WANT TO WORK FROM HOME? CLICK HERE FOR THE STEP-BY-STEP PLAN!
Money Saving Mom

Money Saving Mom®

Saving Families Money Since 2007

Summer Bucket List

Summer Bucket List.

Summer Bucket List

Classic View
Grid View
Money Saving Mom
Shared Feb 29, 2012 comment

2012 Goals: February’s Update

Read More

2012 Goals: February’s Update

Published: by on   |  This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

In early January, I shared about my Goals for 2012 and promised an update at the end of each month. So here’s February’s update:

Personal
Read through the Bible in a year. {I’ve been keeping up with this faithfully}
Read through the 24 books on my 2012 booklist. {I’ve almost finished my February books plus read quite a few other books!}
Listen to 12 audiobooks. {Finished February’s audiobook.}
Run in at least one 5K race. {Almost finished with week 6 of the Couch to 5K program.}
Complete the Couch to 10K program.
Tackle 12 Do-It-Yourself Projects. {I’m making homemade Naan this week–hopefully!}
Focus on one habit per month. {I made early bedtimes a big priority in February and got so much more sleep this month. Still working on consistently getting up at the same time each day.}
Learn to use my new DSLR camera (huge surprise Christmas present from Jesse!!) & improve my photography skills.
Take at least one photo a day and put together a page every week for my Project Life album. {I almost have all of February done.}
Memorize Colossians using the plan and free download here. {I’m almost caught up with this.}

Marriage
Go on the Love Like You Mean It Cruise. {Done–read my recap here.}
Go on two Marriage Retreats (overnight trips sans children for planning, talking, goal accountability).
Have monthly date nights. {We had one date in February plus the cruise.}
Read four books together. {We’ve read a few more pages of one book together so I guess that counts for something!}
Read at least 3 books on marriage. {Almost finished with Rekindling the Romance–loving it!}

Children/Homeschooling
Continue regular dates/outings with each of the children individually. {I didn’t do so great at this with the cruise and us being sick this month. I’ll try again in March!}
Continue Grace and Truth memory book. {The children memorized four more verses plus two verses to a hymn this month.}
Ice-skating lessons for all three children. {The children just finished their first round of classes and we decided to go on to the next round because they all enjoyed them so much!}
Swimming lessons for all three children.
Finish second grade, begin third grade with Kathrynne. {Plugging away at this!}
Finish kindergarten, begin first grade with Kaitlynn. {Plugging away at this}
Start preschool with Silas.
Go on at least one field trip every month. {We didn’t get to go on a field trip because of the cruise and sickness.}
Go on at least one family vacation.
Finish at least 15 read-aloud books. {We’ve almost finished five read-alouds so far this year.}

Ministry/Friendships/Extended Family
Write at least two handwritten notes every month to encourage someone. {I wrote & mailed three handwritten notes this month.}
Continue being involved in our local church, homeschool group, young couple’s group, and blogging accountability group. {Ongoing}
Continue with weekly get-togethers with both sides of our extended family. {Ongoing}

Business/Blogging
Continue to take Sundays off from blogging/business work. {Ongoing}
Continue keeping strict Office Hours for the business/blogging time each day. {Working on this–making a tiny bit of progress!}
Switch to a paperless planning system. {This is going well for me, though I’ve decided I’m probably never going to be 100% paperless for all things.}
Follow my weekly blogging plan. {I didn’t do this perfectly in February, but I adhered to it somewhat.}
Plan blog posts out at least a month in advance. {Not quite there, but I’m at least being much more intentional with my blogging this year than I’ve ever been before!}
Write and schedule blog posts at least a week in advance. {Making some headway with this, though I’m far from where I want to be!}

Financial
Continue to tithe 10% of our income. {Ongoing}
Give generously to needs in our community and around the world, as God prompts us. {Ongoing}
Pay cash for a new-to-us vehicle to replace our family’s van. {We were able to finish funding our vehicle fund this month. Now we’re starting to look at vehicles and hoping to find something in the next few months. We’ll see!}
Finish saving for and purchase a rental property with cash. {We were able to set aside some for this in February.}

How Are You Doing on Your Goals for 2012?

If you’ve posted goals for 2012, I’d love for you to post an update on how things are going and share your link in the comments. If you don’t have a blog, feel free to just leave your update as a comment. Let’s encourage one another to live lives of intention and purpose!

Money Saving Mom
Shared Feb 29, 2012 comment

Donate Plasma and Earn Money While Saving Lives

Read More

Donate Plasma and Earn Money While Saving Lives

Published: by on   |  This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Guest post by Mary

One easy way to earn an income is donating plasma. Now, before you all say “EWW!” and stop reading, hear me out…

Yes, I realize that plasma collection centers don’t always have the best reputations. And, for some of them, this reputation is rightfully earned. However, most of them (like the one I work at, for example) certainly do not fall in to this category.

Our donor population, for example, is made up of mostly college students, soldiers, and locals who are simply looking for a way to put extra cash in their pocket while doing something that helps people.

Here are a few things you should know if you are interested in earning a little more money in this way.

It is a perfectly safe process.

Plasma donation is highly regulated by the FDA, as well as several other agencies. (Many of our medical staff employees have told us that we have more regulations than hospitals they have worked at).

When you donate, you only come in contact with sterile supplies. All lancets, sample collecting tools, and supplies for our machines are brand new and thrown away after each use, eliminating any possibility of transmission of a disease.

Now, that being said, there are some people who aren’t not suitable for donating due to health reasons. This is why every donor goes through a screening and physical process consisting of medical history, examination, and testing of a sample of blood.

And, for this reason, it is crucial that you are fully honest with the employees so they can be sure you are a suitable candidate. Also, each center is overseen by a licensed physician and there is always a nurse on site.

You are saving lives.

I mean this quite literally. Plasma is filled with proteins and clotting factors. These can be used to help people with primary immune deficiencies, certain protein deficiencies, clotting disorders, burn victims, babies born with hemolytic disease of the newborn, shock victims, and the list goes on and on.

For most of these conditions, there is absolutely no synthetic substitute for plasma, which is why it is in such demand — these people would either die or have a significantly reduced quality of life without these donations.

The money you earn is worth it.

You go through a screening process and then sit in a bed while you read, watch a movie, or surf the Internet for about an hour and get paid for it. The amount you earn per donation varies by location, company, and the weight of the donor, but our center pays anywhere from $20-$50 per donation, and you can do this twice a week! That is quite a chunk of change in your pocket!

Yes, I know this incoming earning ideas isn’t for everyone; but I really encourage you think beyond rumors you have heard about the process and check it out for yourself, for your own good and for the sake of the people you could be helping.

If you are interested, find a plasma center in your area and check it out.

Because plasma centers are run by separate companies, there is no one good way to find a center in your area. But, if you just run a google search “plasma center in (your town)” you should be able to find one easily if there is one around you.

photo credit

Money Saving Mom
Shared Feb 29, 2012 comment

Ask the Readers: Inexpensive advertising ideas for a home business?

Read More

Ask the Readers: Inexpensive advertising ideas for a home business?

Published: by on   |  This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Today’s question is from Danielle:

I have recently started a cupcakery and bakery from my home. I am trying to grow my business, but am out of ideas for advertising without having to spend a lot of money. I have started a Facebook page, and that has helped, but would like other suggestions. Please help! -Danielle

Do you have a question you’d like to ask Money Saving Mom® readers? Read the submission guidelines and submit it here.

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

Click here to sign up!
Money Saving Mom
Shared Feb 28, 2012 comment

How to Develop a Routine That Works–and Stick With It (Part 3)

Read More

How to Develop a Routine That Works–and Stick With It (Part 3)

Published: by on   |  This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Before I get into this post, I wanted to remind you that I share this to help those of you who are struggling with organization in your life. If however, life is going smoothly for you or you just don’t need something else added to your life right now, just skip over this post, okay? The last thing I want to do is heap guilt or more things to do onto your plate!

Once you’ve determined your big rocks and mapped out the basic framework for your day, it’s time to plan the Time Blocks in your routine. Here’s how I recommend doing that:

1. Start With a Time Budget

Take your list of priorities and follow the instructions in this post to come up with a time budget for the 24 hours in your day. (See my time budget from 2010 here for an example of how this will look.)

2. Arrange the Order For Your Day

Once you have your time budget created, take those blocks of time and put them in a set order for the day. Do not stress over doing this perfectly, just think of how to order the time blocks so things would flow fairly smoothly in your home.

For instance, here’s what my current routine looks like:

My Current Routine

Up, Bible, coffee
Run
Shower, dress
Clean up bathroom/bedroom, start laundry
Blog
Children up, baths, hair fixed
Breakfast, Bible Time, clean up kitchen
Chores, switch laundry, dinner out from freezer
Homeschooling
Reading together
Lunch, read alouds
Afternoon Routine
Homeschooling
Blogging
Free hour
Dinner, Bible Time
Evening Routine
Time with Jesse, read

3. Make Sure to Include Margin Time

If you’ll notice, I have an hour of free time built into my routine. This gives some “padding” in the routine to allow for the inevitable interruptions and things that come up throughout the day. Plus, it also provides a time block for extra projects.

4. Keep It Simple

Don’t make the mistake of trying to pack your day so full that you end up overwhelmed and burnt out. It’s better to do fewer things and actually finish them, than to attempt a massively-long list and end up frustrated. Stick with the basics and don’t forget to focus on the big rocks first.

5. Don’t Worry About Following it Perfectly

We never follow our routine exactly. I view it as a guideline, not a strict slave master. It’s there to keep us moving in the right direction, but it can be shifted and rearranged somewhat depending upon how the day is going.

Now, if you start shifting things too much, you’ll defeat the purpose of having a routine, but do give yourself some grace and don’t feel like you need to follow it to a tee or you’ve failed. Good enough is always better than doing nothing at all.

6. Keep Tweaking It

A good routine is like a good budget: you keep tweaking it as your needs and life changes. If something isn’t working, change it!

Practical Application

1. Sit down and create a time budget.

2. Take your time budget and your big rocks list and develop a simple routine for your day. Type it up so you can easily tweak it, as need be.

If you create a routine or already have one, I’d love to have you share yours in the comments section.

Tomorrow we’ll talk about how to stick with your routine, now that you’ve created it! 🙂

photo credit

Shared Feb 28, 2012 comment

Q&A Tuesday: What do I do with all the outgrown baby and kid stuff?

Read More

Q&A Tuesday: What do I do with all the outgrown baby and kid stuff?

Published: by on   |  This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

I’m trying to declutter my home. I have two children, a daughter (5) and a son (1 1/2). My husband and I aren’t sure if we are done having children.

So what to do with all the outgrown baby and kid stuff? I gave away all of my daughter’s girly stuff to friends of ours who had a baby girl. But there’s the crib that my son will soon outgrow, the stroller, baby car seat, bouncers, Bumbo, baby toys, baby clothes (I kept the neutral ones), cloth diapers, and my maternity clothes.

Currently it all sits in my basement in plastic storage bins. But it piles up! I’ve really gotten rid of a lot, donating to a maternity resource center and passing things along. But what I have left still takes up a lot of space.

If you’re not sure whether your family is complete, how do you handle all the outgrown baby, kid, and maternity stuff?

-Jessica

Great question, Jessica! And I think the answer will look different for different people. But here are some of my thoughts:

1. Get Rid of Everything You Don’t Love

If you didn’t use it repeatedly with your last child, there’s a very good chance you won’t be using it much with your next. Instead of letting it hog up storage space, pass it on, sell it, or donate it.

2. Get Rid of Everything That Isn’t In Good Shape

Don’t hang onto clothes or baby items that are worn out, stained, or ripped. Ditch items that are broken or have missing parts–unless you’re absolutely sure you will fix or replace the parts should you need them again. If you’re not 100% sure you’ll go to the effort to fix or repair an item, don’t hang onto it.

Better yet, if you want to hang onto something and it needs repair, go ahead and just fix it before putting it in storage. If you’re not willing to go to effort to fix it now, there’s a good chance you won’t be motivated to fix it when you need it, either.

3. Consider Whether It’s a Necessity

If you don’t have a lot of storage space, only keep the basic necessities. In my Having a Baby Without Breaking the Bank series, I wrote:

First off, we must start by asking ourselves, “What does it really take to raise a baby?” I believe our society has become so materialistic and consumer driven that we hardly know how to even think in basic terms.

Aside from lots of love and nurturing, here are the essentials I believe you truly need:

–Clothes (For starting out, I think you can get by just fine with around six onesies, six sleepers, a few pair of socks, a few hats, and 4-6 blankets.)

–Bed (unless you’re planning to co-sleep)

–Car seat

–Stroller

–Diapers/wipes (either cloth or disposable)

(And if you are unable to nurse–as I know happens on occasion, or if you are adopting, you would also need to add formula to this list.)

And that’s about it, folks. Seriously. There are other things that are nice to have, such as a swing, a sling (or ERGO), a few nicer outfits for baby to wear out of the house, a diaper bag, and so forth. But none of those things are absolute necessities.

4. Calculate How Much It Would Cost to Replace

If you love it and used it repeatedly with your last baby, ask yourself how much it’s worth. If you could easily and inexpensively replace or borrow something, it might not be worth hanging onto it for months or years–especially if you’re not sure you’re going to use it again.

5. Assess Your Storage Space

If you’re really short on storage space, pare down to the basic minimums. It’s just not worth it to keep items you aren’t using if you don’t have anywhere to store them.

6. Create a “Lending Library”

If you’re not using an item, you might as well loan it out to someone who could be using it. That way, you’re not having to store it, it’s not sitting somewhere unused, and it’s saving someone else from having to buy it!

Do you hang onto all your outgrown baby items and maternity clothes?

Money Saving Mom
Shared Feb 28, 2012 comment

Do-It-Yourself: Whole Wheat Hamburger Buns

Read More

Do-It-Yourself: Whole Wheat Hamburger Buns

Published: by on   |  This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Life Blessons shows you how to make homemade whole wheat hamburger buns.

Do you have a fun and frugal DIY idea to share? I’d love to hear about it! Read the submission guidelines and submit it here.

Money Saving Mom
Shared Feb 27, 2012 comment

This Week’s Gluten-Free Menu (and anyone have great gluten-free lunch ideas?)

Read More

This Week’s Gluten-Free Menu (and anyone have great gluten-free lunch ideas?)

Published: by on   |  This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

I didn’t completely follow the menu plan last week since we were sick. I just didn’t feel like cooking at all, so we made it through Thursday and then I gave in and Jesse brought home takeout on Thursday and Friday evenings. Sometimes you just gotta do what you gotta do and not feel guilty. 🙂

At any rate, I didn’t do my freezer cooking plan, so I moved some of that to this week.

Does anyone have great gluten-free, dairy-free lunch ideas? I feel like I’m running out of inspiration–we’ve been doing a lot of eggs, veggies, and fruit recently and I feel kind of stuck in a rut.

Breakfasts

Cereal, orange juice
Chocolate Peanut Butter Smoothie (we’ll sub the chocolate milk for homemade chocolate almond milk)
Fresh orange juice, cereal
Coconut Flour Waffles, scrambled eggs, fruit
Oatmeal with brown sugar and raisins
Cereal
Flourless Oatmeal Raisin Cookies, fruit

Lunches

Scrambled eggs, carrot sticks, salad (for me), gluten-free cookies
Hard boiled eggs, sweet potato chips, applesauce
PB&J on rice cakes, carrot sticks, apple slices
Egg & Potato Hash, veggies
PB&J Milkshakes, carrot sticks
Leftovers x 2

Snacks

Fruit/veggies
Flourless Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
German Fudge Bites

Dinners

Meatloaf, potatoes, steamed broccoli, gluten-free bread
Crockpot Chicken Fajitas, fruit
Goulash, tossed salad
Crockpot Chicken Tacos (we’re going to serve the chicken over corn chips with taco fixings)
Dinner out
Dinner with extended family x 2

Freezer Cooking

Flourless Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
German Fudge Bites

What’s on your menu this week? Share details and/or your link to your menu plan in the comments.

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

Click here to download!
Money Saving Mom
Shared Feb 27, 2012 comment

10 Weekly Goals

Read More

10 Weekly Goals

Published: by on   |  This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Last week all of us were sick at one time or another (or all week long!), so I had to set aside some of my goals for the week and just focus on taking care of the sick ones and getting well myself. I’m grateful that we are finally on the road to recovery and am hoping to get back to more normal life this week!

Last week’s goals:

Family/Mothering Goals

1. Finish reading In Grandma’s Attic and read at least 3 chapters of Corrie Ten Boom aloud to the children.

2. Begin our Countdown to Easter study as a family.

3. Write a love note to Jesse.

Personal Goals

4. Finish reading 7: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess and Rekindling the Romance: Loving the Love of Your Life.

5. Complete week 6 of the Couch to 5K program.

6. Start listening to The 10 Habits of Happy Mothers.

Home Management

7. Finish going through house from top to bottom and clear out clutter.

8. Finish Andalutheean Knitted Dishcloth.

9. Make Homemade Naan.

Business Goals

10. Finish writing article for MomLifeToday.com and RooMag.com.

This week’s goals:

Family/Mothering Goals

1. Finish reading The Boxcar Children and read at least 3 chapters of Corrie Ten Boom aloud to the children.

2. Continue our Countdown to Easter study as a family.

3. Write a love note to Jesse.

Personal Goals

4. Finish reading Rekindling the Romance: Loving the Love of Your Life and Leadership As An Identity.

5. Complete week 6 of the Couch to 5K program.

6. Listen to at least one hour of The 10 Habits of Happy Mothers.

Home Management

7. Implement our tweaked morning, afternoon, and evening routines.

8. Finish Andalutheean Knitted Dishcloth.

9. Make Homemade Naan.

Business Goals

10. Outline my talk for the MomLife Bootcamp in March.

photo credit

How did you do on last week’s goals? What are your goals for this week? I’d love to have you share your progress on last week’s goals and your goals for this coming week in the comments. Of, if you’ve blogged about it, leave your direct link below. Let’s cheer each other on to live purposeful and productive lives!

You can download a free customizable weekly goal-planning sheet here.

Money Saving Mom
Shared Feb 27, 2012 comment

How To Be Content With Less

Read More

How To Be Content With Less

Published: by on   |  This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

The following is a guest post from Tessa of The Recreational Word Slinger

Before I got married, I used to buy anything and everything I wanted when I went shopping. I was working part-time, going to school, and indulging my every want. You can imagine the shock that I experienced when I was married and had to stop buying things for myself!

I struggled with “little” purchases when I would visit Target or Kohl’s every now and then. I told myself that this $10 top or book would not affect our budget much, so I would stick it in my cart and go on my merry way. As you know, that type of thinking is dangerous. Those small, insignificant purchases tend to add up over time to one significant deficit in the budget.

After the concept of spending cash only was introduced in our marriage, I realized that I was much more satisfied with having less than I originally thought was possible.

Here are 3 ideas that can help you be content with less:

1. Expect less.

Stop expecting to buy something every time you run an errand. I was so guilty of this before we switched to using cash. I would think that I deserved a little treat for having to get out and grocery shop or run errands. Direct your thinking towards expecting less.

2. Ignore the urge for more, more, more.

This is easier said than done in today’s society. We are constantly bombarded with different advertisements telling us that we need more. We have to retrain how we listen to or pay attention to such ads. When you become immune to advertising, you might find that your desire for more decreases.

3. Look at what you do have.

This idea is by far the one that has helped me get over my obsession with stuff. One way to do this is by verbally thanking our Creator for what He has given us. When I am more mindful of the blessings that I have been given, then I find that I am less mindful of my humanistic desire for more.

What tips do you have for learning to be content with less?

Tessa Hardiman is a wife, daughter, cat lover, bibliophile, novice runner, substitute teacher, and the Recreational Word Slinger. She blogs daily at The Recreational Word Slinger.

photo credit

Money Saving Mom
Shared Feb 25, 2012 comment

15 Ways to Repurpose Items You Already Have for Organizing

Read More

15 Ways to Repurpose Items You Already Have for Organizing

Published: by on   |  This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Guest post from Heidi of OperationOrganization-MN.com

Do you want to have a more organized home or workspace but feel limited in your pursuits due to lack of funds to purchase supplies? Below, you will find a list of some of my favorite organizing solutions using common household items as well as some innovative ideas using re-purposed containers you are probably bringing into your home on a regular basis.

Having trouble keeping all those little things together? Muffin pans, egg cartons, or ice cube trays are a perfect solution to utilize in a drawer to help corral even the tiniest necessities.

Joyful Homemaking demonstrates using a muffin tin to organize office supplies.

The Krazy Coupon Lady shows you how to use an egg carton to organize office supplies.

Kiss and Tell Scrapbooking suggests using a muffin tin to organize scrapbook supplies.

I posted about using an ice cube tray to organize earrings.

Family Fun suggests pairing these simple plastic cups (that stay in place with the help of adhesive magnets) with a muffin tin for a creative craft caddy.

Create a craft caddy out of tin cans like this one by Martha Stewart.

It’s easy to decorate cans with paint or scrapbook paper to match any office or studio décor like these featured at Stylelist Home.

Jars are ideal for holding all sorts crafting supplies as shown in this photo by Andrew McCaul on Good Housekeeping.

The Home in Paradise shows how to pretty up a pantry by using sauce jars of the same size and shape to hold dry goods.

Create a streamlined spice collection using baby food jars like Frugal Decor Mom.

Begin thinking ‘outside the box’ for possible uses of other containers, once purchased products are used up.

A cardboard soda holder is a perfect caddy for sunscreens, lotions, sprays or larger medication bottles.

Visit Heart of Wisdom for ideas on how to use coffee canisters to hold toys with pesky small pieces.

How about using a diaper wipe case to hold card games like Jazzie and Tahlia?

I’ve been using one to hold our supply of crayons for years!

Finally, if you feel a little crafty like Autumn at Space for Living, create a handy desktop organizer out of cardboard food boxes! 

How do you use items you already own to organize your home?

Heidi is a Professional Organizer & Family Manager Coach. She is passionate about helping others bring more order and peace to their home, office and life. Learn more by visiting her website, OperationOrganization-MN.com.

Money Saving Mom
Shared Feb 24, 2012 comment

How to Develop a Routine That Works–and Stick With It! (Part 2)

Read More

How to Develop a Routine That Works–and Stick With It! (Part 2)

Published: by on   |  This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

If you missed it, be sure to read part 1 of this series here.

2. Get the Framework in Place

Once you know what your big rocks are, it’s time to develop a basic framework for your day. This is not a detailed play-by-play of exactly how your day should look like, this is just how to big rocks fit together.

A) Map Out Your Wake Up Time, Bed Time, and Meal Times.

The first step to getting a good routine in place is to determine your wake-up time, bed time, and meal times. These are not set-in-stone times, but if you have a general guideline to follow, it helps bring order and structure to your days.

Try (as much as is possible) to stay within at least an hour or so of the time you have planned for your wake-up, bed time, and meal times. If your house is anything like ours, stuff comes up and sometimes your plan goes out the window. When that happens, be flexible, roll with the punches, and then get back up on the wagon as soon as you’re able!

If you have no order or structure at all in your life right now, just getting up and going to bed at the same hour every day and eating your meals at the same hours throughout the day will give you a tremendous new sense of order and flow in your days. Plus, it will probably guarantee that you get more sleep and skip fewer meals–something that will definitely affect your overall health in a good way!

I suggest picking realistic times–especially for getting started. If you’re not a morning person, don’t plan to get up at 5 a.m. every morning unless you want to set yourself up for failure.

B) Create Morning, Afternoon, and Evening Routines.

I first learned of the concept of morning, afternoon, and evening routines from FlyLady. And I’m amazed at what a difference this simple change in one’s life can make.

If you’re unfamiliar with morning, afternoon, and evening routines, it’s basically just coming up with 3-5 simple things that you do in the same order when you first get up, after lunch, and right before bed. Simple is key here.

Sample Morning Routine

1) Wake up, make coffee, read Bible/pray.

2) Exercise

3) Shower, get dressed, straighten bathroom and bedroom.

4) Start a load of laundry.

5) Check email.

Sample Afternoon Routine

1) Clean up kitchen.

2) Switch laundry to the dryer.

3) Fold one load of laundry.

Sample Evening Routine

1) Clean up kitchen.

2) Do a quick 10-minute house pick up.

3) Lay out clothes for next day.

4) PJs on and face washed.

If you’re brand-new to the concept of routines, start with a morning routine only and make it a priority for three weeks before adding anything else to your routine. Once you feel comfortable with a morning routine, then add in an afternoon routine and then an evening routine.

Take it slowly and don’t rush developing these habits. Even if it seems like you’re not making much progress, it’s better to inch forward in the right direction than to try to add all these new things in at once and burn out.

Practical Application

Take 30 minutes this weekend to write down your proposed wake-up time, bed time, and meal times. Also, write down a simple morning routine, afternoon routine, and evening routine.

Put this paper in a very conspicuous location and review it often. You can even set up reminder alarms on your phone, if you find that sort of thing helps you!

I’d love to have you share your proposed morning, afternoon, and evening routines in the comments, if you’re willing.

Begin following your wake up time, bed time, and meal times starting immediately. Add in the morning routine, as well, if you feel up for it.

Now you have a very basic structure for your day in place. On Monday, we’ll talk about filling in the rest of the day, making sure that you get your big rocks in first.

photo credit

Make-Over-Your-Evenings_300x250

Want some practical help with setting up your day for success? It all starts the night before! Be sure to grab a copy of my brand-new online course, Make Over Your Evenings.

This 14-day online course includes videos, a workbook, and step-by-step projects and is designed to help you maximize your evenings in order to experience more success in your life, more order in your home, and more joy in your soul.

It’s time to stop sleep-walking through life and wake up to the amazing excitement and fulfillment that comes when you follow my simple plan to Make Over Your Evenings.

Find out more about it here.

Money Saving Mom
Shared Feb 24, 2012 comment

Clear Out the Clutter: The Junk Drawer

Read More

Clear Out the Clutter: The Junk Drawer

Published: by on   |  This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

I used to pride myself on the fact that we didn’t have a junk drawer.

Then, I had my third child. And pretty much everything I prided myself on went out the window. 🙂

I know some of you have told me that having your third child was a breeze. For me, the actual labor and delivery was a walk in the park (1.5 hours of labor, no complications, and feeling back to my normal self within 24 hours!). But after the “babymoon” phase wore off, three children has been a whole lotta work.

Don’t get me wrong, I love my three precious children like crazy, but I no longer have this put-together, pristine life. And it’s been a good thing for me.

I’ve learned to relax more, roll with the punches, and embrace this sometimes messy and chaotic life I’m living. We’ve got a lot of love, creativity, and laughter going on around here, and I’ll take that over perfection any day!

But, I’ll admit it, the overflowing junk drawer was getting to me. So I set out to tackle it today.

And guess what? After only ten minutes’ worth of work, it was transformed.

It’ll probably be this messy again in a few months (or even weeks or days!), but knowing that it can be overhauled in such a short time period makes it not seem like such a big deal.

It’s amazing what can be accomplished in just a short amount of time when you set the timer and attack the clutter with gusto!

Did you do any clutter clearing this week? If you posted about it, link directly to your blog post below. We’d especially love to see before and after pictures, if you’re brave.