It's The Time of Year

Garage Sale season will soon be upon us! As a matter of fact, I've been to two already this year - both charity sales held indoors. With really decluttering our house I've already noticed a difference in what I pick up - not much! I see nice things that before I would have bought but now think, "I don't need that, I don't have a place for that". I did find Becca some needed Justice clothing for a great price and Amy a nice pile of GAP clothing though. 

With my KonMari and 40 Bags in 40 Days challenge I have a HUGE pile of stuff priced and ready to go in my own garage sale. I am hoping to set up next week, though if the current weather conditions continue into next week that will not be possible. I'm just watching the weather conditions and waiting - as are my siblings and cousins who will be including their own items. It may happen on the spur of the moment. 

Whenever the sale happens, my goal is to set aside all my proceeds to use for my own garage sale and thrift shopping this coming summer. Money is tighter now and by doing that I won't be drawing from the family budget. I also plan to continue being much more selective in what I do buy, only purchasing items I truly need and love. It's amazing what deals can be found while garage sailing and I hope to highlight the fun finds here on the blog. I'll update on my own garage sale once it's happening. :)
 

The More of Less

I've been reading a lot of minimalist as well as organizing books recently so I tried not to compare  The More of Less by Joshua Becker but it's only natural to note the pros and cons of each book in my mind.

The second half of this book didn't do a whole lot for me as it discussed the purging part of the process, but not nearly in as much detail as the KonMari method. Having already read the latter book before reading this one I didn't take away anything new, though someone else may.

The first half of the book was fascinating to me. As a Pastor Becker does sometimes write from a spiritual standpoint (which I enjoyed) but I don't think his way would be off putting to anyone. He writes about the excess in America and how we could live with so much less and find our passions and purposes under all that stuff. He clearly points out that his viewpoint of minimalism is not about paring down your possessions to the bare minimum but rather to only own what you love.  That journey will be different for everyone - one person may find joy and happiness in their hundreds of books while another may only own a Kindle. 

He goes on to point out that at some point we often go from owning something to it owning us. For example, is buying a 5,000sqf house important if you have to spend all your time at work to pay for it? This book includes real stories of real people who decided to give up some (or almost all!) of their stuff in order to have what they truly want - the freedom to travel from country to country, donating proceeds to charity, saving money or getting out of debt, or even just having less stress. Yes, stuff is stressful. 

This book goes deep. It's not just about "having a clean house, but rather a full life".

This book was given to me by Blogging for Books in exchange for my honest review. 
 

Having a Martha Home the Mary Way

I may just be collecting all of Sarah Mae's books, because her third book, Having a Martha Home the Mary Way is just as good as her previous two (Longing for Paris and Desperate -with Sally Clarkson). 

This book will give you 31 days to a clean house and a satisfied soul. Each day gives personal insight into Mae's own life, a daily reading or two with added devotional questions, and a "to-do" list.

While I've been implementing the Konmari method to get my home clutter-free, this book will be helping me with daily tasks that sometimes just feel overwhelming. 

Ultimately Mae convinces us that it is not a clean house that defines good homemaking, but rather a warm, inviting place that is filled with love. 

That is something that most mothers need to hear. I've given up on having a perfect home while the children are small. Especially since we are essentially home 24/7 together and busy with life - our home is lived in and looks it, too. Some days it's cleaner than others. Some days it falls into a category 5 tornado zone. 

That's okay. Mae teaches us to be gentle with ourselves as well as being gentle with others. I want our kids to be comfortable in their own home and not for it to be museum-like. But I also want to be comfortable with inviting someone over on a moment's notice and not be ashamed at the condition of the house. So this book encourages us to give up perfection but also keep up with some expectations of how we want our house to be. A nice, gentle middle ground.

I love Mae's style of writing because she talks "with us", not "down to us". It's a very easy book to follow with short daily chapters and easy to-do lists. 

Now on to cleaning the microwave and refrigerator today. :/ 

This book was given to me by Tyndale Publishing in exchange for my honest review.
 

Spark Joy

If you follow me on Instagram or Facebook (links to both over there-------------------->) you have seen that after finishing up Marie Kondo's The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up I started on her second book Spark Joy. Her books can be summed up with her quote, “Discarding is not the point; what matters is keeping those things that bring you joy. If you discard everything until you have nothing left but an empty house, I don’t think you’ll be happy living there. Our goal in tidying should be to create a living environment filled with the things we love.”

The goal is to go through your whole house, in very specific steps (KonMari), and only keep the things that "spark joy" for you. Which essentially means that you will be discarding a lot, but only so your house can end up sparking joy for you.

Spark Joy shows what the first book spelled out, but in much more detail and with illustrations. So while the second book is not a must have if you have read the first it does go to the next step and helpful for those who are not quite clear what Kondo was explaining in words when pictures are more helpful.

The book itself is a bit humorous, though not intended to be that way. I laughed several times when Kondo explained how socks don't like to be balled up and prefer to rest. Or how we need to welcome our house each day when we arrive home. How about wishing each of our items goodbye as we throw them away. I have to remind myself that she is from a different culture which does things differently. Otherwise it just seemed way too "new age" for me.

Starting with clothes you go through each and every piece you own (she recommends you only doing your own items - and letting others do theirs). If you decide you love that piece and it sparks joy, keep it. If not, get rid of it. Once you decide what to keep you fold it up in a certain way which really does save a whole lot of space in your drawers and looks more organized as well.

Then you move on to books, misc., and lastly memorabilia and photos. 

It seriously works. After one week of off and on work my bedroom is finally finished! This was my view this afternoon as I took a 5 second break towards the end of the task:         

This is my shirt drawer:

And my pants drawer (I think I can purge a couple more pairs!):

My bedroom looks amazing! The closet is completely organized, my dresser drawers have been thinned out and make it easy for putting clothing away now. My tween even peeked into the drawers and said "this looks fun!" and went straight to her room and started weeding through her clothing. I got rid of almost 1/2 my wardrobe (and donated it to the clothes closet at the church) and realized that most of what I had did not spark joy and was rarely, if ever, worn. What a waste of money and space that was. I think this will help me in my future purchases as well, really asking myself if something "sparks joy".

Now it's time for me to weed through my books. This will be a hard challenge!

This book was given to me by Blogging for Books in exchange for my honest review.

Homemade Bath Bombs

I love LUSH bath bombs. Unfortunately fortunately for my wallet the closest one is about 3 hours away. I have wanted to try my hand at making my own.

 

It was actually extremely easy. Mine don't look as pretty yet (I haven't used special molds, just the bottom of cupcake liners) but they sure smell and work fantastic. I told you I was having fun with my essential oils!

1 c. baking soda
1/2 c. citrus acid
2 T. epsom salts
1 t. water
3 T. coconut oil
several drops of essential oils of your choice 
 Food coloring or natural dye (optional)

Mix the dry ingredients in one bowl. Mix the wet in a separate bowl. Add wet to dry and incorporate. Mixture should feel like wet sand, if you need more moisture add a few more drops of water until it feels right. Pack down tightly into molds (I used muffin liners set in a muffin pan). Let sit overnight or for about 24 hours. Take out of molds and store somewhere dry (I store mine in a glass jar). Place on under running bath water and enjoy.

I used a relaxing blend of essential oils and the smell is divine. The possibilities are endless. I plan to mix and match with colors, scents, and even add dried flowers this summer. I was able to make 9 bath bombs for around $4, where the LUSH bombs are about $5 each. You can find the oil as well as the citrus acid on Amazon: 
 

Scent Booster

There is a reason that products such as laundry scent boosters exist. I admit that I love the scent of dryer sheets, Downy, and all those other yummy smelling products. When I get a strong whiff of fabric softener on someone's clothes I enjoy it just as much as an expensive perfume. I try not to use these types of products as I know that they are artificial scents and not healthy to be soaking our clothing in. 

In the summer it's easy enough for me to avoid these as the scent of fresh sunshine on my clothing from hanging it on the clothesline is the best smell ever. In the winter it's a little more difficult. Our laundry can smell a bit blah with no scent at all.

Which is why I am having so much fun with essential oils! Adding scent, which is natural, is a fun way to liven up the senses. I read about using this Insect Shield from Plant Therapy

as a scent booster in the laundry. While the ingredients in it are great for mixing up your own bug spray (which I plan to do this summer!) they are also similar to Young Living Oil Purification blend which is amazing for freshening up the air, carpets, clothing, etc. It smells like Nels Fatha soap to me. Adding just a couple drops to a washer load of clothing (along with your usual detergent) leaves everything with a delectable scent.  
  

Essential Oils

Essential Oils have been the rage for several years now. While the "hippies" have been using them for decades, the rise in popularity really started when the multi-level marketing companies Young Living and doTerra oils were founded. All of a sudden my Facebook feed was filled with sales pitches and advertisements but guess what...those oils are expensive!! Multi-level marketing always is - because the company is selling the oils and paying the marketers as well.

You can get pure essential oils at a reasonable price. I googled and researched and finally settled upon Plant Therapy oils, which are high quality oils at a great price (this is not a paid endorsement for them!). 

I'm learning my way with oils and will share along the way with ways that I'm finding them useful. The oil I am most familiar with is Tea Tree oil. It's a great disinfectant so can be used in most household cleaners. It's also great for teenage skin or anyone who has troublesome blemishes. My new favorite recipe is Natural Toilet Bowl cleaner. 

 

All you need is:
1/2 c. baking soda
1/4 c. distilled white vinegar
10 drops of Tea Tree Oil

I pour the baking soda in the toilet bowl, add the drops of the oil, then pour the vinegar in. I shut the lid as it fizzes and cleans and about 10 minutes later go back to scrub and swish the bowl and flush. It leaves a sparkly bowl which is disinfected. 

If you have a lot of lime build up in your bowl you will need to deeply scrub the first time around, or even use a pumice stone. But after getting it sparkling the above recipe will take care of your toilet bowl if you use it on a weekly basis! 

In With the New...

While I didn't make New Year's Resolutions this year there are areas of my life that I am working on anew. 

*Clearing clutter. This has been my goal for years, as you all know. In a house that is filled with crafty homeschooled kids who love to read it is an ongoing issue. Books, papers, and projects are always around. Tying in with some of my other goals - a deep household purge is in order.

I started the year off right by cleaning out our chest freezer and listing it on a local buy/sell/trade sight. It sold immediately.

That cleared up a big space in the kitchen and is saving us money with less electricity used. We just haven't needed such a large freezer the past couple years so out with something that was no longer beneficial to our family. And a little extra into our savings account.

*Budgeting is in full swing. Every single purchase is being written down this month. Every single dollar spent, as well as every single dollar saved. It will be interesting for me to review it at the end of the month and figure out a wise budget for the year. 

*A more healthful year with eating and exercising. The motivation of being the maid of honor at my sister's upcoming summer wedding will be helpful. :)

It helps to just be more mindful of areas in my life. I'll update off and on with my progress in these areas!
 

New Year Must Haves

One of my favorite things to do between Christmas and New Years is to get my life organized a bit. You know, taking down the Christmas decor, cleaning up all the wrapping paper bits and boxes, getting the kids rooms organized. But most of all, getting my calendars, planners, and so on ready for the new year.

My husband and mom know me well. For years they have gotten me calendars and journals for Christmas gifts. My New Year's Eve tradition (probably 20 years running now) is to sit by candle light and open my calendars and work on adding important birthdays, anniversaries, etc. So exciting, right?! My kids must have gotten that weirdo gene from me because they now ask for calendars for Christmas and do the same.

I have a monthly budget sheet printed out ready for January as we are going to pay close attention to the money we spend and the money we save. 

We have plans to buy an acreage within the next couple years. Since we recently paid off our house, it is time to start building up a down payment for when we do find that perfect place for us. After looking at prices of places I think we realize that we will need a bit more than we originally thought for the type of place we have in mind. While we await the perfect place to pop up on the market we will also be fixing this house up to be sell ready. So a careful budget for the next few years is a must.

My mom gave me a delightful Bible journal for my morning studies. 

My calendars will hold special dates and the daily journal will hold daily life notes.

The One Year Home & Garden Devotions by Sandra Byrd "offers an encouraging, applicable, sometimes humorous, and always personal word each day for contemporary women of all ages who delight in being busy at home." 

Each month starts out with a recipe, household tip, or gardening hint. Daily you'll read a Bible Verse and then get a glimpse into Byrd's life with a story, reflection, or life lesson. Whether it is about friendship, gardening, homemaking, marriage, or life - you'll feel encouraged to go about your day with a little refreshment and see things with new eyes. 

Just by flipping through this I am really looking forward to making it a part of my morning devotions! (This book was given to me by Tyndale Publishing in exchange for my honest review.) 

My friend knows me well as she gave me this daily desktop coloring calendar. 

I still use the Whitney English Day Planner as well. So, yes, I have my little daily rituals and these are the items that I depend on each New Year to get me organized and on track!

Do you have any New Year must-haves? 
  

A Snappy Side Table

This past spring I picked up this beverage cart at a thrift store for $10.

I had plans on painting it white and using it on the porch for potted plants. It sat in the garage waiting for some inspiration to hit.

This past weekend I moved some furniture in the living room around and realized that I was now in need of an end table. 

Inspiration finally hit.

I put hubby to work on "my project" (yeah, it pretty much was his project as he did all the work for me!). 

I wanted a shabby chic feel to it and love the color of the paint he chose and the distressing that he did.

It fits in with our shabby chic little corner (I'm not sure what's up with the lighting in this photo...I couldn't turn the lamp on or there was too much of a glare...so just roll with it. :)

I'm going to find the perfect little basket for underneath and this is where we can store books and magazines. 

The nice thing is that this little side table can easily be rolled out to the middle of the room and it's sides can be expanded to make a large table for movie night. Add a tray of drinks and a big bowl of popcorn and it will come in extra handy. 

$10 table, a $3 can of spray paint, and a little imagination goes a long way.
 

Complete + Happy Home

“A complete and happy home is so much more than a series of pretty rooms. Between these two covers, we’ve captured everything we’ve learned at Apartment Therapy about decorating, organizing, cleaning, and repairs, so you can make and maintain your own fabulous home.” —from the Introduction of Apartment Therapy; Complete + Happy Home by Maxwell Ryan & Janel Laban

I love home decorating and organizing books. I love peeks into people's homes, peeks into their style, peeks into who they are (because you can tell a lot about a person by their home).

This book fits the bill for eye candy when it comes to interiors. Just look at those gorgeous kitchens!

Though I long ago figured out that my decorating style is a bit of whimsy and a lot of vintage, paired with a teeny amount of kitsch (seriously!) this book just sealed the deal for me when it described the one bedroom I loved with the title "The world-of-whimsy bedroom" (I'll take everything but the creepy cat!).

It also has helpful fix-it-yourself tips, a handy monthly home calendar, and so much more.

This is a great coffee table book just to ogle over. My two year old even sits in bed and "reads" this book, pointing out rooms that she wants!

This book was sent to me by Blogging for Books in exchange for my honest opinion.
 

A Space of Their Own

When we were at Faith's Lodge everyone was drawn to the art room. Crafts were at the ready, paint and brushes were accessible for ease of use. Having it there, right at your fingertips, makes creation flow.

So I decided when we returned home that we would have a little corner of our own and got to work creating a space that is open to the kids. As long as they clean up their mess when finished they are free to use whatever, whenever, if it's on/in this desk. 

Like moths to a flame they flocked. 

Amy got her paint on.

Joe and Amy worked with markers and stickers.

While Becca said the desk is too small for her she loves the ease of grabbing an art medium and running to her room to create.

I look forward to switching up the crafts on the table. Letting the kids explore with clay, watercolors, pencils, beads, and more.  Watching the budding artists emerge.
 

Create Porch Decor

When I bought a mirror with a pretty blue frame at a garage sale for 50 cents I had plans to put it up in the girl's room. It would match the yellow one already in there quite well.

Plans change when the mirror got broken (shhhh...don't tell Joe about the seven years of bad luck!). I decided to re-purpose it into a craft for the porch.  

After buying the letter F at Wal-Mart for $1.95 I had Ben paint it grey with paint that we already had. Then I used yellow washi tape that I already had to make stripes. We Hubby then hung them separately on the siding. A very quick (less than an hour) and inexpensive (total was about $3) project!

Instead of throwing something away, look at the item in a different way to see what it could be turned into instead. You know, when life gives you lemons...make lemonade. Or when children brake mirrors, get creative... 

Edited to add: a close up of the letter for Gill who asked in the comments. Excuse the raindrops on the letter...we had a huge thunderstorm right before I snapped the photo.

 

Purge

This weekend seemed like a good time to purge excess clutter around the house. I was in a grouchy mood and felt like I was walking around, as well as tripping on, piles of stuff.

So I took everything out of the dining room (besides the furniture, that is), and then slowly brought it back in. By doing that I was able to see what items I didn't want in there. What items I didn't love. What items were just stuff, instead of needed/wanted things.

Therefore, I was left with a very basic, minimalistic dining room that feels more open, more light, more useful. 

(Why this picture is slanted I do not know.)

It contains my little corner shelf. My dining table. And my buffet which holds the kid's school items. That's it. 

Perfection!

One bag of stuff ready to be donated. One room down. A million left to go!

On a side note, we also cleaned out part of the garage and got rid of a pile of stuff on the curb. I'm glad someone else is able to make use of the items and glad we have some cleared space.

Life, Lately

*Today my husband works his last day at the job he has held for 9 years. Next week he will be on to bigger and better things. More on that later!

*Becca took her end of year CAT tests. She scored pretty good, except in math. Which just reiterates that we will be continuing math through the summer. One of the many benefits of homeschooling.

I made violet jelly this year. The color is so beautiful. Unfortunately, I think I added too much liquid, which means it didn't jell as much as jelly should. Never fear though, it will be used as a simple syrup in drinks and on ice cream and pancakes. And I'll know to follow directions better next year.   

I also made strawberry rhubarb jam. That turned out perfectly and I can't wait to pull it out this winter and have a taste of spring in my mouth. I'm using our huge excess of rhubarb to make deserts and yumminess. A new favorite is this strawberry rhubarb crisp. We go through a whole dish of it for a snack! 

Joe has been practicing on his new skate board that he received for his 7th birthday. I imagine soon enough he will be doing tricks and turns and ready for the skate park down the street. 

I haven't bought a package of disposable diapers for over two months. Except for a few day trips, she has been solely wearing cloth diapers. It's saving loads of money, is better on her skin, and just makes the clothesline look pretty. I'm so glad for the sunny weather again, too, to catch up on all the laundry. My electric bill is happy as well, going down by $20-$30 now with the clothesline usage.