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ANTI-PROCRASTINATION/ FAMILY/ HOME/ Homemaking/ Organizing/ Simplifying

“Anti-procrastination Tuesdays” Link Party

I’m always thinking about topics to blog about, and usually I just share what I am doing in life.  If I am making a certain recipe, I share it, if we are doing holiday crafts, I let you know which ones, etc. 
 I’ve been trying to think of a way to motivate myself to take care of things that I have been putting off, and this brilliant:) thought popped in my mind “I should do a weekly post on anti-procrastination, so I will be forced to do something each week to share with my readers!”  

Not only will I be held accountable to deal my tendency to procrastinate, but here is the best part–ready?  WE CAN DO IT TOGETHER!  Hence, my very first weekly”link party!”  I am so excited!
As most bloggers know, a link party is where other bloggers can link up  posts on a similar subject, all in the same place (in this case, my blog since I will be the host). Then we can “visit” each others blogs, and get inspiration and MOTIVATION!  Not a blogger?  No worries, you can join in by sharing about your anti-procrastination of the week in the comments section, or you could just click through list of links, to read up on what other people have done, and hopefully become inspired!  
You may be one who does not struggle with procrastination, (Flylady & I call you people BO’s-“born organizers.” I also call you “lucky dawgs” and “people I’m really jealous of”) if you fall in this category, I WANT TO LEARN FROM YOU! It would be great if you could leave a blog post or comment with a tip or two of what DOES works for you!
If you are one who struggles with procrastination, you are not alone!  Please come back each week on tuesdays and link up! Tell us your thoughts, show us pictures of what you’ve accomplished or want to accomplish…it could even be a post showing us what you have been putting off, so that we can give each other tips or encouragement.  It could be big or small, from making a dr’s appt to tackling that overflowing storage room. 
I think this is a GREAT opportunity for me to get real with you!  I’ve joked with my sister that the pics of my cobwebs and dust don’t quite make it onto the blog.  We both agreed a “let’s get real” post was in order.  Now with Anti-procrastination Tuesdays, you will see and hear about my junk and hopefully that will motivate me to GET BUSY!

So Let’s Recap:

–Anti-Procrastination Link Party @ New Nostalgia on Tuesdays, starting March 9th.
-If you are not a blogger, join in by commenting!  Share with us what you have accomplished or would like to accomplish, or just enjoy visiting the different blogs that link up.
-If you are a blogger, share any post you have written about procrastination. It could be sharing about something you’ve accomplished, sharing tips on how to get motivated, or sharing different goals you would like to eventually get to.  Any post on something that you have accomplished, past or present, works!  I want to see those before and after pics– I’ll show you my junky gunk if you show me yours!
-Can be big or small…finishing a report, taking a load of stuff to goodwill, working on a project with a child, signing yourself up for jujitsu (why not?), cleaning the car, cleaning the shower head (on my list), etc..
Here is a button if you would like to pass the word along (ohh, that button.  You don’t want to know how long it took me to make that ^%#%$@! button!  It is not a perfect button, but it is two o’clock in the morning right now and I won the battle, er, sort of, and I’m feeling quite proud).  The button will also stay in my sidebar for future need.

Bloggers, if you have continued to read this far,  if this is something that excites you, or if you know others whom it may excite, I would be honored if you would help get the word out.  Feel free to grab and share my button, or even just give the post a little “tweet” by hitting the retweet button.  I am still pretty new at this blogging thing, so I for sure need my blogging community to spread the news.  
Readers, I’m humbly asking you for help, too!  If you know anyone who you think would get into something like this, feel free to share this post via facebook, twitter or email.  
It may take awhile to get people to participate, but that is ok!  I am pumped!  You don’t know how badly I need some motivation to get stuff done!  Spring is a comin’ and I got stuff to do!!

So what do you think?  Leave a comment and let me know..

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HOME/ Homemaking/ Organizing/ Simplifying

Keeping Your House Picked Up

{Not mine, but love the baskets.  From Woman’s Day.com}

I follow the Flylady system, kind of.  I pick and choose what works for me from her system.  Many of the tips she gives are steps to keeping things picked up.  The following tips are inspired by her system, they are ones that have worked for me.

** Be Intentional**
Because I am not a natural born organized person, I had to train my brain to think like one.  I have to be purposeful and aware of things I naturally would not see, and think about things I normally would not think about.  Here are some things that are working for me:
 1. Look around.
When I walk in a room, I do a quick sweep with my eyes to find anything that does not belong in there or is out of place.  I try not walk through my house without being aware of what belongs where and doing something about it.  By being aware, I can grab a comb that is in the living room while on my way to the bathroom and put it away.  If I am walking through the living room and a couch pillow is out of place, I notice and straighten it.  If I am going upstairs, I grab something on the stairs that belongs up there to put away.  I’ve been doing this for so long that now it is just natural and I don’t realize I am doing it.  
2. Make a home for things
If there is not a specific home for something, then ‘picking up’ just becomes a useless game of shifting objects around from place to place.  There needs to be an intentional place for everything, especially
things that often get out of their place.  Most things only need ONE place.  If not one, as few as possible, for example–pens.  Pens should have one main place where the bulk of them live, and then a few intentional places around the house that you would normally need one.  Think about where the home for each object, makes the most sense.  I have a small bathroom upstairs that has great shelves.  They would be the perfect place to keep cute little baskets to hold all the hair accessories for my girls, but I don’t keep them there. The reason – they never do their hair upstairs.  It would make no sense and waste our time walking up the stairs just to get pony tail holder, so I keep them downstairs where they are accessible and easy to grab.  Keep objects ‘homes’ close to where you would use and need them.  This is efficient and will save time and steps.
3. Notice what is making the mess.
  If mail is constantly a mess, that is a clue to have a place and system for mail.  If child school projects/papers are creating clutter, create a place and system for them.  If you have plastic grocery bags coming out your ears, only save a few and recycle the rest, there is no need for more than 10.  If unfolded blankets are what is making the mess, find a basket to put nearby to place them in.  Magazines scattered?  Basket.  Books?  Book shelf or basket.  Husbands things taking over the counter?  Give them a container.  Look for things that are constantly out of place and creating mess, and find a place for those things.  Don’t know how to create a system for mail or school projects?  Google it!  The internet is full of great ideas.
4. Pick up after yourself!  
If you get it out, put it away.  Best kept secret to keeping a clean house.
5. When you think it, do it. 
 If at all possible, when the thought enters your brain, do it right away.  If you can’t, write it down.  If you think, “ugh the chair is not pushed in again”- then push it in.  If you think “I need to return that phone call” -then do it asap.  If you think “I should change out the laundry”- stop and do it.
6. Put things in time perspective.
  Lack of motivation is often because we think it will be too hard or take too long.  Changing a load of laundry only takes a minute.  Folding one takes 5.  Emptying the dishwasher can be done in 3-4 minutes.  Making your bed, 60 seconds.  
4. Get rid of clutter.  
If you don’t love it, and you don’t use it, get rid of it.  CLUTTER ATTRACTS CLUTTER!  
5. One thing at a time.  
One project at a time, one room at a time, one job at a time.  This keeps me from getting overwhelmed.  Small steps.  
6. Move it!
Work fast to get the job done.  Set the timer for 5 minutes and see what you can get picked up in that amount of time.  Set the timer for 15 minutes and tell the family “we are going to have a family 15 minute house pickup boogie”  Blast the music, show them how to move fast, make it fun.  We have picked up an entire house in less then 15 minutes by doing this.  I resort to the “15 minute boogie” technique whenever I feel the house starting to come unglued with things out of place in every room.  These are happening less and less as we have established homes for objects, and routines to keep those objects in their homes.  The kids do not mind them, because they know it will be over in 15 minutes.
I’ve conquered most of the clutter in our home, and keep it picked up most of the time.  I am now working on the whole ‘deep cleaning’ part.  That part does not come as easy for me, but I am encouraged knowing 3/4 of the battle is getting clutter out and establishing habits to keep it picked up.  I’m sure I’ll be posting my progress (or lack of) in future posts.  If you have any tips that work for you, let me know!
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Frugal/ HOME/ Organizing/ Simplifying

Pantry Organization #2

Like I said in this post, holidays have a way of wrecking havoc in my kitchen. All the extra baking and leftovers from get-togethers seem to just take over and my organized refrigerator and pantry end up CRAZY! Now my refrigerator no longer looks like a Christmas bomb went off in it, and last night I worked on the pantry.
Here is before

Here is after
Big difference, huh? See my new little mason jars? I took advantage of the after- Christmas sales and went shopping yesterday with birthday money from my in-laws. I bought the 2 smaller size jars at Target. They make me very happy. I will share some of the other super great deals I found to spend my birthday money on, in another post.
Oh, here is something I bought that I can share now. My sister-in-law (the one I talk about here who always buys great gifts, and did it again) bought me a great big glass canister with a brushed silver lid for Christmas. I knew the minute I opened it what I would use it for. I have been baking ALOT more than I ever have,and have been frustrated with flour storage. I have been experimenting with whole wheat flours, (pastry flour, coarsely ground flour, etc) and really wanted a simple, big, stylin’ jar with a mouth big enough to fit my one cup measure into, and one big enough to hold a five pounds of flour. I didn’t communicate this to Wendy, but somehow she knows what I would love and use. It’s weird.
I loved the jar so much I used some of my birthday money to buy another one the same size, and one smaller. I put my coffee maker away (trying to cut out daily coffee as a New Year’s goal) and put these beauties out instead. I like how accessible they are, it makes me want to bake just looking at them! (wish I had a better picture, this one does not do them justice, but I’m too lazy to go try for a better one)
Now I am very ready to participate in the “Eat From The Pantry Challenge” (read about it here.)
Today was my first day, it went well– I made Potato and Corn Chowder Soup. Tomorrow is more of a challenge because it is New Years Eve, and we like to celebrate with good snacks and food. It will just be our little family this year, so I am trying to get creative…I have ingredients for homemade pizza and some cookie dough that my sister made in the freezer for sweets. My family is used to a tradition of chocolate fondue with lots of dippers, but Christmas cooking/baking shot our grocery budget for the month so we will skip that this year. We will make popcorn, our trusty fudgy buttons, frosted grapes (post to come); cookies, and homemade pizza decorated with pepper strips to look like a clock, in honor of time passing and the New Year!
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FUN/DIY/ HOME/ Homemaking/ Organizing

Pantry Organization

There is nothing like a well organized pantry! I personally think that having a well organized pantry (and refrigerator and freezer) is KEY to saving money on groceries. You can clip coupons all you want, but if the food you buy ends up getting stale and expired while hiding out in a messy pantry, those coupons are meaningless and your money is wasted.
The jars in the above picture are so great! I believe you can get them at target. I use mason jars, they are half the price of these jars, and now come with silver lids. They are so helpful in keeping food air-tight and on display. My food peers at me through the glass, giving me all kinds of ideas and inspiration to create with their contents. They can’t hide as easily when in a mason jar!
A project that I am planning on asking my now retired Dad to help me with, is hanging shelves on a very blank wall in my kitchen. I want them to hold rows of beautiful jars filled with seeds, pastas, beans, lentils, corn meal, etc. Can’t you just see them lined up so pretty with all their beautiful shades of color, creating art and storage at the same time? Ahhhhh.
Here is a photo that inspires me. The black shelves are exactly what I want, but instead of jars of cupcake sprinkles, mine would be…well, what I said above.:)
Here is the blank wall in my kitchen that I am talking about. Won’t that look nice? Won’t it? (psst…Dad… when can we start?)
Maybe, just maybe–someday–my pantry will look like this. Isn’t that just pantry heaven?
I don’t know if I will ever get into canning, but the old-fashioned part of me sure would love to! I would like join a community garden this coming summer- there is one just a block from us, which is great because our back yard is tiny and all shade. Depending on how successful our harvest will be, I just might get to experience canning! If not, maybe I’ll find a good deal on peaches and at least can those.:)
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Frugal/ HEALTH/ HOME/ How-Tos/ Organizing/ RECIPES/ Simplifying

Eat From Your Pantry Challenge

Our last Christmas family celebration was here at our home yesterday.  Boy, did we have fun!  We had a “come wearing a silly hat theme,” a pancake bar, games, an insane amount of gifts from Grandpa John and Grandma Pam, a Christmas craft with Grandma Sheri, a Christmas movie, and constant food consumption from 10:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m. —  We made such great memories!   Everyone came nicely dressed in normal clothes, and within a few hours most of us were in our new pajamas that we had just unwrapped.  Time with family was extra sweet, because a blizzard kept us from seeing each other on Christmas day.

My Silly Christmas Hat And A Platter Of Pancakes!
Although we constantly consumed food throughout the day, there were lots and lots of leftovers.  A great thing about being the host house is getting stuck with all the leftovers!  I’m very stuffed as I sit here typing!

I spent some time in my kitchen today, clearing out the Christmas decorations (I am REALLY excited to get the house back to its simple self!) and organizing my refrigerator and freezer.  I could not tell what- was- what when I opened the refrig this morning, and I knew if I didn’t get in there and figure it out, that all those great leftovers would go to waste.  I now have leftovers that won’t get eaten today or tomorrow, packaged and into the freezer (shredded cheese leftover from nachos, bacon leftover from making quiche, pancakes leftover from our pancake feast, cookie dough that didn’t get baked, etc).
I know what I have, and feel confident that we won’t waste all that good food!  Tomorrow I will tackle the pantry, it is so disorganized right now that it is hazardous to open the door! Holidays have a way of reeking havoc on my kitchen in more ways than one!  I am so very eager to get back to simple and healthful eating, to get as much processed sugar and foods out of my house as I can, and fill my pantry up with ingredients from my little neighborhood health food market.

Today I stumbled upon this post and it really excited me.  “Eat From Your Pantry” is a concept that I love and have tried before.  We did it for 2 weeks in the month of October.  It was so rewarding to see how much money we could save by just paying attention to food we already have.  I loved seeing my cupboards become bare, and I loved filling them back with only healthful, necessary foods.  I only spent $40.00 the first week, and $48.00 the next week.  We usually spend about $120.00-$130.00 a week, so that was a substantial amount saved!

I am a bit apprehensive to commit to a whole month, but it seems like they are a bit flexible with the challenge.  I think the goal is just to be extremely thoughtful about what groceries you do buy, all the while using up what you already have.  This came at a perfect time for me, here is why:

* I have lots of leftovers hanging out in my freezer

*I am VERY MOTIVATED to get our kitchen back in order

*I miss shopping at my health food grocer

*My husband is back on track with healthful eating (as of today) & I want to support him in that

*It is soon-to-be a NEW YEAR, which gives me motivation to start anew with food.

I will occasionally post about our progress and experience.  Let me know if you think this is a good idea and if you want to do it, too!

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HOME/ Organizing/ Simplifying

De-cluttering My Brain

I did a big oops this weekend.  I missed a very important, priceless family event and felt just sick about it. What happened?  I am not sure.  My brain was a week behind reality (or a week ahead?!:)), I thought the event was the following week. The crazy thing is, it was written right in my calendar on the right date!  I need to make sure I am looking at my calendar, even on weekends!  Obviously, there is too much clutter in my brain!!

I am thankful for gracious family, and I am thankful for a Monday morning to get my ducks back in a row and declutter my brain!  So far, I have cleaned out my email inbox and spent time on my calendar, making sure that I have all appointments and dates made (haircut clients, piano recital, 6 Christmas
celebrations, school program, school field trips, birthday celebration dates, Gifts Of Love, Bible studies, etc).  I have also organized my “stickies” which are just virtual post-it notes that you can “stick” to the main screen of your computer.  Much of the morning was spent hitting the delete button, which is so very freeing!  My brain is feeling lighter already!

I read a post at Simple Mom, and although I have yet to look into what the main post was about, (anyone heard of GTD?  I’m intrigued.) I keep thinking of this part of her post that hit a chord with me. Here is what she had to say:

Write it down.
Write everything down. Get it out of your brain and on to someplace else. Whatever “it” is that’s on your mind — your to-do list, the chocolate chip recipe you just concocted, your need to call your husband and ask him to pick up milk on the way home — everything. Leave nothing in your brain. Don’t make your brain the holding place for all those bits and pieces hovering around your day.
How often have you said to yourself, “I don’t need to jot down a reminder; I’ll remember this.” And then how often have you forgotten that very thing?
Yeah, me too.
Forgetfulness is one of the main reasons you need to write stuff down. Other reasons are:
  • You’re more stressed when your brain is thinking about a thousand little things.
  • You’re not able to fully concentrate on the task at hand.
  • You overcommit, because you can’t clearly see what’s on your plate.
  • You don’t have true, relaxing downtime because you hold on to that nagging feeling that you should always be doing something else – but you’re not sure what.

I like this idea, ALOT.  I do it to an extent (I love lists) but all throughout the day thoughts will pop up in my mind that I would really like to remember, but I do not write them down.  Blog post ideas, Scripture verses, things I want to teach  my girls, notes I need to write, people I need to get in touch with, and even convictions whispered to me that I would like to forget!
I’d like to take this idea a bit further and add “When you think about it, DO IT, and if you can’t at the moment, then WRITE IT DOWN”  For those of you who are BO (born organized) this might seem like a “duh” but it really helps me do life in a purposeful way, instead of just going with the flow and allowing the flow to take my fleeting thoughts with it!

It sounds easy to say “if you think about it, DO IT!’ but then there is that procrastinator in me that I have to fight.  Many times I DO have the time to do it, but I just plain do not feel like it!  In these moments, what has helped me is to put it into a time perspective.  For example, I hate emptying the dishwasher, but really, if I timed it, it would only take me 2-3 minutes.  No big deal, right?  Takes less time to do it than it takes complaining about it, and it prevents it from becoming a 10-15 minute job.  As Flylady would say, it is about putting out those little sparks before they become big fires. If I empty the dishwasher now, it will prevent a nice big mound of dirty dishes in my sink and 3 little birds chirping at me that they can’t find a clean fork!

Well, I need to get off this computer and continue my brain purge.  I know it will pay off as the busyness of this Christmas month starts.  It is so important to me to keep my thoughts on what truly matters this Christmas season, so I guess this is a good way to start!

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FUN/DIY/ HOME/ Organizing/ Seasonal/ Simplifying

Christmas Journal

This is officially my first post about Christmas, although Christmas has been on my brain for awhile.  I just love Christmas, I already have over half my shopping done!  My mom-in-law (Kathy) is done every year by Thanksgiving, so I try to keep up with her and do the same!:)  It really does make December much more enjoyable.  The only drawback is missing the fun shopping atmosphere in December, and those amazing sales the few weeks before Christmas.   I feel like I miss out a bit,  but really, with Amazon.com, I can usually get the best deal anyway, and the more I can stay out of the stores the better!

I wanted to share with you one of my MOST favorite gifts.  My birthday is around Thanksgiving, so the timing of this gift was perfect.  It is a homemade Holiday Journal.  My amazing sis-in- law (Wendy) put it together for me in 2004, and I have been using it ever since.  It is so much fun to grab it each year and look through all the memories and plans.  Newsletters of Christmas past, pics of my girls with Santa, cherished memories, lists of what I bought each family member–pretty much everything is in one place and it is so handy!

She took a 3 ring binder, put some pretty Christmas paper in the front and back of it, and filled it with tab dividers.  Here are the tabs she included:

–Calendar -its very handy to have the month of December and January in one place, to refer to when out and about, or to check what gift you need by what date, etc.

–Dates–shipping deadlines, greeting cards mailed, departure/arrival dates if you are traveling, party dates, etc

–Gift List— recipient, gift ideas, final Gifts

–Christmas Card List–who you sent one to, who sent one to you

–Kids Wish Lists–a very important list indeed!

–Gifts Received–makes thank yous easier, and I need all the help I can get!

–Holiday Memories–my favorite! Old traditions, new traditions, new ornaments or decorations, where we went, who we saw, what we did, favorite memory, funniest thing that happened, etc.

–Crafts And Decorations–how the tree was decorated, color themes.

–Recipes–what you made, what you wanted to make, favorite cookie recipes, tradition recipes (like my grandma’s pfeffernusse cookies!)

She also included a zipper pouch for store flyers, catalog pages and coupons.  She filled it with plastic sleeves that are great to keep the paper protected and to slide in different memorabilia.

If you want to make your own, the Flylady website has great holiday journal pages, already written and free! You just have to print and fill in the blank, they are awesome and very detailed, she walks you through the holidays step- by- step.  If interested, click here, then click on Holiday Control Journal.
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