Some of my best childhood memories are of our family traditions, especially the ones we made up on our own. I always knew that when I had my own family, traditions would be a big part of our life. Not only do traditions provide a sense of family unity, but they’re usually … Read more
As the old saying goes, “it is better to give than to receive.” As it turns out, there’s a reason that is an old saying; today, gift giving is stressful. It’s almost impossible to buy a gift without a million questions running through your head: “will she like it?”, “does he already … Read more
Ahhh the holidays. When did the most wonderful time of the year turn into the most stressful time of the year? I try to plan ahead as much as possible and do holiday tasks around the year so that I can actually enjoy the special time. Here are some ways to make … Read more
I’m going to try something new this year for my New Year’s Resolution. I can’t decide between eating healthier, saving money, giving back, and everything else that I should do all year long, so each month I’m going to devote myself to a different resolution. At the end of each month I’m … Read more
As you all know, or at least as you’ve been able to gather by looking through our blog, we are big on planning. There are times when planning is less important, and times when it’s the only most important thing. Trust me on this one: having house guests is one of those … Read more
Creating a Finance System for Your Home The key to staying in control of your finances in your home is a plan. The plan doesn’t have to be elaborate or time-consuming – in fact, the simpler, the better. The first thing to do is determine how much discretionary funding you have each … Read more
The Family Foundation is the first tab in our Family Notebook. It serves as the foundation for how you want your family and household to function. We have there sections within this tab: the Mission Statement, Family Rules, and Reward Charts. How Do Solid Foundations Form in Families? Because every family is … Read more
In your children’s eyes, you can do no wrong. Make the most of this stage by spending quality time with your little ones. Try one each day for a month to show those kiddos how special they really are. Makeup a handshake The sillier, the better! Feel free to include shimmies, jumping, … Read more
Organized packing for vacations As a minimalist, I hate “stuff.” By “stuff” I mean items that are unneeded, unloved, cause stress, take up space, and require maintenance. Also, I don’t know about you, but I want to spend my vacation time on the beach, not digging through my suitcase. Using minimalist thinking, I believe … Read more
Well, those drifter’s days are past me now, I’ve got so much more to think about: Deadlines and commitments, What to leave in, what to leave out. -Bob Seger That lyric is for my mom, but it perfectly sums up time management as a new mother. That’s probably not the situation for … Read more
There are a handful of must haves in an organized house: the family notebook, family file, family calendar, and house message board. Everyone in the house should know where these are and how they work. In this post Ill talk about the Family Notebook because its the first organization tool I used … Read more
One of the best ways to save time in your day is to simplify your cooking and meal routine. В Here are the best time-saving cooking tricks to make your life easier. Plan Meals Ahead of Time Planning ahead makes cooking much less stressful and chaotic. The trick is to find a meal … Read more