Tools for Homemaking Productivity
I struggle with keeping things clean and orderly. My brain is constantly bursting with ideas, and I tend to be a little “ADDish”, flitting from one thing to the next and making a bunch of messes as I go.
(I named this blog Imperfect Homemaker for a reason!)
Anything to help my days be a little more productive is a big plus!
Here are some of the tools I use on a daily basis to help me have a little more accomplishment to show at the end of the day:
1. Clothes.
That would be as opposed to PJ's or loungewear. You'll get more done when you wear real clothes, I promise. When you wear PJ's or loungewear all day, you just feel like…well…lounging. Not good for productivity. (If you need some clothes at a good price, you should check out Thredup. It's like an online thrift store, which is great for this busy mom who doesn't have time to drag her kids to a real thrift store. Plus, you get a free $10 credit to spend when you sign up through my referral link here.)
2. Shoes.
Not just any shoes. Sneakers. (I actually grew up calling them tennis shoes. What do you call them? Oh, wait. I'm getting distracted again. Back to the point.)
If you put shoes on your feet, it helps you walk faster and get things done more quickly. Plus you don't ever have to stop and clean crumbs out of your toes or nurse a throbbing foot because you stepped on a lego.
Your shoes should be ultra-comfortable so that you can wear them all day long. I have these, and they have been one of the best purchases I've ever made. These are the most comfortable shoes for all-day wear I've ever owned.
3. Music
Listening to fast-paced music helps keep me going. And it's nice to have Christ-honoring music to think about as I work too. Old Christian Radio plays a lot of faster-paced music, and many of the songs on the CD that my husband and I recorded are fast-paced as well.
4. Rags and cleaners
Keeping rags and a bottle of cleaner in multiple places throughout the house makes my job a lot easier. Whenever someone spills something or makes a potty-training mess on the bathroom floor, I have what I need right at hand to clean it up immediately. I use my homemade non-toxic disinfectant as an all-purpose cleaner. It works so well for just about everything.
5. Air fresheners
There is something about things smelling clean that makes me want to keep things clean.
I'm sure this makes me a healthy living heretic, but I absolutely LOVE the smell of Downy Unstopables. When I'm walking through the laundry room I just want to stay there because it smells so good! (Does anyone know of a natural way to make the laundry smell that good? I hate using the chemicals on my clothes, and I try not to do it terribly often, but it just smells oh-so-good! And no, adding lavender drops to the wash is not a valid suggestion. It's fine, but just not the blow-me-away awesome smell that the Downy is. If you're awesome with essential oils and you have a recipe that you think will blow me away, I'd love for you to share!)
6. A Menu Plan
There is something about knowing at the beginning of the day what I am having for dinner that makes the entire day go more smoothly.
Sometimes I drop the ball and end up scrambling at dinner time. Not fun. But even more often than that, I get in a rut with meals. We end up having the same things over and over because I am just too tired to try to think of interesting meals.
I just discovered the coolest menu planning program. Really, really cool.
It's called Build a Menu. You choose the store where you normally shop, and then you're given recipe options for all different eating styles (for example: Clean Eating, Gluten Free, Budget Friendly, even Trim Healthy Mama!)
If you want to see exactly how it looks in action, take a look at this post.
The thing that makes Build a Menu so cool is that you get to decide what you want to make. Many menu planners give you a pre-made menu, but then it ends up being nothing that you or your family would like. With this you simply look through the recipes (breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, and desserts are all included!) and mark the checkboxes beside the ones you want to have that week. Boom! Your menu and shopping list are done, and it's exactly what you want to eat!
Which of these tools do you need to start using? What would you add to this list that helps you be more productive at home?
Make Mother’s Day Easy with eBay
Disclosure: This post was written for Splash Creative Media on behalf of eBay. All opinions are 100% my own.
My sister-in-law is an eBay fiend.
Every time you compliment her on something she's wearing she says, “Thanks! I got it on eBay.”
I occasionally shop on eBay myself, although I sell a lot more than I shop.
The thing I love about selling on eBay is that I can get rid of my junk and put a little money into my PayPal account at the same time. Then when I do have something for which I want to shop, I don't feel like I actually have to pay for it since the money was just sitting there in my PayPal account anyway.
This Mother's Day I'd love to re-do the bedding in the master bedroom. We've had the same bedding since we got married almost 8 years ago, and while I'm not necessarily tired of it, it does need to be updated just because it is getting a little ragged.
Both sets of sheets are ripped and the comforter is stained.
I love getting those bed in a bag sets because my shopping time is limited, and I'd rather just buy everything all in one shot and be done with it. Plus, I feel like it also ends up being cheaper than buying everything individually.
For instance, just a quick look on eBay shows that there are plenty of complete sets for $50-$70ish including shipping.
I love the fact that I can find what I'm looking for at comparable or cheaper prices than just getting something from Walmart or Target (which I don't really have the time to do anyway as a busy mom.)
And if I want, I can even lounge in bed and shop since there is a new and improved eBay app for all types of smart phones. It's totally free and can be found in whatever app store you use.
The bigger pictures and wider variety of search refinement options make it a cinch to shop from your phone.
I may just go ahead and get myself that new bedding set for Mother's Day!
Do you enjoy shopping on eBay too? How about joining the #ebayMobile Twitter party on May 7 from 12-1 PST? RSVP here to be eligible to win of the $25 eBay gift cards or the $100 gift card grand prize! (I'm planning on going for sure!)
What would you shop for with an eBay gift card?
Summer Fun at Dollar Tree
Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. All opinions are 100% my own.
I was just in Dollar Tree on a “date” with my littlest man, letting him pick out a prize for himself and something to bring home to his siblings. I was excited to see all the great options they have for summer toys this year, so when I had the opportunity to partner with Dollar Tree on a sponsored campaign to tell you all about the Dollar Tree Summer Fun products, I was more than happy to do so!
All the Dollar Tree Summer Fun products are…you guessed it…just $1 each. We already bought a sand bucket and shovel, and there are lots of other beach and pool toys available like sand molds, hula-hoops, swim goggles, swim rings, beach balls, noodles — you know, all that fun stuff that kids love to play with during the summer! And I noticed that some of the beach tools are available in multi-packs, making them an even better deal!
In addition to the summer fun toys, there are lots of other summer fun products like colorful flip-flops, summer tableware, and party supplies that will provide you with everything you need for a fun-filled summer at one low price. Selection will vary by store, so be sure to stop in to your local Dollar Tree soon to see what goodies you can find! But hurry, supplies are limited!
For a sneak peek at all the Dollar Tree Summer Fun products, take a look at their website.
Want a chance at a $500 Dollar Tree Gift Card? The Summer Fun Flip-Flop Frenzy Craft Contest is going on now. Submit a photo of an original flip-flopcraft at DollarTree.com and you’ll be entered to win! And while you’re there, you’ll want to sign up for Dollar Tree’s weekly emails so you can stay in the loop about future contests and new products. Plus, you can join the free Value Seekers Club for exclusive crafts, recipes, and tip ideas every month!
Follow Dollar Tree:
Gro-ables Update
This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Gro-ables. All opinions are 100% mine.
I shared with you here how I was looking forward to having fresh veggies soon with the help of Gro-ables.
A fresh salad sounds awesome right about now!
Gro-ables are guaranteed to grow when used as directed. All you have to do is put the entire pod directly in the ground and water it. (If you have a hard time remembering to do that, you can use the Sprout It app to get reminders!)
But, do Gro-ables withstand curious children?
Sadly, they do not.
That, my friends is an upside-down seed pod in the middle of the grass. This may be Miracle-Gro, but it does give the disclaimer that it's only guaranteed to grow when used correctly. That is definitely not the correct way to use Gro-ables.
What's a girl to do? I'm determined to get something to grow this year!
I went to the store to grab some more Gro-ables, and I'm really hoping they won't be found by the kids this time! Re-planting the was so easy; it just took a few seconds to open them up and stick the whole pod down into the dirt.
Where can I hide them?
I really want those fresh veggies!
Learn more about Gro-ables in the video below!
Facebook Party Tonight! (Check out the Fun Prizes!)
Ladies,
It's the last day of the Ultimate Homemaking Bundle sale.
If you really don't want free fabric, eyeshadow, laundry detergent, Dayspring cards and art prints, (oh yeah, not to mention 86 mostly newly-released eBooks!) then you can rejoice because after tonight, you'll never hear me talk about it again.
But! If you think this sounds like an incredible deal, and you're still thinking about joining thousands of others who have already gotten their bundle, then you'll want to join us tonight for an ultra-fun Facebook party!
Buy your bundle between 7 – 8 pm at the party, and I will ship you a fashion scarf! (choose from 4 designs)
Buy your bundle between 8 -9 pm at the party, and I will ship you a statement necklace or bracelet! (your choice)
Buy your bundle between 9 -10 pm at the party, and I will ship you a boy's or girls crocheted hat or large nursery wall decal! (your choice)
Buy your bundle between 10 -11 pm at the party, and I will ship you a set of 12 sililcone muffin liners, a purse organizer or a set of 4 vintage laundry room art prints (your choice).
Buy your bundle between 11pm – 11:59pm at the party, and I will ship you a home decor wall decal. (choose from several designs).
If you like to live on the edge, I have a super-duper procrastinator's award for the very last order to come in! (Orders accepted before 11:59 pm EST). You can either play it safe and guarantee you'll get one of the following items by ordering within the specified time frames, or you can try to be the very last person to place an order, and you'll receive ALL of the items mentioned above! We'll see who the risk-takers are!
But I already bought a bundle!
Pop in any time and leave comments on anything I post between 7 pm and midnight! I'll be selecting random commenters to win items throughout the evening!
See you tonight on the Imperfect Homemaker Facebook page!
If you can't make it to the party tonight, make sure you get your order in for the bundle before it's too late!
Don't have the money in the budget for the bundle right now?
The bundle organizers have decided to allow you to get your order in before the deadline, but you won't have to pay until May 1. If you go through one of these special order forms, you can place your order before the deadline, and they will automatically charge your card on May 1. Once your card has been charged, your bundle will automatically be emailed to you!
Order now, pay later for Kindle.
Order now, pay later for PDF version.
How to Get Your Homemaking Bundle Half-Price
I have really appreciated the honest conversation over on Facebook about those of you who really and truly just don't have an extra penny to spend right now on an Ultimate Homemaking Bundle.
I appreciate all of you, and for those who would really, really like to have that Homemaking Bundle, I've come up with a way for you to get it half price. Hopefully this will work out for most of you. I want you to be able to get it if you want it!
Do you have one friend or family member who would like the bundle too?
If you buy one bundle, I'll send you a second one free of charge.
So each of you can pay half ($14.98 each for pdf; $19.98 for Kindle formatted), but you'll each get your very own bundle.
All you need to do is purchase the bundle through one of these links, then forward a copy of your receipt to imeprfecthomemaker@gmail.com. I'll purchase a second bundle and send it to your friend.
Share this post on Facebook or email it to a friend you think would be interested in going in with you. Surely there's someone who would love to spend $14.98 on free fabric, eyeshadow, laundry detergent, greeting cards, herbal remedies, art prints, and everything else in the bundle!
You can share easily by using the buttons at the top or bottom of this post.