This Home Holiday Checklist will help save you stress this December.

 

This is our final cleaning and organizing post for the year, I hope it has helped you get some things in order and taken some stress off you. We are going to finish up strong and enjoy the end of this year and look forward to a new year! We are working on Christmas preparation for your home (or the holiday you celebrate)  You can repeat these daily quick cleaning and organizing tips again this next year to keep on top of those tasks that are sometimes forgotten!

Take it one small task at a time throughout the year with our series and you can tackle it all easily! We want to help you clean and organize your home the way that works best for you! We have been working on getting ready for the holidays that last few months and these final daily tasks should help you have less stress this holiday season.

Most tasks should take 15 – 30 minutes. If it works for you do each task on the corresponding date, if not just use it as a list of tasks, some days you may get more than one done. You may wish to take off the weekend and double up on weekdays or vice versa. I want you to be successful so do what works best for you. We only gave you 25 tasks this month so you can catch up if need be.

My friend’s over at Grove Collective made a special cleaning offer for my readers.

You can items FREE from Grove Collaborative when you place your first order of $20 using my link.

New customers will get the holiday set

• Free Mrs. Meyer’s holiday hand soap
• Free Mrs. Meyer’s holiday dish soap
• Free Mrs. Meyer’s holiday multi-surface spray
• Grove Collaborative red caddy
• Grove Collaborative walnut scrubber sponges

Plus, if you spend $39, you’ll also receive a free Grove stoneware tray to beautifully display your new holiday soaps.

Existing customers will get free Grove walnut scrubber sponges, which are perfect for all your cleaning needs.

Check out this special cleaning offer

It is so handy to have cleaning products come right to your doorstep and they make it easy to cancel auto shipments so you can just order whenever you want or you can easily cancel.

Sign up a the end of this article to get your free Clean and Organize List for Every Month This Year

 

December Savvy Cleaning and Organizing – Home Holiday Checklist

1. Launder and put away fall linens and dishes– if you didn’t already at the end of November finish putting away out of season items.
2. Make your list and check it twice– Maybe you are already done Christmas shopping, good for you! Take today off, if not make a list of what you have bought and what still needs to be picked up. Need gift ideas? Check out the list of gift ideas for all ages. You might want to pin this too since these gift ideas are great for birthdays and other holidays.
3. Start a file for Christmas receipts– Doing this will help you keep track of your spending, make returns/exchanges easier, and keep your counter and desk clean.
4. Dust off and polish the mantle– Let’s get it ready for those stockings and other decor items that will set the holiday mood.
5. Sort through holiday decorations– As you bring out ornaments and other decor instead of repacking items you have not used in years set them aside for donations. Only keep those items you love and use.
6. Wrap gifts as you bring them home– Doing this simple thing will keep your holiday from overwhelming you and keep your shopping and wrapping organized. If you have other items not wrapped yet, catch up today.
7. Thin out your movie collection– While you’re bringing out the Christmas movies make sure all your dvds have case, toss the empty cases and scratched movies. Donate or place unloved ones in a yard sale box.
8. Make a batch of holiday stove potpourri– Make up a mason jar of holiday scent to keep your house smelling festive throughout the entire season. Just grab distilled water and whatever you have on hand- orange or lemon slices, cinnamon sticks, vanilla, cloves, allspice, etc… Mix it up in the jar and keep it on hand. To use: pour some in a pot and simmer on low on the stove.
9. Empty out your purse– Switch to a new winter color or wipe down the outside and inside with a damp cloth. Spray with cleaner and allow to air out overnight. Reorganize the contents.
10. Purge in the kids’ rooms– Help the kids spend 15 minutes sorting toys- toss broken items choose at least 5 things to donate.
11. Create your holiday dinner menu– Make a list of all items you need for the store, spend 15 minutes tidying up the pantry while you check off items on your shopping list.
12. Water the Christmas Tree– If you haven’t been doing so, water the tree well. This will help keep pine needle droppings to a minimum and cut back on your work. Have an artificial tree, spend 15 minutes tidying a hot spot in your home.
13. Create a Christmas morning basket– Batteries, tape, trash bags for wrapping paper, scissors, and tuck your camera in also so you are not scrambling for it last minute! If you don’t have extra batteries or trash bags on hand. Order them today so you don’t have to run out later.
14. Stock the guest bathroom with plenty of fresh towels, toilet paper, and spray– Be sure that your bathroom is guest ready for any entertaining that you might do. Did you know that Amazon will deliver toilet paper right to your home and at a great price?
15. Go through kitchen towels and pot holders– Toss worn out hand towels, pot holders, and rags. Pick up a pretty new set or two for the holidays.
16. Freshen up the couch and chairs– Before holiday entertaining begins give your sitting areas a freshening up. Vacuum out under the cushion well and saturate cushions and throw pillows with fabric refresher.
17. Wash all throw rugs throughout the house– Right before your holiday gatherings, washing them will add to the fresh clean smell in your home.
18. Dust shelves, knick-knacks, books– Give all surfaces a quick but thorough dusting.
19. Empty the fridge of leftovers, wipe down shelves– You are gonna have it stocked soon with all baking, leftovers, holiday drinks and more. Get it ready now!
20. Add fresh flowers/greenery and candles to freshen up your decor– Not only do they add a wonderful scent but they are a simple way to make your home inviting and festive.
21. Spend 20 minutes decluttering – Hit areas like kitchen counters, dressers, and other surfaces that seem to be a magnet for clutter.
22. Freshen up the entryway– Welcome your guests with clean, bright, and festive entryway. Keep clutter to a minimum and add a touch of holiday decor.
23. Clean out the oven, scrub off the stove top– Spray the oven and let it sit overnight, wipe it out well the next morning. Be sure to clean the top just as well.
24. Clean and stock up the coffee/cocoa bar- Wipe down the coffee pot, stock up on creamers and coffee, and tidy it all up. Add a piece or two of holiday decor.
25. Enjoy your holiday!

Hopefully by tackling a few things each day throughout the month. It will help make your home run more smoothly and help you enjoy your holidays more. It is amazing how just 15 minutes a day can make a HUGE impact! Don’t forget to sign up and we will email you free tasks lists for each month.

Be sure to check out more great info here to help with daily cleaning

Simple Steps to Help Keep Your House Clean 

Routines to Help you Get Your Home Organized 

Get Organized with a Nightime Routine

As we settle into the end of the year and the busy holiday season it is time to purge, declutter, and prepare for enjoying family more and things less. This is the time to be brutal in deciding what to get rid of- if you don’t love it or find it useful toss it out! Lightening up the load around the house isn’t just so you can load up on more for the holidays, it is so that you can worry about less, clean less, and enjoy more.

Most of these tasks can be done in 15 minutes or less but can have a huge impact on your home.  [Read more…]

Learn some easy meal planning tips when dealing with restricted diets and food allergies.

Sometimes we have a food intolerance or even food allergies that create issues when meal planning. Because this is more and more common, here are some tips to help you manage meal planning for restricted diets. This can be for food allergies, food intolerance, food aversion, or even dietary restrictions or health-related diets. These tips will make it easier for you to manage a meal plan that works for your family.

Meal Planning Tips For Restricted Diets and Food Allergies

Meal planning for restricted diets doesn’t have to be impossible. In fact, it is often much easier to accommodate a dietary difference when you plan ahead than by having last-minute meals prepared each night. These tips will help you to keep everyone in your family safe, happy, and satisfied with the options available for dinner.

Create a Master Recipe list

 This list is a great resource for helping you keep a rotation of menu items on your list without eating the same thing over and over again. Making a master recipe list that is acceptable for diets but also pleasing to everyone will help you to remember those meals that you may have forgotten. As you try new recipes that work for everyone, add them to the list to rotate out the next month.

A master recipe list is also a great tool to help you know what items to keep in your pantry. This can easily give you a way to save more money when you notice sales on items that you use regularly. By purchasing when on sale and storing for future meal planning, you can cut back on grocery expenses in the long term.

Sign up for my Meal Planning Tips and you will receive a special offer on meal planning printables and printables to make your own Meal Planning Binder.

 

Learn about Proper Dietary Substitutions

 There are so many different dietary restrictions that could be at play, that it is hard for me to cover all of the tips for working them into and around your meal planning. There are basic tips, but a lot of things come down to you personally learning about proper substitutions for the things you can no longer have. With things like food intolerance, food allergies, gluten sensitivities, lactose intolerance, and even sensory or textural issues, it can be difficult to create easy menu plans that accommodate all diets.

Some great substitutions that work well for many diets:

• Unsweetened almond milk, coconut milk, or hemp milk for non-dairy diets.
• Rice pasta, quinoa pasta, and quinoa for those who are gluten-free or low-carb.
• Beans and lentils instead of meats in soups, stews, and casseroles
• Stevia, honey, and molasses in place of sugar.

Batch Prep Foods

Meal planning isn’t just about creating freezer meals or writing down a menu on your calendar. It also can include preparing foods in advance to use in simple meals throughout the week. The concept of batch cooking as part of your meal planning routine can be totally life changing in your kitchen. Instead of cooking exact recipes, you instead prepare ingredients so they only need to be added to your menu items. This is a great way to throw together meals that can include items everyone can enjoy, but also have the option of adding in other things that are against the diet for some.

The most popular ways to batch cook include preparing meats, starches like rice or potatoes, and select vegetables in advance then freezing or canning for future use. Instead of adding your menu items to a freezer container to be cooked in a slow cooker or in the oven, you would cook them in advance and separate into portions that can be added to fresh sides and starches to create a meal in a hurry.

Grill, roast, boil, broil, or bake things like chicken, pork, steak, or even ground meats with simple salt and pepper seasonings. Allow to cool then divide into portions suitable for a meal. Label and freeze. On the day you want to make something like tacos, quesadillas, or even a simple casserole, you grab a portion from the freezer, thaw, and add to your recipe.

My friend Alea even wrote two cookbooks that are great tools if you want to try prep ahead and simple batch cooking. I have them both and love them.

Families are busier now more than ever, and nobody understands that better than busy mom and food blogger Alea Milham. With Prep-Ahead Meals from Scratch, she brings a unique batch cooking concept that will streamline weeknight family meals like never before. She shows you how to use simple prep-ahead techniques to stock your refrigerator with precooked ingredients that can be combined with fresh produce to easily create wholesome meals. Leave prepackaged foods and take-out behind as you learn the many easy ways to cook ahead from scratch to save time and money during the busy week. Alea breaks down the classics into convenient weeknight dinners using fewer ingredients and smarter techniques.

Prep Ahead Meals From Scratch

This new recipe collection is bursting with fresh, time-saving ways to fuel your family and yourself. Ready to end the days of skipped breakfasts and takeout lunches? With Alea’s expert advice, you’ll have your fridge stocked with homemade grab-and-go meals, full of ingredients you can feel good about. Simple do-ahead techniques help you savor even the busiest weekday mornings.

Prep Ahead Breakfasts and Lunches

 

Test substitutes before meal planning

Instead of adding a new ingredient into a bunch of meals you are prepping in advance as freezer meals or for batch cooking use, make sure you test them out first. New ingredients don’t always work out as expected. That means you could potentially waste a lot of money in the process. Instead, do a small test run to make sure that your family likes the substitute.

 

Label everything with details

 If your meal planning routine includes freezer meals, it is really important to make sure you have all ingredients well labeled. We usually label freezer meals with the recipe name, directions for cooking, and portion amounts. If a restricted diet is in play, then labeling with all of your ingredients is even more important. Add a list of all ingredients to every package so you are able to easily tell if it is an acceptable meal for everyone to eat. There are many types of labels include chalkboard or dry erase labels that can be used over and over again so you aren’t wasting money on new labels every time you create meals for your freezer.

 

Prepare in separate areas to avoid contamination

 If your restricted diet issues with meal planning are about contamination because of allergies or severe food intolerance, then preparing meals in advance or batch prepping foods is vital to cutting back on your time in the kitchen. Creating a clean and safe prep area is the most important thing you can do. That means you need to prepare meals that are “clean” away from other meals or menu items. Simply create all restricted meals first, then do your other meals separately.

 

Respect others restricted diets

 If your meal planning will include food for friends or family that are spending time with your family, then it can seem frustrating to you to include different foods for their diets. It isn’t always convenient, but planning ahead can make meal planning for any restricted diet easier to manage. Respecting others and their individual dietary needs is just part of being a good human being and friend. Check about allergies, aversions, and sensitivities when planning for guests, and do your best to provide them with yummy foods that are safe for them to eat.

Get a Prepared Meal Plan

If your restricted diet concerns are around flour or sugar, I am a huge fan of this no flour/ no sugar meal plan. Healthy food can be delicious. This meal plan features easy-to-prepare, hearty, healthy recipes for your family to enjoy. These meals are big on veggies and protein from whole foods that you can find in any supermarket. Enjoy a Salad of the Week, and an optional Easy Protein of the Week. No flour or artificial sugars added.

Check out all the meal plan options here

Meal planning for any dietary restriction doesn’t have to be frustrating. Simply use a few simple steps to make sure you are protecting those with food allergies and aversions while adapting existing recipes. Our tips will make this easier to manage no matter your budget.

 

Need more meal planning tips? Be sure to sign up below.

Plus more articles on Meal Planning

Meal Planning Tools

Monthly Meal Planning And Prep

Meal Planning Pantry and Food Inventory 

Meal Planning Made Easy with an Instant Pot

Meal Planning with Picky Eaters

 

Click Image to Pin For Later

 

Looking for easy stem activities for elementary and middle school kids? Check out these stem projects and stem subscription boxes for kids.

As a parent, you want the best for your kids, and that includes teaching them the skills they will need to survive in the world! Did you know that by the year 2020, nearly 100% of new jobs will be in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics? With these statistics, it is more important than ever before to encourage STEM learning at home.

What is Stem?

STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math. It also includes teaching skills and subjects in a way that resembles real life. Part of the STEM learning approach, is that kids learn science better when they are actively involved. Learning like this can be done in a school setting but also can be done at home.

Here’s your guide to the best easy stem activities that can be done at home.

Complete Science Experiments

Science is all around us; in the food we eat, the plants we see, and the physical world we live in. Here are a few great science experiments you can do at home.

Work on Observations with fruits and veggies.

What happens as a fruit or vegetable starts to decay? What does it look like, smell like? Answering questions about real-world items puts science into a perspective they can understand. These are great stem activities for preschoolers and elementary students

Make Volcanoes

This is one of the most fun for kids. They can create a realistic volcano and watch it erupt. This teaches them chemical reactions as well as gives a real-world example of how volcanoes erupt as the pressure builds up.

Here are directions for a simple volcano for preschoolers.

Here are directions for a more in-depth volcano experiment for elementary and middle school children.

Make your own rock candy

That’s right, there is science behind candy. And, if you thought candy was all hardened sugar, you were right. All you need is water, sugar, a pan, a stove, and a glass jar. My daughter did this with her brownie troop and loved it.

Here are easy directions to make your own rock candy

Utilize Your Technology – Best STEM apps

In this day of digital natives, kids love technology. Though you may not want your kids looking at a screen all day, technology is a key component of the STEM learning, and there are many apps that incorporate science, technology, math, and engineering without your children knowing they are learning. Here are some of the best STEM apps.

SkEye Astronomy: A great app to see what’s in the sky. If you are interested in viewing the heavens above with your telescope, try the SkEye : Astronomy app. SkEye is an advanced sky mapping application that doubles as a PUSHTO guide for telescopes. It works by using your phone’s sensors as a guide for telescopes. All you need to do is briefly strap the phone onto the telescope’s optical tubes; from there, you can navigate the night-sky with your telescope.

Toca Lab: Chemistry has never been so fun with Toca Lab. Explore the colorful and electrifying world of science and meet all 118 of the elements from the periodic table. Discover elements by experimenting with the lab tools!

Crazy Gears – Are you ready to watch your child kick their learning into high-gear? Crazy Gears is a new-aged digital puzzle game, designed with a real mechanical engine and with children’s critical thinking skills in mind! Hours of fun guaranteed for everyone who is up for the challenge, yes, even you Mom & Dad!

Hopscotch – Coding For Kids – Learn to code and make your own games with Hopscotch. Easy-to-use visual tool makes programming fun and social.

Get a STEM Subscription Box

Subscription boxes are very popular these days, and why wouldn’t they be? Everyone loves getting something with their name on it in the mail (except when its a bill). Now, you can bring the fun of science, technology, math, and engineering right to your doorstep on a monthly basis. Here are some of the best STEM subscription boxes that include fun stem activities and stem projects for kids.

Green Kids Crafts

With a new theme every month, you get 4-8 science, technology art and math kits per month for kids ages 2-10. Looking for educational toys, science kits, STEM subscription, monthly subscriptions for kids, monthly crafts for kids, a monthly science box, monthly craft box or kids craft subscription? Green Kid Crafts, maker of award-winning science and arts and craft subscription boxes, has you covered!

You can now take 50% off the first month of a Junior Discovery Box Subscription (ages 2-4) or a Discovery Box Subscription (ages 5-10+). Green Kid Crafts’ award-winning Discovery Boxes pack a lot of fun and learning into convenient packages. Each monthly box contains up to 8 STEAM Science and Art Kits including a free 12-page kids magazine and bonus extension activities. Sibling and literary add-on options are available, too. Offer expires midnight October 31, 2018. Use code STEAM50

Learn more about Green Kids Crafts Here

Genius Box

Genius Box provides a creative hands-on approach to learning science, math, technology, and engineering. Genius Box provides a creative, hands- on exploration of science, technology, engineering, and math concepts that engages curious kids in the world around them. Genius Box is recommended for kids ages 8-12.

Click here to learn more about Genius Box

Tinker Crate

For ages 9-16, the Tinker crate gives your child the tools to create and explore engineering in a whole new way. Get 30% of Your First Month’s Order with code SHARE30.

Each month you get:

• Materials to create a creative, innovative STEM project
• Detailed step-by-step instruction
• Tinker Zine,
• Additional science experiments and activities
• Online tutorials with tips and tricks

Learn More about Tinker Crate Here

What other ways have you found to incorporate STEM learning in your home? Share your STEM projects in the comments below!

Getting Your Home Ready For The Holidays with these Savvy Cleaning and Organizing Tasks

The very busy holiday season is almost here. By tackling these easy tasks in October, it will help reduce your stress in November and December. This is the month to focus on getting ready for guests and fun holiday gatherings. Most of these tasks can be done in 15 minutes or less but have a huge impact. Head into the holidays feeling confident that you are well prepared. [Read more…]

How to Get Organized at Home

Creating and maintaining organized spaces in your home can be a daunting task. The following tips can help you with how to get organized at home. With a shift in your habits and these few tips for a home organization system, having an organized home goes from a dream to your reality. [Read more…]

 

A few days ago I got an email from a reader who answered my question about what she needed help with and she said this…..

Two things – what to cook every night and what to wear to work every day! I’d like to look put together without having to put much effort in 🙂

I think many of us feel this way. Meal planning and looking good without ton of effort can be a challenge but having a plan and system helps. The reality is, we can all use a little help along the way, from women who have strengths in areas where we struggle, or who are a little further down the road than we are.

What if you could learn organizing and decluttering methods to keep your household running smoothly most of the time?

What if you could find strategies for balancing all the roles you need to fill – without going crazy and without compromising what’s most important to you?

What if you had meal planning help, and could serve your family quick & healthy meals ?

What if you had simple outfit ideas to help you get dressed every morning?

What if you found ideas to improve your relationships – your faith, your marriage, and your parenting?

And what if you could find the support you need to create an intentional home and life – one that falls in line with your values and dreams?

Well, you can.

I’m so excited to tell you about a digital library of resources and tools to help you in all these areas and more!

It includes products like eBooks, online courses, printables and planners, audio files, membership sites and more, crammed into one unbelievable collection, for a ridiculously low price. Ultimate Bundles creates a lot of different bundles, but this particular one has been running for 6 years (with brand new products each year!), it’s their most popular bundle EVER and over 100,000 women have picked one up since 2013.

I love working with this family-run company because they care so much about the value and quality of each bundle and their customer service is amazing.

This year’s edition is the biggest and most valuable yet! It includes 62 ebooks, 30 videos, audios, & eCourses, 34 printables & workbooks, 2 videos, and 3 membership sites.

There’s only one catch: It’s available for just six days only.

That’s how they convince all these amazing bloggers and product creators to include their products for so little!

For way less than the cost of an “oops” Target shopping trip, you’ll get a complete library to help you:

• Achieve better balance and manage your schedule more efficiently
• Declutter your home (and actually keep it that way!)
• Create 100 frugal recipes with a pantry of just 26 ingredients
• Conquer screen-time battles, and help kids learn coping strategies for stress, anxiety
  & anger
• Print out gorgeous planners so you can stay organized in style
• Rekindle the romance with a plan for everyday passion in your marriage
• Refresh your wardrobe with 64 days of mix-and-match outfit ideas for every season of the year
• and so much more!

Plus, I am offering my new Meal Planning Made Simple System as a FREE bonus with Meal Planning Printables to make your own Meal Planning and Recipe Binder and an ebook to make the system work for you! This offer is only available if you purchase through a link in this post. This is a special offer since I value you all so much! I do make a small commission on the sale when you purchase through my link and that is what enables me to offer you the Meal Planning Made Simple System for FREE!

After you purchase, just fill out this form with your name, email and receipt number and I will send you your Meal Planning Made Simple bonus by April 23. (I am still putting the finishing touches on the product and it is not even available yet for sale!)

Besides being packed with so much great stuff, one of the things I like best about the bundle is the price.

By offering it for a short time only, they’re able to give you access to over 129 digital products worth $3,680 — for just $29.97 ! (Nope, I’m not kidding. Can you believe it?)

Here’s how it works:

1. Visit their website, take a quick look at all the goodness that comes in this package, then click the “Get my copy now!” button to go through their simple and secure 3-step checkout process.
2. You’ll receive an email with a login to their online access portal, where you’ll begin downloading your eBooks, signing up for your eCourses, and redeeming your free bonus offers.
3. Use their Getting Started Guide to pick the topic you want to tackle first and start your stress-less homemaking journey!

The most important detail, though, is this bundle is available for just six days! After Monday night, April 16th, the sale ends and you’d have to buy all of these products individually.

I’d hate for you to miss out, so click HERE to learn more or buy the bundle.

It’s even backed by a 100% happiness guarantee, so you can make sure it’s right for you. Creating a home and life you love is not out of reach.

Learn more or get your bundle HERE

As a special bonus,  if you buy by the end of the day on April 12, you also get a FREE Style Challenge from Get Your Pretty On. Here’s how the GYPO Style Challenges work: Depending on which challenge you choose, you’ll get up to 64 mix-and-match, on-trend outfits that will make you feel like a million bucks.

 

Once you have purchased, don’t forget to fill out this form with your name, email and receipt number to get your Meal Planning Made Simple Bonus!