Clutter and organization. They are the two forces battling for our attention, our space and our time. Each wants to be in control. Each fights the other. By stopping clutter before it even gets in the door, we can help organization win the epic struggle. The biggest player on the clutter team? Paper: junk mail, newspapers, fliers. Save a tree and check out these tips to ensure that organization wins. Every time.
1. Junk mail fills our mailboxes daily. Some estimates say over 15 pounds worth a month. That’s just crazy. If you are in a rush and just dump the mail in a pile on the table in the front hall or your kitchen counter, it can overtake you in a matter of days. Fight back. Take your mailbox back. Most fliers have contact phone numbers for people interested in advertising. Call them and request to be taken off the list. Leave a note for your mail carrier and ask then not to deliver the grocery fliers on your day.
2. Pay online. Set aside an evening to switch your accounts to online bill pay. You not only eliminate the paper bills coming in but also the need to send some of your own out. Plus, you save on that stamp each and every month. Some companies will even reward you for going paperless by taking a few dollars off your next bill!
3. Call your bank and any investment companies you use and request that they switch to paperless billing. It’s simple, really. They will just send you an email each month instead and you can access it online, at your leisure.
4. Cancel your newspaper service. This includes taking the time to call those freebie newspapers that end up under your bushes. If you don’t read them, cancel them.
5. While you’re outside, digging newspapers out of your begonias, tape a sign to your front door. Nothing too obnoxious, just a small, typed note that requests no fliers be left. Maybe “No Soliciting”. It really is nice not to have to grab all those pizza fliers off the front door and to no longer be interrupted by a nervous teen selling who-knows-what during the big game on Saturday.
6. Catalogs. Personally, I love them. Unfortunately, they add to the clutter in my mailbox, then they pile up on the kitchen counter until I move them to my office, where they sit, collecting dust. Forever. You can do one of two things. Contact catalogchoice.org and ask them to make it stop. One quick sign up and *poof*. No more junk. Or, if you cannot live without your Pottery Barn catalog (who me?), try to take a nice 20 minute break and rip out all the pages that interest you. Set them in a folder, nice, neat and out of the way. Wait a week. Pull the folder out and look again. If you still love it, put it in a plastic sleeve and into a 3 ring binder to save for inspiration. If not, toss it. A few pages torn out is better than a bunch of glossy catalogs sliding around on your desk.
7. Magazines, while not technically junk mail, can definitely add to the clutter. You can invest in those storage sleeves from retailers like The Container Store, try the 3 ring binder technique above or you can cancel altogether. Did you know magazines can be delivered digitally? It’s a great excuse to buy that Kindle you’ve been eyeing, right?!
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In this post, Noel Christmas Decor, is an amazing step-by-step tutorial (with pictures – gotta have those pictures, if you’re anything like me!) on how to create this beautiful wall hanging! Be sure to compare the home-made version with the Pottery Barn one and see how similar they are – but yours can cost just a fraction of the price!
Check out the list recommended over at Life As Mom. Kids learn so much during the time that we spend reading to them. I’m always on the look-out for a good book to read to our little ones, especially books that teach them something about real life. With Thanksgiving just a couple of weeks away, I’m excited to head to the library and look for these book ideas.
I can’t help but be inspired and fall in love with these beautiful felt cookies for the kiddos! Now, I have a little one that I think might just chow down, even though the felt didn’t taste yummy – just because they look so tasty! So, I think I’ll save these for a little further down the road in our house – but what a beautiful gift these would make! If you’re looking for an inexpensive but still really cool gift idea, be sure to check out more on all the felt cookie-making options and ideas you can do.
If you’re trying to save money or pay off debt, then it helps to follow a number of tried and tested budgeting tips. Although you may not think you need a budget, putting one together will help prevent overspending: you’ll always know where your money is going and where you need to cut down. Here are a few budgeting tips that’ll help you create and stick to that budget.
Spend Cash Only
One of the simplest budgeting tips is to spend cash only – it really works! When we spend money on credit or debit cards, we aren’t physically aware of how much we have left. Drawing out enough cash to last for the week will keep you more in tune with what you’re spending, and make you think twice before reaching for the credit card.
Always Have Something To Look Forward To
When you create your budget it’s easy to think of things as they would be in a perfect world. You’d have extreme willpower and never be tempted to stray from your budget. Reality isn’t so simple! Even if you do originally have the willpower, you’ll find it hard to stick to it if you never have anything to look forward to. Always remember to include some space for “fun” in your budget.
Note Down Exactly How Much Things Cost
Most of us have a rough idea of how much things cost, but it’s important to be exact when making a budget. This doesn’t just include prices for groceries – the best budgeting tips also look at larger outgoings such as electricity and telephone services. We often pay for these without really considering what we’re spending. Monitor exactly what goes out of your account every month so you have a budget you can really trust. And keep monitoring even after you’ve put your budget together (it helps to stop you overspending).
Cut Out Wasteful Expenses
Following on from the point above, if you’re careful to monitor your expenses constantly you’ll probably start to notice that you’re spending money on things you don’t need. This could be a subscription to a magazine, DVD rentals, extra money on snacks or anything else. Be firm with yourself – if it’s not necessary, cut it out.
Don’t Be Afraid To Ask For Help
No matter what kind of situation you’re in, there is help available to you. If you’re in debt, take advantage of debt charities to help you develop a plan to pay it off. And if you find you can’t afford a bill, always tell your creditor as soon as you know.
These budgeting tips will only work if you take the time to put together a detailed budget first. Go through all of your expenses – even the money you spend on the things you don’t need – and compare it to your income. Being as detailed as possible, and sticking to the tips above, will give you the best possible chance of making your budget a success.
If you want to save money on food then the groceries aren’t the only area to consider. You also need to think about what you eat when you’re away from the home. Just because you’re living on a budget doesn’t mean you won’t eat out, and there are many ways to save money when you do.
Drink Water: If you want to save some money when you go out to eat, don’t buy a drink. Ask for a glass of tap water instead. It’s free and is usually a lot healthier than the alternative choices.
Lunch: If you usually buy your lunch when you’re at work then start saving money today by making the decision to make your own lunch at least one day per week. It’s not too much extra effort, but you’ll soon see the savings start to add up. And, you never know, it might even convince you to start bringing in a home made lunch more often.
Restaurant Coupons: Even if you live a strictly frugal life, it’s important to treat yourself every now and again. Going out for a meal can make for a lovely night out, and you can help reduce the cost by searching for restaurant coupons online. There are now a huge number of websites offering these deals, so keep your eye out for a bargain.
Bring Your Own Alcohol: More and more restaurants will now allow you to bring your own alcohol. This is a fantastic way to save money, by avoiding the inflated prices most restaurants charge for drinks. It’s usual for restaurants to charge a small “corkage fee”, but you’ll still make huge savings and have just as much fun as you normally would when eating out!
Share Food: Do you usually come away feeling like you’ve eaten way too much after a meal out? Most of us do, so why not share? You don’t have to share the main course, but you could save some money by sharing the starter or dessert. You’ll still be full, you just won’t have to spend so much.
Have Dessert At Home: Desserts are another way for restaurants to get a big chunk of extra cash out of you. Why not have dessert when you get home? It’s easy to buy some ready made desserts to have ready for when you get back. And, by then, you may decide you’re too full anyway!
Go Out For A Meal At Lunchtime: If you have a flexible schedule, then you’ll save money on food by going out an lunch instead of dinner. Most restaurants discount their normal menu at this time of day, and there’s something special to be said for taking a long lunch.
Save On Kids Meals: Many restaurants offer special deals for families. Look for places where kids eat free, or at a reduced rate, to help save your overall costs.
Eat Out, At Home: Try something different – get all the ingredients you need for a gourmet meal and bring the restaurant experience to your home. You’ll still save money on food even when buying fancy ingredients. If you really don’t want to go to the effort of cooking, order take out instead.
If you’re looking for a fun and pretty way to create excitement with your kiddos about the upcoming Turkey Day, be sure to check out this simple idea! I like this idea so much because it looks easy enough for even me to make it. Check out the variations and then the tutorial for making this pretty Turkey Countdown. Then, start hearing about what your kids are thankful for each day – and share with them what you’re grateful for, too!
I found another fun Thanksgiving idea I just had to share. Check out these fun Turkey Pops for the kids! You make them just like s’mores but add some fun extras to make these yummy treats look just like little turkeys. Consider handing these out at your kids’ next event or save them for Thanksgiving Day and let them help hold your kids over for the big dinner.
This free printable template is such a fun way to create your Thanksgiving Conversation Starters! Some of these are a bit on the silly side so be sure to judge your audience and choose the ones that would be best received. Then, cut up these cute cards and set them out on your Thanksgiving table to keep the conversation flowing!
Thanks to the Happy Home Fairy for posting about these!
Before I had small children, I never would have imagined how complicated mealtime can be. Finding meals that they like and will eat without any complaints can be a tricky thing – so when I saw the recipe for these Breakfast Cookies, I thought how fun is that!?! We’ll have to mix up a batch of these to have on hand for those mornings when there isn’t time for more breakfast prep. Or, I might just add these to the side of the kids’ bowls of oatmeal for a fun surprise.
Whatever the case, these are healthier than a lot of the store bought cereals and a whole lot cheaper to serve!
