Organizing
Conquering the Kitchen {The Big Spring Clean, Part 4}
Hopefully by now you are all enjoying the fruits of your Big Spring Clean labor and your home is now relatively dirt and clutter free. Doesn’t it feel GOOD? Of course if you are anything like me, there may be one room that looks tidy on the surface, but that is secretly haunting you behind closed cabinet doors. It’s not that we don’t want to keep our kitchens neat and organized, but so often the hustle & bustle of every day life gets in the way. We rush to put away groceries without bothering–or having time–to throw out the items no longer edible. We open multiple packages of the same ... read more
Clearing the Clutter {The Big Spring Clean, Part 1}
Okay, so technically Spring doesn’t start for another 12 days but I figured I needed to start now to give you (and myself) a little time to gear up for The Big Spring Clean. This year I thought it would be fun to do a spring cleaning series for a little extra motivation, breaking the process into manageable steps so that by the end of the month, our homes all sparkle. You with me? Good! We are going to start by clearing the clutter. But first, a riddle: What do you get when you take one shopaholic-turned-coupon fanatic and one guy who hates to get rid of anything, then add ... read more
How I Get My Kids to Clean Their Room
I haven’t talked about it much but for the past year or so an epic struggle has been waging in the Soukup household. It is Mommy versus Kids in the War of the Tidy Room, and while there are still small battles being fought now and then, I can finally say with confidence that I am winning. I am not exaggerating when I tell you it has been a long and arduous and, at times, downright painful campaign. It has involved tears, threats, bribes, rewards, games, countless trips to the naughty stool, and more reorganizing, reevaluating, relabeling, and retraining than I would care to admit. At one point it even ... read more
Organize Your Bathroom {Day Thirteen}
This is the thirteenth day of my 31 Days of Living Well & Spending Zero challenge. To read all the posts in order, start with Day One or visit the Overview Page. * * * There is no room I dread cleaning more than the bathroom. Ugh! It’s not really the daily cleaning that I hate. Scrubbing the toilets and soap scum–although far from pleasant–are manageable, especially since I am a fan of daily speed cleaning to avoid any major bathroom nastiness build-up. No, what I really take issue with is not the cleaning, it’s the keeping it organized. It is figuring out to do with all those ... read more
Organize Your Bedroom Closet {Day Twelve}
This is the twelfth day of my 31 Days of Living Well & Spending Zero challenge. To read all the posts in order, start with Day One or visit the Overview Page. * * * We’ve only got 2 days left of cleaning projects and then we are going to move on to the FUN stuff, I promise! I so appreciate you all hanging in there with me and tackling these organizing projects this week. Hopefully by this point your homes–and your psyche–are starting to feel more orderly. Don’t forget to keep things neat and tidy by taking a few minutes each day to pick up clutter & ... read more
Organize Your Home Office {Day Eleven}
This is the eleventh day of my 31 Days of Living Well & Spending Zero challenge. To read all the posts in order, start with Day One or visit the Overview Page. * * * Whether your office is a whole separate room in your house or simply a tiny corner of your bedroom, keeping your bills & paperwork neat and tidy is pretty essential. When my office is a mess and my bills are piled high, unopened, it becomes so overwhelming that the easier choice is to simply ignore my finances altogether. I fool myself into thinking everything is just fine, which ultimately leads to more spending. ... read more
Clean Your Kids’ Room {Day Ten}
This is the tenth day of my 31 Days of Living Well & Spending Zero challenge. To read all the posts in order, start with Day One or visit the Overview Page. * * * Can you believe we’ve already made it almost 1/3 of the way through this challenge? If you completed yesterday’s assignment, doesn’t it feel great to start the day with a clean house? (Side Note: If you didn’t have a chance to complete the assignment yet then don’t get down on yourself! The tasks presented during this challenge are meant to use as a guideline and motivation as you make your way through ... read more
Organize Your Pantry {Day Two}
This is the second day of my 31 Days of Living Well & Spending Zero challenge. To read all the posts in order, start with Day One or visit the Overview Page. * * * I should probably warn you from the start: we are going to be doing a lot of cleaning, organizing, & inventory-ing this month! (I never said it was going to be easy!) One of our main goals for the month is to get into the habit of using what we have, rather than buying more. Another goal is to realize and appreciate all that we DO have, which is easier to do when our things ... read more
Simple Joys {5 Ways to Simplify Your Life Right Now}
It has been several weeks since I started Project Simplify 365 and already I feel like my life has changed. As I look around my house, I can see the tangible results of my effort, but the biggest change, I think, is the intangible one: the deep sense of inner peace that has settled over me In a word, I feel renewed. It isn’t so much that I’ve managed to do one thing each day, as that I took the time to write out my goals and priorities. I refer back to that list almost daily and it keeps me focused on the things that matter most. I still have ... read more
Crafty Inspiration {Cleanliness is Next to Craftiness}
One of my goals for the year is to spend more time doing crafts and other creative things (like finding things to fill my very empty walls and adding a little color to my oh-so-vanilla home decor!) I was hoping to do a project this week, but my plans were thwarted by annoyingly practical husband. Ever had a conversation like this? Me: I think I’ll stop by the craft store today to look for a new project [translation: I'm feeling restless & want to avoid all the things I should be doing at home] Husband: [looking like his head might explode] No. Way. Have you SEEN your craft closet? Me: ... read more
LWSL Holiday Planning Guide {Free Printable}
The holidays are right around the corner! I don’t know about you , but my feelings are mixed. On the one hand, I truly love this time of year, but at the same time, I can’t help feel a little stressed. There are so many expectations! So many things to do! So many things to buy! As my girls get older, I am finding it increasingly important to keep my priorities in check. I want them to grow up knowing the true meaning of Christmas, not being caught up in the commercialism of it all. I want them to remember happy memories with our family, the special traditions and the ... read more
10 Thrifty Ideas for Getting Organized
I am headed off to NYC (for the first time EVER!) this morning to attend Save Up ’11 with my fellow Savings.com DealPros. Can I just tell you how excited I am? Tomorrow all 50 of us will be posting our unique Savings Stories on our respective blogs, so be sure to come back and check out my personal story of learning how to be the thrifty girl I am today! Getting prepared for this has definitely been a challenge! I’m sure any of you moms who have travelled before can relate to the massive coordination that goes on to make sure your kids will be cared for, dressed, chauffeured, and fed ... read more
A Little Organization {in an Otherwise Chaotic World}
Life has been a little hectic lately. I feel beyond blessed that this little blogging project of mine has taken off, and I honestly couldn’t ask for a better job. I LOVE waking up in the morning to a day full of writing & finding hot coupons & helping others save. I look forward to reading your comments and emails, and there is almost nothing about doing this work that I don’t enjoy. But I have been BUSY! I’ve had to let a lot of things around the house slide. Husband definitely pitches in and does a lot to help out, but because he is super busy with work ... read more
5 Simple Strategies For Staying Organized
If you are anything like me, the concept of home organization is a journey, not a destination. Over the years, I have bought lots of books on the subject, some better than others. (For the record, in my opinion the hands-down best, most life changing book on organization I have read thus far is The Organizing Sourcebook : Nine Strategies for Simplifying Your Life. I read it over a year ago and I still refer back to it almost every single day.) I am an eternal optimist, so I can’t help believing that someday every closet, drawer, cupboard, file cabinet, box, vehicle, and any other imaginable space will be the ... read more
10 Tips for Getting More Done Every Single Day
I have a confession. The list of things I want and need to do is always much longer than the list of things I actually accomplish. I can’t do it all. I wish I could. I am constantly striving. But at the end of the day, I’m usually just a girl who drops more balls than I catch. And I’m okay with that. You may remember that my New Year’s resolution this year was to do less and enjoy more. This is such a hard concept for me. There are so many things I want to do that I have a hard time slowing down, cutting things out, and not ... read more
