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How to Conquer Your Move While Pregnant

On the day of our big move, the very first thing I did was throw up.

Nine weeks pregnant and overcome with morning sickness, I had the keys to our new place and a lease on the old one that told me it was time to get out. On that day, my husband handed me my Saltines and a barf bag, eased me into the car, drove us to our new home, and deposited me on the floor (since the furniture hadn’t yet arrived) of our new home with my trusty crackers.

Undertaking a move is a chore for anyone, but doing it while you’re pregnant is a special kind of challenge. It’s possible however to survive and even conquer the process by following a few rules . . .

[Read more…]

5 Amazing Kitchen Tools That Make Healthy Eating Easy

Note: This post contains affiliate links. Read my policy here.

Is your greatest obstacle to healthy eating the effort required to do it?

Washing, chopping, cooking fruits and vegetables . . . eating a healthy portion . . . keeping it all fresh — how do you do it?

These handy kitchen tools are just what you need to make storing, preparing, and eating healthy foods even easier: [Read more…]

Sanity-Saving Skills Every Busy Person Needs

This post is part 1 in the series Sanity-Saving Skills Every Busy Person Needs.

Thumb through your dictionary to the word “busy,” and you’ll find a tragic photo of your weary-looking face.

Work, home, family, bills, committees you were suckered into, that broken doohickey you’ve been meaning to fix for a year – there’s no escaping the constant call of responsibilities on your shoulders. It’s time to fight back the mayhem and carve out some downtime for yourself with an arsenal of easy-to-learn skills that you can start using today. [Read more…]

My Obsession with Storage Bins (and Why You’ll Love Them Too)

Photo courtesy of Home Depot

Note: This post contains affiliate links. Read my policy here.

Some women obsess over shoes. I love storage bins.

I don’t know how many we have, but we’ve got those suckers everywhere. They’re in the basement, the garage, the play area, and our closets.

They’re a beautiful thing, but bins can provide only the illusion of organization if you’re not careful. After all, you accomplish nothing if you lob piles of garbage into bins, slap the lids on, and hide them away until you have your own personal landfill. Used as an organizing tool instead of a dumping ground, however, sturdy bins give you clean-looking, element-proof storage of the items that matter to you. [Read more…]

You HAVE to Do It . . . or Do You?

There’s just so much stuff you HAVE to do in life. You have to go to work. You have to make dinner and clean yours house. You absolutely have to do your taxes each year.

But do you really?

Are you a victim of a massive list of must-do items . . . or are you unconsciously choosing to do those things? Your to-do list may actually be a reflection of your priorities and goals. If you look at each item on your list as something moving you one step closer to your goals — financial health, family relationships, a welcoming home, pursuit of your career dreams — you’re no longer a slave to your list.

You’re the master.

But what if your must-do list is out-of-whack with your goals? Then it’s time to consider some alternatives! Realign your life with your priorities. What’s right for someone else may be totally wrong for you. Reserve judgment, and ask yourself whether these common have-to tasks are activities you want to do or activities you’re prepared to change. [Read more…]

Reviewing an Organizing Bestseller: The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up (Part 2)

This post is part 2 in the series The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up.

Note: This post contains affiliate links. Read my policy here.

Just recently, I shared some of the highlights of Marie Kondo’s acclaimed organizing book, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing. Today, let’s look into some of the wacky ideas and organization no-no’s that Marie is pitching as the way to go. [Read more…]

Reviewing an Organizing Bestseller: The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up (Part 1)

This post is part 1 in the series The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up.

Note: This post contains affiliate links. Read my policy here.

Last year I first started hearing about The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing by Marie Kondo. In addition to authoring this book, Marie runs a consulting business in which she teaches clients how to tidy. She’s even rearranged components of her name to give a name to the method she uses and describes in this book — the KonMari Method.

At long last, my local library recently secured a copy of this hot book off The New York Times Best Seller list. I found this little hardcover parked on a quiet shelf and got reading.

Here, for your benefit, are some of the highlights of Marie’s great ideas on decluttering and organizing. [Read more…]

In the Zone: The Secret to an Organized Home

Are you struggling to find the magic ingredient to create an organized and functional home?

Do you refrain from doing enjoyable activities because it takes too much effort to gather the supplies you need to do them?

Are you stuck putting things away because your family members don’t understand your system (or lack thereof)?

Enter “zones.”

Organizing your home into activity zones is one of the single most transformative things you can do to end the chaos. All that’s required is that you follow a fool-proof, two-step process: [Read more…]

Get Rid of the Junk

Need motivation to lose the clutter and advice on how to make it happen?

Crystal Paine on Money Saving Mom recently posted an insightful and practical article called “Get rid of the junk so you can experience more joy!” She shares a wealth of information on . . .

Why her family lives a “semi-minimalist lifestyle.”
The 5 questions she asks herself when deciding whether to keep something.
Why she’s freeing herself from piles of books.
Her 6 tips for cutting down on clutter.
How her family consciously chooses a rich life over a house full of possessions.
What you can do today to start shedding your clutter.
Resources for more great advice.

Head over to Money Saving Mom to read Crystal’s post!

A Buffet of Organization Tips

Are you sick of the clutter and desperate to get organized? Instead of sifting through bits of advice here and there, drink directly from the fire hose by getting a ton of tips all in one place. Here we go! [Read more…]