Coming up with a non-mushy, non-red, white, pink Valentine can be a daunting task this time of year when craft and grocery store aisles are full of red, white, and pink frilliness. I’m always on the lookout for neutral, non-traditional vessels in which to gift my Valentine. Like, this kraft-y paper heart box from the Target Dollar Spot (I think it’s called something else now?). It’s the perfect non-pink, non-red, non-frilly carrier for my Espresso Bean Valentine.
By Lacie Ring
Do you ever store something and tell yourself, “I’ll remember that I put that specific thing in that specific drawer or container”? I tell myself that all of the time! Guess what…I never remember! Unless it’s say like the kitchen scissors (which I will use on you, if they don’t find their way back to the drawer…lol!), or sewing pins (which are always in my sewing drawer). But what about the rest of your things??? I’ve always had this idea of making an inventory sheet and I finally tested it out and it’s working like a charm! It’s one of those charts that I could look at and know exactly what contents are in what container and where the container is in the room…check out my method on how to organize a room using this free printable!
By Anita Stafford
Who among us has not been frustrated in our own kitchens by disorganization? At the very least, a lack of organization might cause a meal to be served late, but frequently it causes more serious problems. Maybe your recipe says to heat the oil, then add chopped onion. A disorganized cook will heat the oil, then start chopping the onion, a recipe for disaster.
The French have a term for organization in the kitchen called “mise en place,” which in translation means “to put in place”. For the organized cook this would mean that all the ingredients need to be prepared and ready to use before you start cooking.
by Rhonda Franz
When we walked in, tripping over backpacks and lunch boxes and ourselves, at least the kitchen and dining room table were a-waitin’ on us. On this day, the dinner prep—all the way to the table setting—was the one priority thing.
Some days, the priority thing is laying out clean clothes for the church program.
Other days, just being able to finish one work project is the most important.
Often, working backwards from the end of the day works the best, just like I did with setting out the bowls. Productivity and organization pros refer to it as “reverse engineering.”
Whatever works, and works for you…I say.
When you’re overwhelmed, pick out the one thing that will relieve your mind and create the most order. And leave the other stuff for another day (or if you’re lucky, someone else).
Check out how Rhonda accomplished her one priority thing. READ MORE…
By Ricci Ellis
We’ve all been there. You shove way too much stuff into your suitcase, pray really hard, sit on it and make it zip close. Then as you weigh it (if you are flying) you pray again that it is under the 50 pounds. I have been there y’all!! Way too many times to count!! I have even had to stuff some of my clothes into a friend’s bag at the airport just so mine would be under the weight limit. So so so sad.
This is how I used to pack…
I would literally stuff everything into my suitcase and just pray y’all. And the sad thing is I wouldn’t even wear half of what I brought! And that little zip thing to make you suitcase bigger? I used it every single time. Talk about overextending yourself. I never had any room to buy new things on my trips because there was never any room to put it! HA!
If you usually pack like this then today you are in for a treat! I am going to show you how to pack like a pro…or at least how I pack! I think I have a pretty awesome system. And this is coming from someone who has literally gone somewhere once a month since July. What can I say? I love to travel!
READ MORE… (Ricci’s post contains sponsored content and affiliate links.)
by Rhonda Franz
I finally have an organization tool that works for me so’s I know what’s in my refrigerator: that big white thing in our kitchen that my family and I look into 456 times a day. Every time we open the refrigerator, it’s like turning a new page from an Eye Spy book.
Is it like that for you?
I found one simple trick that has helped solve this problem. Check out my trick and 6 tips to help make it work for you.
Do you have tubs of old photographs lying around? Or, maybe your photos are organized and labeled neatly inside albums? I have some of both. Our family also has shoe boxes filled with undeveloped film from the 80s and 90s {!!}. One of my Go Mighty goals is to get those photos out of boxes and albums and onto disc. It’s a good thing for so many reasons, two being: I feel so much better for their physical safety if they’re backed up on disc safe from fire, flooding, tornadoes {multiple discs in multiple locations}. And, two: I can preserve the images before deterioration begins.
by Sharla Williams of Look At What You Are Seeing
I get overwhelmed very easily, so I have to do things that are easy to do and easy to carry through from week to week. I finally came up with a plan that for me is quick and easy for me. In this series, I will be giving you different things to do in small segments so that you don’t become overwhelmed or want to give up. You will probably need to tweak these ideas in order for them to fit your family’s lifestyle. My hope is that you will continue to use these ideas, and that they will help you use your extra time for Bible study, making memories with your family, traveling, and anything other than cleaning and organizing.
by Amanda Fiveash, Miss December 2017
I do love the look of fall and then winter. The colors of fall are beautiful with the crisp, cool nights. The snow makes everything brighter, even on cloudy days. During the cold months of winter, I love the sun. Just like the cold that lingers outside, it is just that time of year when runny noses, sore throats and coughing seem all too abundant as well.
When my throat has a tingle or that morning dryness seems to be hanging on, I often turn to a throat lozenge. Have you looked at the package lately of the ingredients? They are full of all kinds of things I do not like to give my kids. There are some natural options available but my kids are not big fans. The solution, make my own! Why not, they are super simple and you can customize them in so many ways.
Now let me warn you, once you make these for your kids, whether they are big or little, they may just pretend to have a throat tickle more often! (Just warning you!) You need just a few simple ingredients for your base and then you can customize them however you would like.
by Jamie Smith
Today at 4:16 a.m., I turn 40 years old.
That feels weird for me to type. I don’t think 40 is old, in fact, I have never even thought of my parents as old. But when I was growing up, the general medical consensus was that most kids with my level of Spina Bifida wouldn’t live too far into middle age. Combine that mentality with the fact that I was once more than 200 pounds overweight and continue to be 100 pounds overweight, my auto-immune diseases, and my general clumsiness, making it to 40 years old seemed preposterous.
It seems that God isn’t finished with me yet. In fact, this is a message he’s been telling me all year.
I have a story to tell you. READ MORE…
