a good friend to you?

WANT TO SAVE $100 FAST?!Join the FREE 14-Day Savings Challenge!

1. Fresh Flowers — For Just a Few Dollars!

2. Launching Make Over Your Evenings

3. Dusting Off My Bike For the First Time in a Long Time

4. Brown Sugar Biscuit Twists

5. Kaitlynn’s Figure Skating Competition

An Important Note About Next Week

What are YOU loving this week? Tell us in the comments!

Surprised By Motherhood by Lisa-Jo Baker

Seasons of a Mother’s Heart by Sally Clarkson

Pocketful of Pinecones by Karen Andreola

Desperate by Sarah Mae and Sally Clarkson

Parenting the Wholehearted Child by Jeannie Cunnion

Don’t Make Me Come Up There by Kristen Welch

Loving the Little Years by Rachel Jankovic

Encouraging Articles for Moms

What are YOUR favorite books on mothering? What books would you add to my list?

Focus on a Niche that Sells

Follow Your PASSION

Understand Your Audience

Figure Out How You Can Produce a Lot of Books Within Your Niche

Write in Series

Produce Good Products (Books)

Make Your Books Work for You

A few helpful resources:

1. Sleep Cycle App

2. Google Calendar

3. Gmail

4. Boomerang

5. Feedly

6. Waze

7. TripIt

8. Podcasts and Periscope

9. The Delete Button

10. Pen & Paper

What are YOUR favorite productivity tools?

1. Clean Up the Kitchen

2. Pick Out Tomorrow’s Outfit

3. Plan a Time-Blocked To Do List

OVER-SPENDING EVERY SINGLE MONTH?Grab these FREE Budgeting Sheets!

1. Make a meal plan.

2. Shop at big box stores.

3. Buy groceries online.

4. Make a thrifty home gym.

5. Take advantage of the outdoors.