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Adulting Decor For the Home Gifts

11 of The Best Amazon Finds For the Home Décor Lover

home decor, gift ideas for a home decor lover

I love home décor and I love adding pieces to my collection whenever possible. While I like seasonal or holiday items, it’s also important to have beautiful pieces throughout my home during the rest of the year, too. These pieces can also be used WITH your seasonal pieces, making them year-round options.

home decor, gift ideas for a home decor lover

Cute Home Décor Pieces

1. Small White Vase Set (Ceramic)

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This set of 3 vases is versatile and could really be used in any room of a home or office. It’s a nice addition to other décor items and adds height difference.

2. Golden Black LED Marquee Letter

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This light-up letter would be cute in any room, but I envision it in a bedroom for some reason. It could be hung on the wall or sat on a shelf, and it would be cute either way.

3. Hanging Planter Vase & Geometric Wall Décor

home decor, Umbra Trigg Hanging Planter Vase & Geometric Wall Decor, gift ideas for a home decor lover

Succulents are super popular amongst home décor lovers and wall-hanging planters are even better. This set of 2 doesn’t actually come with the succulents, so if you aren’t a plant lover, you could put something else inside. If you do love succulents, you can grab some of those to put in this planter right over here —-> succulents link.

4. Canvas Prints – green plants

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These cute succulent canvas prints are perfect for any room of the house and can match many different décor styles. It comes as a set of 3 and could be used separately or together.

5. Decorative Natural Wood Floating Wall Shelves

home decor, Decorative Natural Wood Floating Wall Shelves, gift ideas for a home decor lover

Every décor lover needs decorative shelving to put their other décor on, right? This 3-tiered shelf is perfect because it’s versatile, can be used in any room, and has enough space to hold multiple items on each shelf.

6. Rustic Antique Wooden Window Pane

home decor, Rustic Antique Wooden Window Pane, gift ideas for a home decor lover

I’ve been wanting this wooden window pane to put on my fireplace mantle for soooo long. I love the way they look and how much you can do with it, and it can be worked into any seasonal display you may have, too. My birthday is coming up so I’m hoping to get something like it. (Hint, hint, Christopher).

home decor, gift ideas for a home decor lover

7. Bathroom Décor Box, Double Sided

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How fun are these décor boxes for the bathroom?! I’ve been wanting one that says ‘nice butt’ for a while and when I found this double sided one I fell in love. I love changing up my décor every once in a while and what better way than by just turning something around?

8. Rustic Wood Home Sign

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Letters and words are so much fun, and they add a nice change to your other décor. These wooden ‘HOME’ letters can be hung on the wall or put on a shelf, and there are different color options available, too.

9. Flannel Blanket with Pompom Fringe

home decor, Flannel Blanket with Pompom Fringe, gift ideas for a home decor lover

Throw blankets are always a safe gift for a home décor lover. I love the color of this one and how it could go with so many different color schemes, and the pom-poms are the cute little embellishment this blanket needed to be perfect.

10. Artificial Eucalyptus Wreath

home decor, Artificial Eucalyptus Wreath, gift ideas for a home decor lover

Not everyone knows this, but you can do SO much with a wreath. From hanging it alone on a door or window to adding it to a empty decorative window frame (remember #6 on this list?!), this realistic looking wreath would be perfect for a home décor lover to add to their collection.

11. Antique Pewter Basket with Copper Handles

home decor, Antique Pewter Basket with Copper Handles, gift ideas for a home decor lover

I have this exact basket, and I literally want 6 more of them. It’s heavy duty, super cute, and can hold anything from toys to throw blankets. There are different sizes and shapes available, too.

home decor, gift ideas for a home decor lover

This post contains affiliate links. It costs you nothing extra, but I may receive a small commission.

Final Thoughts on The Best Amazon Finds For the Home Décor Lover

I love home décor and I’m always asking for it for holidays. The only problem with that is that my husband and kids never know what to actually buy me! If you find yourself in that same situation, this guide should give you some options or at least point you in the right direction.

Do you like home décor? If so, what style do you like best and what are your favorite pieces? Tell me about it in the comments!

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Adulting For the Home Home

5 Home Maintenance Services Every Homeowner Needs to Schedule

home maintenance services

Being a homeowner is so exciting. The sense of freedom that comes with owning your own home is pretty amazing, and you may feel like nothing could go wrong. Lots of things can go wrong in your home, however, unless you schedule home maintenance services.

The worst part of being a homeowner? The moment you realize that there’s more to it than you expected.

Home maintenance services protect your home from unwanted and expensive repairs, and they can just improve the look of your home. These services also improve the way certain parts of your home function. While some of the maintenance can be done by you (or your spouse), others will require a professional.

home maintenance services

Home Maintenance Services To Schedule Now

1. HVAC Maintenance

  • Air Conditioner Maintenance

Each spring you should have an HVAC technician come to your home and inspect your air conditioner before using it for the year. They’ll likely clean it (if necessary), and they’ll make sure it’s all running efficiently.

Even if repairs aren’t necessary, an HVAC professional will do the routine maintenance that ensures your unit doesn’t require costly repairs in the near future. This maintenance can also keep your utility bill a little lower, since your unit will be running efficiently.

  • Furnace Maintenance

Likewise, in the fall, you should have an HVAC technician inspect your furnace before the first use. They’ll do the routine maintenance that has all the same perks as for the air conditioning maintenance, but it’ll also help prevent a house fire caused by a glitch in your furnace.

2. Hot Water Heater Maintenance

An HVAC company may be able to do your hot water heater maintenance, as well. Two birds, one stone if you hire a company that can do both your A/C and your hot water heater.

Hot water heater maintenance will ensure that your water won’t unexpectedly run cold at an inconvenient time.

3. Gutters Cleaned

Having your gutters cleaned isn’t just for appearance. There are quite a few reasons to make sure they are regularly cleaned out.

First, it helps get water away from your home so that it doesn’t all settle around your foundation. Next, it prevents trees and weeds from growing out of your gutters, which also protects your home. Another reason is to reduce the number of mosquitoes and other insects that breed in your space.

home maintenance services

4. Power Washing

Your home can become stained and built up with grime and pollutants. Each spring, you should power wash your home to remove all of this. It can prevent your home from becoming permanently stained, reduce the number of allergens found around your home, and it will make your home look better.

This one can be done on your own but, if you don’t like doing this kind of stuff, you can always hire someone to do it.

5. Lawn Maintenance

BOOOOO lawn maintenance. Does anyone else hate mowing the lawn as much as I do? OK, I’ll be honest, I have NEVER mowed my own lawn.

Now, this isn’t out of laziness, I swear. My allergies get SO bad when grass is being cut that I can hardly breathe sometimes. So, when my husband mows the grass, I take a Zyrtec and settle myself inside.

So anyhow, you have to do lawn maintenance for a couple of reasons. Of course, maintaining your lawn just makes your house look pretty on the outside and everyone wants that.

Second, it eliminates pests. Insects and large pests alike love an unkempt yard. You’ll find that your outdoor events are swamped with mosquitoes if you don’t keep up on this maintenance.

This is another maintenance that you can easily do on your own but you can also hire a professional to take care of the job for you. Hiring professional maintenance services for your lawn care can save you time and make sure the job is done well each time.

It’s also worth noting that the property itself isn’t the only thing you can maintain and restore. You can do the same thing with your furniture and other belongings. By using contents restoration services, you can have your furniture looking as good as new. If you’re giving your home some TLC, why not look after the furniture?

Final Thoughts On Home Maintenance Services

A home is one of our biggest investments. It’s also the place where we spend a ton of our time and where we raise our families. You may not think there’s much that needs to be done to keep your home running smoothly and looking good, but there are certain home maintenance services you should schedule ASAP.

Many of these maintenances should only be done by a professional, the others you can likely do yourself, but you could save yourself some time and headache if you just hire a professional for all of it. So, get your home maintenance services scheduled so that you can sit back and relax, knowing your home is taken care of.

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Adulting How To Parenting

6 Step Morning Routine that Will Make You Want to Wake Up Before The Kids

easy morning routine, 6 step morning routine, morning routine, make your day better, morning routine that will make you want to wake up before the kids

Mornings are hectic if you wake up at the same time as your kids. You won’t be able to have even a few minutes of quiet time before the morning craziness begins. Getting kids ready for school, daycare, or wherever you go that day can lead to stress. This is why it is important to follow a morning routine that will make you want to wake up before the kids.

If you take time to yourself in the mornings you can avoid feeling stressed during the day. You can have a cup of coffee and read, write, or check your blog stats before beginning the morning requirements. This will set you up for continued productivity, less stress, and just a better day overall.

With five kids, I need to make sure I’m taking this time in the morning to set myself up for a great day. My morning routine allows me to have some peace before the kids wake up, and I can get myself ready instead of scrambling around at the last minute.

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1. Wake up at the same time every day

There are many reasons why waking up at the same time each day will benefit you throughout the entire day. First, you will have time to get stuff done before your kids wake up (which is the point, right?). You will also have an easier time falling asleep at night and waking up in the morning, you’ll take fewer naps, and you will feel less sleep-deprived.

Some other perks of waking up at the same time include:
⦁ being more alert and focused
⦁ having better short-term memory
⦁ being in a better mood
⦁ feeling less pain
⦁ feeling an increase in your immune system
⦁ performing better at your job
⦁ driving more safely and alertly

2. Make your bed

The best reason to make your bed as soon as you wake up is that it will keep your mattress and sheets clean and only allow the outermost layer to become dirty. The second most important reason is to start your day off on the right foot. By crossing something off your list the minute you wake up, you’ll feel accomplished and motivated from the start.

Making your bed also makes your room seem cleaner and less cluttered, which can reduce your stress levels. This benefit at the beginning of the day can make a huge difference.

3. Drink a big glass of water

Your body will be pretty dehydrated after sleeping for 6-8 hours. Coffee may be your go-to, but it leads to further dehydration. Before you caffeinate in the morning, drink at least one glass of water.

Aside from hydration, drinking water in the morning can help you be more alert and focused. Additionally, drinking water first thing in the morning increases the function of your immune system and helps your metabolism kick in sooner. If you’re not fond of water because of the waste, that could be because of the pollutants in it, which is why having your water come from American Water makes sense – it’s much purer and great for your health. 

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4. Eat a nutritious breakfast

After fasting for an entire night, your body needs nutrients. Without nutrients shortly after waking up, you’ll likely feel groggy all day. Studies have shown that eating a nutritious breakfast in the morning leads to higher cognitive function and energy levels, helps maintain or reach a healthy weight, prevents heart disease and diabetes, and can also help you maintain or reach a healthy blood pressure level.

5. Get yourself ready for the day

It is so much easier to get motivated when you get cleaned up and ready for the day. Don’t sit around in your pajamas or you’ll be more likely to be lazy. When you feel good about yourself, you feel good about what you can do.

6. Plan your day

Get your thoughts organized, and write down when you need to do each thing on your to-do list. Having a plan helps you get focused and makes it easier to get things crossed off the list that day. This clears your mind for a more enjoyable day and ensures you have time for everything.

What to do Next if You Still Have More Time

Then, if you still have time left before your kids wake up, practice self-care. Do something you love or something that will help you relax a bit.

My favorite thing to do in the morning is to read a book. It’s my quiet time, and it gives me a chance to do what I love BEFORE beginning the real-life stuff.

Having quiet time or self-care time in the morning also helps me stay focused at work instead of constantly thinking about what I’d rather be doing at home. If I already did something that I’d “rather” be doing, I don’t think about it so much at work. It’s the perfect way to end my quiet time in the morning.

Unfortunately, I don’t ALWAYS have time for it, but I’m working on giving myself more time in the morning to ensure this self-care time. When I don’t have time, however, I make sure to get some self-care time before bed each night. Bonus if I get the chance to do it at both of those times. 😉

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Final Thoughts on a Morning Routine that Will Make you Want to Wake Up Before The Kids

A well-planned morning routine that makes you want to wake up before your kids is important in ensuring that the rest of your day runs smoothly. Every parent needs a chance to wake up, focus, and gather their thoughts before the craziness of parenting kicks in.

You will find yourself happier and in a better mood, too. So, wake up early, drink some water, and have a cup of coffee while the house is still quiet, plan your day, and do whatever else you need to get done to have a productive day.

What is your favorite part of your personal morning routine? I’d love to hear about it in the comments!

easy morning routine, 6 step morning routine, morning routine, make your day better, morning routine that will make you want to wake up before the kids
Categories
How To On My Mind

9 Ways to See The Good In Each Day

how to see the good in each day

“Every day may not be good… but there’s something good in every day.”

Alice Morse Earle
ways to see the good in each day

This quote from Alice Morse Earle, an American Historian, is one of my all time favorites. It is the best quote for when I am struggling to find the positive aspects of my life. We all (I think) struggle with being a negative Nancy on some of our bad days, but it is so important to remember that there is still good in each day, even on the worst days.

Since we all need some help finding the good in every day, and even the best quotes can’t always pull you out of the funk, I decided to put together a list of ideas to help you (and me) recognize the good in each day. I’m going to print the list and pin it above my desk so it is always in sight, giving me the reminder that even the bad days have good parts.

ways to see the good in each day

How to See the Good In Each Day

1. Start your day with a positive thought.

This can be a favorite quote or your own personal mantra, as long as it’s positive and it reminds you of good things, it’ll do the trick. Whatever you choose, it can help set you off on the right foot each day. It’ll be your beginning of the day reminder to look for all of the good things happening in your life and around you.

2. Change your routine.

If you are struggling to get through a bad day or if your bad days begin early in your day, think about your routine. Sometimes your morning or afternoon routine is causing you to only notice the bad things that happen.

By waking up earlier or having a cup of coffee in a quiet, calm environment, maybe you could think about the good part of your morning routine when something bad happens later.

Think of 2 positive things each day.

For me, it is most beneficial to write these positive things down in my planner each day. That way, when I open my planner in the morning, I see the good things that happened the day before, as well as the rest of the week.

It is awesome to have a quick reminder of all the good parts throughout the week as I remind myself of my current day, and I have the chance to positively reflect on each day while I plan for the next day.

3. Visualize yourself succeeding.

If you are anything like me, you may think of yourself as a failure when you mess up or when you are having a bad day. Try to change your own mindset by envisioning yourself succeeding in the future instead of dwelling on your mistakes. Remember, you WILL be successful if you keep being positive.

4. Go for a walk.

Going for a walk can help you see the goodin your day in more than one way. First, walking outside and seeing the natural beauty of the world can be an amazing way to remember all of the good in your life consistently. The plants growing, the birds chirping, the fresh air… all of that is GOOD.

Walking also gives you a chance to think clearly with little distraction. It is easier to think things through and remember all of the good when you are on a leisurely walk. Trust me, it’ll help.

how to see the good in each day

5. Live in the moment.

Put your phone away. It’s hard to remember the good in your life when you are constantly staring at a screen.

I make excuses as to why I can’t ditch mine… the kids or my parents might call, I might need to take a picture, an emergency could occur, etc. I’ve been working on just leaving my phone out of sight, however, because 15 years ago I didn’t have a cell phone glued to my body and I got by just fine.

I find myself enjoying life more and really noticing how awesome life is when I put my phone away and just live. This is also something I’m trying to teach and model to my kids.

6. Find something to laugh about.

If you notice that you haven’t laughed at all in a day… seek something to laugh about. Watch a comedy on TV, call your bestfriend and ask to hear something funny, or even write your own funny story.

Laughing can make you feel SO much better. Plus, if nothing else happened that was good, at least you laughed.

7. Remind yourself that you are enough.

You really, truly are ENOUGH. Your kids want you more than they want anyone else in this world… your spouse CHOSE you over all the other people in this world, and you are on this earth to leave your mark. You matter and you are definitely enough.

And even if you aren’t married or have no children… you are still enough. You are still on this earth for a reason, even if it is to only lead a happy life and bring happiness to others. No matter what your destiny is, you are enough.

9. Make time for self care.

This is seriously SO important. At the end of a “bad” day, skip the cleaning and other household chores and just take care of your mental health. Find something that you love to do and spend time for yourself. If you need some self-care ideas, check out this blog post.

how to see the good in each day

Final Thoughts On How To See The Good In Each Day

We all have bad days. It’s a basic part of life, although it doesn’t seem so basic when it’s happening. Turning your bad day around and remembering the good in your life is possible, however.

Finding a way to remind yourself that there is good in each day can turn your mindset around completely. Who knows, you might be able to turn your entire day around and end your bad day in a positive mood.

What is your favorite motivational quote? When do you find yourself needing reminders of the good in your life? Share in the comments… I’d love to hear about it!

how to see the good in each day
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Family Activities For the Home Holiday Home How To Organization Our Family Parenting

Achievable Goals For The New Year

Achievable goals for the new year

The New Year is already here, and I just sat down this morning to figure out my New Year’s Resolution. I wanted it to actually be achievable goals for the New Year. It was a tough call because I can honestly say I won’t be going to the gym every day (or even once a week… I have 5 kids LOL), I also won’t ALWAYS eat healthily so I’m not going to restrict myself there, either. Every resolution that I considered just didn’t seem right. 

I instead thought about what areas of my life I wanted to improve in, and things that I wanted to learn about. It seemed that everything I desire fits into two categories:

  • Finances
  • Home improvement
  • Routine
  • Family
achievable goals for the new year

Why This Didn’t Work For Me

Instead of heading into the rest of the year with vague resolutions to improve finances, improve our home, and focus on family, I decided to make a list of how I can accomplish all of those things.

I didn’t go overboard. There are so many more things I could have added to my list, but I wanted to start with an achievable goal. I figure that I will be more likely to follow my goals through when I actually have a goal that seems possible, instead of a vague idea to work toward the goal.

I didn’t want this: Spend more time with family.
Instead, I wanted something specific: Dates with kids weekly.

Then, I even went further into it and wrote:

“Dates with kids weekly. One kid each week, rotating schedule. After 5 weeks of individual kid dates, one big family outing. Then start over.

Not all of my achievable goals for the New Year were that long, either. That was probably the most complicated one. (List of all 10 of my goals for the New Year will be listed at the end of the post).

Later tonight I plan on sitting down and making a concrete schedule of dates with the kids. I may make and print out a calendar of the whole year and write it on there. Then I can put it into a binder so that the kids can always look and see when their next date is.

achievable goals for the new year

Plus, it might be fun to put a memento from the date in the binder afterward. Then, next year on New Year’s Eve we can look back at all of our date memories from the year.

I wanted to figure out a plan to implement each of the things I wanted to achieve. Once I narrowed it all down and wrote out my detailed list, all of the fun ideas came naturally when I began typing up my plans. The “date binder” was one of those that just came as I was planning.

So – back to the achievable goals for the New Year. Instead of just choosing one or two vague ideas of which areas I wanted to improve in, I came up with 10 smaller achievable goals.

10 Achievable Goals For The New Year

achievable goals for the new year
  1. Follow chore/payment chart (blog post about that is coming soon so check back!!)
  2. Start seeing a larger increase in the savings account.
  3. Hire someone to do the yard work. (so serious. we can never keep up and I’m sick of stressing about it.)
  4. FREAKING LAUNDRY. (and yes, this is how I wrote it on my list. I guess this one might be vague but I will be typing a schedule for everyone in the house to follow.)
  5. Dates with kids weekly. One kid each week, rotating schedule. After 5 weeks of individual kid dates, one big family outing. Then start over. (We have 5 kids, hence the 5 weeks. If you have less/more, adjust the number accordingly).
  6. Crunch numbers for vacations for the year before January 14th. Come up with a savings plan and a plan of when to make payments by February 1st.
  7. Post a new blog post 1 time per week.
  8. Make $150 on TextBroker every week.
  9. Lose 40 pounds. 10 pounds every 3 months. First goal: Lose 10 pounds by March 1st.
  10. Buy “clutter baskets” for each person in the home. Put anything they’ve left lying around the house in those baskets and distribute accordingly after school.
achievable goals for the new year

Final Thoughts On Achievable Goals For The New Year

All 10 of these goals are achievable goals for the new year. I won’t have to make a HUGE change in my lifestyle, I’ll just have to plan a little better and look for ways to cut costs while also making more money. Plus, I just need a plan to contain all the freaking clutter that my family accumulates each day.

I never follow through with my New Years Resolutions because I never come up with a list of ways to actually accomplish my goals in life. This time is different.

It may sound crazy to have 10 New Years Resolutions, but if they really are achievable goals for the new year, you can hit your goal sooner and see all the progress you have made. Plus, when you do accomplish one, you can come up with an even bigger goal next time.

Did you set any goals for yourself for the New Year? Tell me about them in the comments!

achievable goals for the new year
Categories
Gifts Holiday Home

5 Simple Tips To Get Away With Re-gifting

Before anyone gets offended, this post about re-gifting is *mostly* a joke. You know you’ve done it, though. 😉

We all get little gifts that we may never use… and what do we do with them? Do you store them in a closet for years and forget all about them, or do you re-gift them to someone who may actually get a use out of it?

Re-gifting can be tricky, and you’re taking a chance of someone being offended by your actions. If you do it right, though, no one will ever know, right?!

Before you re-gift something, here are a few tips you should follow.

Tips for re-gifting

Tips For Re-gifting

1. Make sure you don’t re-gift the gift to the person who originally gave it to you.

I know people who have “re-gifting closets” or a “re-gifting shelf” where they store all items they want to re-gift until an occasion comes up that requires a gift. This could be a great idea… until it’s not.

What if you stored a gift in the “re-gifting closet” and then a couple months pass and you need a house-warming gift? You suddenly remember that baking set you got for Christmas a couple months before and you rush to get it and wrap it up. You arrive at the house-warming party, set the gift down, and set about mingling. Fast forward to when it is time to open gifts.

The host of the party begins to open your gift, only to realize that you gifted her (or him) the same present that they had given you for Christmas. When this happens, you will both be embarrassed… the host because you obviously didn’t like the gift they got you, and you are embarrassed because you accidentally re-gifted a gift to the person who originally gave you the gift!!

This could be a problem if you give the gift and another guest at the party recognizes it as the one they gave you, as well.

You have to be careful if you are ballsy enough to re-gift. Maybe tape a piece of paper to the gift that says who gave it to you so that you can prevent a similar situation from happening.

2. Remember to remove the original gift tag.

If there is a gift tag on the bag or the package that the gift is in, make sure you remove it. Nothing will make it a more obvious re-gift than leaving a gift tag right on the gift that says the gift was FOR you, from someone else.

3. Don’t let your kids know you are re-gifting.

Not only do they have big mouths and may possibly blab to the new recipient that the gift was actually given by someone else, they may also pick up bad habits. If they see you re-gifting something you received, they may think it’s okay to not show appreciation. They may also tell the original gift-giver that you didn’t like your gift and gave it to someone else.

4. Don’t give the gift to someone who personally knows the original gift-giver.

Could you imagine one of your good friends giving you a gift and then seeing it in another friend’s home? I’m sure it wouldn’t be too hard to make the connection. This could happen with family members, as well.

5. Just keep it.

This is the easiest option. It may collect dust in your closet, but at least your conscience is clear. Plus, there is no chance of the original gift giver or the new gift receiver finding out about the re-gift. You will also be setting a good example for your kiddos.

If you have a best friend, sibling, or even child who would appreciate the gift, just give it to them. Don’t wrap it and claim it as a gift you thought of and picked out on your own. Let them know that you thought of them when you opened it and that you think they would get more use out of it than you would.

Final Thoughts on Re-gifting

Re-gifting can be a tricky situation. While you’d hate to have a gift taking up closet space, you could spare the feelings of all involved by either re-gifting carefully and thoughtfully, or you could just choose to keep the gift.

This is an opportunity to set a good example for your kids, as well. You can say thank you, show appreciation, and then keep the gift that was chosen for you. This may teach your kids to be appreciative and polite.

Another option: You could just give (not as a gift) the item to someone close to you. Make it clear that you received it from someone else but don’t think you’ll use it very much.

We have all re-gifted something at one point in our lives, though, so if you choose to do so this holiday season, remember to follow these tips. Everyone will be spared the hurt/embarrassment associated with re-gifting, and your kids won’t be given the wrong idea.

Have you ever re-gifted something you received? What was it and how did it work out for you?

If you haven’t re-gifted, can you give tips on what to do with the gift instead if you will not be personally using it? Leave a comment!

five tips for re-gifting
Categories
Home How To Our Family Parenting

5 Ways to Make Money From Home

make money from home

As a mom, I wanted to be home with my littles. I worked a full-time job, and I was depressed every single day because I would have to drop my littles off with a babysitter and spend the next 9 hours away from them. When I picked them up at the end of the day, they were usually grumpy and clingy. Then, we would get home, have dinner, work on homework with the big kids, give baths, and then it was bedtime. I had to make money in order to supplement my husband’s income, so it wasn’t possible for him to be the only one making money.

I felt like I literally never had time to cuddle, play, and spend time with my kids. It was so hard on me. Plus, the cost of child care was just ridiculous, it didn’t make much sense to work. I quit my job and began trying different things to make staying at home a long-term possibility.

What I Tried

I began my stay-at-home mom journey thinking I would open my own daycare out of my home. Quickly, I realized that it wasn’t for me. I felt like I never left work, I still wasn’t able to give my kids the attention I wanted to give them, and I was more overwhelmed and stressed out than before. Plus, it made my house SO MESSY.

Next, I decided to try freelance writing. I began researching, and I found my niche there. This one really does work for me, but I’ll get more into that later.

Then, there was taking surveys. This works, but it isn’t something I still do. Again, I’ll get to that more in just a little while.

I’ve tried direct sales in the past and those are just definitely not for me. I don’t like to sell, apparently, and I hate making my friends and family feel obligated to buy things that they don’t really want.

I’ve also tried selling clothes on the Facebook marketplace, doing transcription work, and rating ads on Facebook. I have tried a wide variety of ways to make money from home, and a handful of things I have tried have worked to help me earn more than $1,000 a month!

How it Has Helped My Family

$1,000 a month may not seem like a ton of money, but it has really made all the difference in living paycheck to paycheck and having a little spending money each month.

There were months in the past when we couldn’t even pay all of our bills. This resulted in late fees, overdraft charges, and it was incredibly detrimental to mine and my husband’s credit scores. It would seem like no matter how hard we tried, we couldn’t get ahead and stay in a good place financially.

I am so serious when I say that this $1,000+ every month has helped us reach our short-term financial goals, keeping us ahead of our bills, leaving money for saving, and for doing fun things as a family. Now we will be able to begin saving for the bigger expenses, such as putting new flooring in our home or remodeling our kitchen.

MAke money from home make money from home

5 Ways to Make Money from Home

  1. Freelance Writing – 

    This is, without a doubt, my favorite way to make money as a stay-at-home mom. I love to write, and if I had known it could be so easy to do online, I would have done it YEARS ago. After doing my research, I determined that TextBroker was the best place for me to start since I had never done freelance work before. I started out as a 3-star writer and quickly made my way up to a 4-star writer. As a 4-star writer, I earn .014 cents per word. So, for an article that is 2,500 words, I would earn $35. I get paid from Textbroker every Friday.

    What I do on TextBroker is choose a job from a wide variety of topics, read the client briefing, and decide if I want to accept that job. They are all writing jobs, obviously. I actually write quite a few blog posts on TextBroker. By submitting the article to them, I am giving them permission to list themselves as the author. I no longer own the writing once I have submitted it to them.

  2. Rating ads on Facebook – 

    I do this through a company called Appen. Appen used to be called LeapForce, so maybe you have heard of them before. I applied with Appen without fully understanding what the job was. It’s not that I was oblivious to what I was applying for, I kind of understood, but there are many different projects available. I applied for a few different projects, and I was accepted to the Nile Project. The Nile Project pays $11 per hour to rate ads on Facebook. It is SO easy. Tedious, but easy. The only catch is that you can only work 1 hour per day on this project. That’s okay, though, because it quickly adds up. I only get paid from Appen one time a month. There are more opportunities on Appen that don’t require rating ads, but that is the only one that I currently do.

  3. Simple – 

    Simple is actually a bank account that I use for my spending money. I also make around $200 a month on Simple. I just tell people about the bank account, all of the perks that it has, and then I send them my link to sign up with. They will receive a debit card in the mail and, once they activate their account, I transfer $1 into their account (I never even need to know their account information, other than their e-mail address). They spend the $1 that I sent, and then I get $20, and they also get $20. It’s a win/win for both of us!! Plus, they get an awesome bank account out of the deal, too.

    I wouldn’t typically do something like this to earn money, but I am actually so in love with Simple that I tell people about it all the time. Might as well make some money by talking about it, right?! I love it so much because it has the option to add savings goals. When you enter your goal, it tells you how much you have to save each month/week/pay period, and as long as you do it each time, your goal happens on track. There are separate areas you can put the money for each goal, too.

    I have 4 goals going for myself right now. One is more mine and hubby’s annual trip to South Haven, one is for a Chicago trip with the kids, one is for new flooring, and the other is for Christmas next year. I love this option, and I love how easy it is to use it. Plus, I love that it is so easy to read and figure out.

    Another awesome part about Simple is that it has an area to input all of your expenses. Since this account is the one I use for spending, I actually haven’t had to input any bills. Instead, I input things like groceries and gas, because I consider those to be my spending.

    If you are interested in Simple, just click the link, send me an email, or drop a comment below. I will, of course, help you out and answer any of your questions.

  4. Start a blog – 

    There are so many ways you can make money with a blog. You can make money through affiliate sales, ads, and sponsored posts. Those are just a few of the options… the possibilities are pretty much endless. Having a blog is also SO much fun. I love being able to express myself, be creative, and meet other people like me in the blogging community. There is no pressure with having a blog because you can do it all on your terms. If you start a self-hosted blog, you have full control of all aspects of your blog.

    I have a self-hosted blog through Bluehost, and I use WordPress as the platform. If I wasn’t self-hosted and just used a free site from somewhere like WordPress, I might not be able to make money in the process. It is so easy to set up a blog, and so much fun once you get started.

    If you are interested in how to start a blog and what to do once you have started one, I wrote a blog post about it a while ago. Feel free to ask me about this anytime!

  5. Taking surveys – 

    Taking surveys is fun and all, but it is very time-consuming. I don’t actually do this one to earn extra money, but I have in the past. My 14-year-old stepdaughter recently just started doing it herself and has actually earned a decent amount of money with it. She wanted to earn some money for Christmas shopping, and she has almost finished buying everything she wanted to buy. It definitely does earn you some money, just not as much as other options.

How I Do It

So for me, I prefer to use TextBroker, Appen, and Simple to make $1,000 or more each week. At a minimum, I work to earn $200 a month on Appen, $600 a month with TextBroker, and $200 a month with Simple. When I have a goal in mind, I can always work a couple extra days with Appen, or accept one more article than normal on TextBroker. With Simple, it is more about getting lucky when someone agrees to use your link to set up a bank account, so I don’t usually push myself to talk about Simple anymore than I normally do. Textbroker is the easiest way for me to earn even more money each month.

I have 5 kids… their ages are 14, 10, 4, 3, and 1. I obviously cannot work for eight hours a day. Between meal times, play times, preschool drop off and pick up, I have to squeeze work time in at specific parts of the day. This usually means waking up before the kids and knocking out an hour of work. Then later, at nap time, I squeeze in another 2 hours of writing (if I’m lucky).

Sometimes after I pick my preschooler up I can put a movie on and let them eat popcorn in the living room while I finish up what I had been working on at nap time. The rest of my work has to wait until after the kids’ bedtime. After they go to bed, I work for an hour (two at the most) and then have to stop to spend time with my husband. It is a little complicated, but I make it all work out. All of that may have confused you, so here is an easier glimpse of my daily schedule as a work-from-home mom:

My Work/Mom Schedule 

5:30 AM – Wake up, making coffee, wake 14 y/o up for school
5:40 AM – Work for one hour (usually TextBroker)
6:40 AM – Wake other 4 kids up for school and get the toddlers/preschooler dressed. Feed everyone.
7:40 AM – Leave for preschool drop off
8:20 AM – Arrive home, begin playing, reading, and singing with the toddlers. Snack time during.
10:00 AM – Craft/activity or table toys
11:00 AM – lunch, and then we clean up the house
12:00 PM – nap time
12:15 PM – Mama works
2:15 PM – If toddlers aren’t already awake (they usually are), I wake them up and get them ready to go.
2:40 PM – Leave for preschool pickup
3:20 PM – Return home. Sometimes turn on a movie, have a snack, and mom finishes some work.
4:15 PM – My 10-year-old gets home from school, homework and talking and playing follow
5:30 PM – Daddy comes home!! YAY!
6:30 PM – Dinner should be ready to serve
7:30 PM – Baths and bed
8:30 PM – Mama Works

Every day for us is very busy and I feel like I am always on the go, or something is always waiting to be done. I love it, though, and I wouldn’t change it for the world because I love being home with my kids. Being able to take a spontaneous day off just because I want to spend extra time with my littles is the best part about working from home. I love making it to class parties and other school events, too. Every bit of this schedule is worth it to me.

Final Thoughts on Making Money From Home

It doesn’t have to be hard to make money from home. I make money online every single day, and I can work as much or as little as I want. You are literally your own boss, and that is so amazing. You can take time off whenever you want, work overtime if you want, or just work for one hour every day. It doesn’t get much better than that.

With the ways I have begun working from home, I can look ahead at my finances or goals, and work extra hard one week to meet a need or want. Being able to decide how much money I am going to make that week is so cool to me. It really puts me in control of my finances, and I work so much better that way. I am so thankful for the opportunities I have found, and I know it is only up from here.

If you have any questions about how to make money from home, please do not hesitate to reach out to me. I wish I had found these opportunities sooner, and if I can help you out at all, I would love to do so!

Categories
Family Activities For the Home Holiday How To Winter

8 Ways to Get Your Fireplace Ready For Winter

8 Ways to Get Your Fireplace Ready for Winter

With cold weather coming, you are probably ready to warm up in front of your fireplace. Not only will you stay warm, but your house will also heat up without raising your electricity bill. Before you start a fire, however, you must get your fireplace ready for winter. Doing so will protect your home from a house fire.

Whether this is your first time ever using the fireplace or if you use it every single year, you should complete the process before using it for the season.

***This post contains affiliate links. It costs you nothing extra, but I may receive a small commission.***

Get Your Fireplace Ready For Winter, Fireplace, Fireplace safety, get fireplace ready, home, home safety, get home ready for winter, winter, get ready for cold

How to Get Your Fireplace Ready For Winter

Clean and Inspect the Firebox

You only have to clean it if it wasn’t cleaned out the year before. Any soot or old wood in the firebox should be removed. When you’re removing soot, you should wet it down before removing it to avoid having the ash go into the air.

Once the firebox is cleaned, you should look for any cracks or areas that are missing mortar. Make note of those areas so you can have them repaired.

Inspect the Fue and Damper

The flue and damper regulate the airflow inside the chimney. If they are dirty, they may not open and close properly. You should clean them, and then make sure they are working properly.

Inspect the Gasket

The gasket seals the door and should be inspected every year before the fireplace is used. The door should also be checked for damage. Damaged or missing gaskets can cause too much oxygen to reach the fire, which may cause a house fire.

Clean the Blower

Some fireplaces have a blower, so if yours has one, it needs to be cleaned every year. If you don’t, buildup can occur.

Have your Chimney Swept

Once a year, you should call a professional to sweep your chimney. Oftentimes, soot and debris are left in the chimney from the previous winter. When this happens, it can cause a house fire if it isn’t cleaned out before being used the following year. A professional should always do the chimney sweeping because they have the necessary equipment and expertise.

Inspect the Outside of the Chimney

Check for cracks, loose bricks, or missing mortar in the structure of the chimney and the lining. Make a note of anything you see that may be an issue.

Have any Damages Repaired When You Get Your Fireplace Ready For Winter

A professional should handle all of the repairs. Professionals have the proper materials to fix both the inside and the outside of the fireplace. Plus, a reliable professional (read reviews before hiring anyone!!) knows for certain what they are doing. If the repairs are done incorrectly, it could cause a house fire.

Make Sure the Fireplace Has a Cap

Having a cap on your chimney prevents birds, rain, leaves, small animals, and other debris from going into the chimney. You will want to make sure yours is still there and that it doesn’t need to be repaired or replaced.

What to do When Your Fireplace is Ready

Before you light the first fire of the season, make sure your smoke detectors are working properly. If they aren’t, replace the batteries or install new detectors.

Get Your Fireplace Ready For Winter

After that, you can sit back, read a book, and get cozy in front of your fireplace.

Categories
How To Our Family Parenting Toddler and Preschool Age Fun Toddler and Preschool Age Learning Toys

8 of the Best Play Kitchens For Kids

Play kitchens are more than just fun for our kids because they are also a great learning experience. It is important for toddler and preschool-age children to learn through play, and dramatic play allows them to fill the role of a chef, waiter, mom, dad, or any other role. Your kids can express themselves while they learn about everyday concepts and organization.

Using a kitchen playset has other perks, as well. It helps children become familiar with different foods in a positive way, so maybe your children will be more likely to try (and enjoy!) vegetables a little more at dinner time. Your children will also begin to learn cooking skills.

These play kitchens are easy to set up and are very durable. Most of them come with many accessories including dishes and food, so your kids will never run out of ideas. A play kitchen also offers the opportunity for multi-child play.

It can be difficult to choose a kitchen playset because there are so many options on the market, but I have narrowed it down for you. I have researched some of the best kitchen playsets available, and I am going to give you the details about each one.

Kitchen Playsets, play kitchens

Best Play Kitchens

Teamson Kids Play Kitchen

play kitchen, kitchen playset

The Teamson Kids Play Kitchen has two refrigerator doors, one that includes a pretend smart screen. It includes storage space, an oven, a stove, a sink, and everything else that will make this seem like a real kitchen to your kids. This kitchen is big enough for more than one kid to play at a time so socialization is encouraged.  

Specifications

  • Product Dimensions: 27.5” L x 11.8” W x 37.2” H
  • Product Weight: 20 pounds
  • Assembly Time: Two hours
  • Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Step2 Best Chef’s Toy Kitchen Play set

play kitchen, kitchen play set

The Step2 Best Chefs Kitchen Play Set has an oven, refrigerator, counter, and an open kitchen window to pass things through. This kitchen playset has lights and makes noise. It comes with a recycling bin and has hooks attached to hang cups or other items. There are 25 total pieces included with this playset. It is easy and quick to put together.

Specifications

  • Product Dimensions: 11.5” L x 34.4” W x 38.5” H
  • Product Weight: 21.4 pounds
  • Assembly Time: 20 minutes
  • Rating: 4.3 out of 5 stars

KidKraft Uptown Natural Play Kitchens

play kitchen, kitchen play set, dramatic play

Featuring a refrigerator, freezer, microwave, oven, and dishwasher, the KidKraft Uptown Natural Kitchen can make your child feel like they are in a real kitchen. Kids love to pretend to be grown-up and do all the things their parents do. Using the appliances that their parents use could be so exciting. This kitchen playset also comes with a phone, paper towel holder, and chalkboard.

Specifications

  • Product Dimensions: 43” L x 17.8” W x 41” H
  • Product Weight: 72 pounds
  • Assembly Time: three hours
  • Rating: 4.6 out of 5 stars

Little Tikes Cook ‘n Learn Smart Kitchen

kitchen play set, play kitchen, bluetooth kids kitchen

Unlike many other kitchen playsets, the Little Tikes Cook ‘n Learn Smart Kitchen uses Bluetooth to connect to an app that you can have on your cell phone or tablet. This kitchen playset also has sound effects for cutting food, cooking, and running the water. It comes with 40 accessories so your child can be entertained for hours.

Specifications

  • Product Dimensions: 17” L x 22” W x 30” H
  • Product Weight: 10 pounds
  • Assembly Time: 30 minutes
  • Rating: 3.6 out of 5 stars

My Little Chef Teamson Kids Wooden Play Kitchen Set

kitchen play set, play kitchen

My Little Chef Teamson Kitchen Play Set is made from wood and has a stove, cabinet, oven, and microwave. It is durable and can give children the feeling that they are in a real kitchen. There are different color options available, as well. The assembly time for this kitchen playset is very short, about 30 minutes, so your kids could be playing in no time.

Specifications

  • Product Dimensions: 38.25 L x 11.50 W x 36.75 H
  • Product Weight: 54.67 pounds
  • Assembly Time: 30 minutes
  • Rating: 3.8 out of 5 stars

Step2 Elegant Edge Play Kitchen Play Set

kitchen play set, play kitchen with food

This Step2 Elegant Edge Play Kitchen Play Set has everything that a real kitchen has. It has a microwave, oven, dishwasher, stove, phone, refrigerator, and a sink with a faucet and sprayer. This kitchen playset also has a silverware drawer, baskets for food, plate, and cup racks, and cupboards. Plus it comes with accessories including pots, pans, and food. It has a light and makes noise, too, so your kids might just love it!

Specifications

  • Product Dimensions: 102.5” L x 36” W x 39” H
  • Product Weight: 70 pounds
  • Assembly Time: One hour
  • Rating: 4.2 out of 5 stars

Best Choice Products Kids Wood Kitchen Toy Toddler Pretend Play Set Solid Wood Construction

kitchen play set, play kitchen, wooden kitchen playset

This Best Choice Products wooden kitchen playset has two separate stove tops so it can be easily used by multiple children. With five drawers, it can hold many accessories and make clean up easy. It also has six smaller areas for storage.

Specifications

  • Product Dimensions: 39.5” L x 11.8” W x 42” H
  • Product Weight: 48 pounds
  • Assembly Time: About two hours
  • Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Smoby Bon Appetit Electronic Roleplay Kitchen with 23 Accessories & Cooking Sounds

play kitchen, kitchen play set

The Smoby Bon Appetit Electronic Roleplay Kitchen has unique features compared to other play kitchens. It has a pretend espresso machine and three coffee pods, along with many other accessories.

If you are a coffee drinker, you know that your children like to pretend to drink coffee sometimes. It could be so much fun for them to be able to role play making coffee.

This kitchen playset also comes with plates, cups, forks, knives, spoons, pans, boxes, and utensils. The best part is that the price of the kitchen is much lower than other kitchen playsets.

Specifications

  • Product Dimensions: 20.5” L x 13.2” W x 38” H
  • Product Weight: 7.6 pounds
  • Assembly Time: 30 minutes
  • Rating: 3.6 out of 5 stars

Final Decision About Play Kitchens

Kitchen playsets are such a good toy to buy for your toddlers and preschoolers. They are great for your child’s development, so much fun, and a way to keep your child busy for long periods of time. If you need the perfect Christmas or birthday gift, you might want to consider a kitchen playset.

Just make sure you do your research (or use the research I have already done) and read comments/reviews about each play kitchen that you are considering. You’ll want to find the perfect one for your child and your home.

Now that you have an idea of which kitchen playset you want to buy, read my post about 7 Ways to Play with a Pretend Kitchen for Dramatic Play! It is full of ideas and activities for the kitchen playset to make it even more exciting for your littles.

Let me know which play kitchen you think is the best one! Is it one on this list or do you have a different play kitchen that your kids love? Tell me in the comments!

Kitchen Playsets
kitchen play set, play kitchen for kids
Categories
Home Organization Toys

What to do When You’re Drowning in Toys

It’s safe to say that most kids have too many toys. Between Christmas, birthdays, and other random gifts during the year, it is so easy to acquire TOO MANY toys.

It happened to us without me even realizing it until it was too late. The big kids had toys, of course, (they were 6 and 9 when Sylas was born), but those toys were easier to contain in bedrooms because the kids didn’t require CONSTANT supervision and there were only 2 of them.

When Sylas was a newborn, we had only a couple toys because he didn’t really play yet. When he started moving that all changed. Grandma was buying him every toy she saw, Christmas came and he was spoiled by every person on both sides of the family, and then 5 months later was his birthday.

All of a sudden we had toys EVERYWHERE. Josie was born not long after that and within a year, we had even MORE toys because she’s a girl and needed her own stuff (at least that’s what everyone said).

Then we had Liam so add even more toys at Christmas and another birthday into the mix. Plus random pickups and hand me downs and we were literally drowning.

There were toys EVERYWHERE. Upstairs, downstairs, in the car, in the hallway, EVERYWHERE. I couldn’t take it anymore. I couldn’t keep up with the cleaning up, organizing, etc.

It was time to get it under control.

What to do When You Are Drowning In Toys

    1. Get rid of toys that aren’t played with or are missing pieces. I started with the toys that my kids never touched. I didn’t ask them what they WANTED to get rid of because their answer probably would have been “nothing”. Instead, when they weren’t paying attention I started getting rid of things that they just didn’t play with or that was broken/missing pieces. We donated some, threw away others (happy meal toys, broken toys, remote control cars with missing parts, puzzles with missing pieces, etc.). This actually cleared out a ton of the junk.
    2. Use baskets or clear plastic totes to organize and store all toys. Yep, all of them. Amazon has a ton of different sizes to choose from but I mostly use the plastic totes pictured below, which come in a pack of 12. I also have several that are a little bigger, which I also found on amazon. I believe you can also find some small totes at dollar tree or dollar general.Label them and store them in an easy to access place. I put toys that have a lot of pieces that go together or follow a specific theme (Mr. Potato Head, horses, animals, balls, etc.) in the clear plastic totes and I label the front. I want to put pictures on them soon, too. I store larger toys in baskets. One holds all musical instruments.

  1. Choose toys to leave out, but only choose enough that each toy has a “home” and won’t get mixed in with other toys. Everything should have a home. You can’t expect the toys to be organized and put away if there is no designated “area” for them. This has been the hardest part for me because we don’t have a ton of space for storing toys. I still want a cube organizer (pictured below) to have a couple more things out but we use a toy organizer with 12 bins (also pictured below). It works really well for us and the toys we have because the kids can easily see what toys they can play with and can pull the whole bin down when they want to play.

    We choose 12 different “themes”, one theme for each bin (Ex. balls, blocks, PJ masks, Paw Patrol, Mr. Potato Head, horses, animals, technology, hot wheels, magnatiles, music, puzzles, etc.).We also use our entertainment center to store toys. I know this is kind of ridiculous but they get into it anyway so why not. LOL. In there we store a handful of books, a couple puzzles, and a couple other toys that won’t fit in a bin.

  2. Decide where (out of sight) you are going to store some (or most) toys. We use our hall linen closet. I hate it but we don’t have much storage so it works for us. You just need a place that has shelves.I put all of the totes and baskets of toys in the closet, even the empty containers from the toys that are out are neatly stored here. Make sure it is easy to see what is in there so you can switch toys out regularly and put toys back in their labeled container.
  3. Set a schedule for rotation. Each week or month, let the kids help choose what toys should be brought out and what ones should be put away for a while. Not only will this help lessen the toy clutter in your home, but it will also help your kids appreciate their toys more.
  4. For bigger toys (toy kitchens, etc.) place all small pieces out of reach and designate times to play with it. Usually, I want these kinds of toys readily available to the kids but there are certain times when I’m busy (usually getting ready to leave the house) that Liam dumps all the pieces on the floor and wanders away. This leads to the pieces getting scattered all throughout the house and it usually happens during our busiest times of day. What works for us is to leave the smaller pieces (the play food) out of sight and out of reach when you aren’t able to pay as close attention or don’t have the time to help clean up the pieces.

Kids thrive on simplicity so don’t feel bad that your child doesn’t have EVERY toy they own accessible at one time. That’s overwhelming for everyone involved and leads to toys being forgotten, damaged, or lost and also leads to having a house cluttered with toys because nothing has a “home”.

What are some ways you’ve tried to combat toy clutter in your home? What worked and what didn’t? Let me know in the comments!