I first talked about Marie Kondo and the KonMari method (as explained in her best-selling book, The Life Changing Art of Tidying Up) back in 2015. At that time, I decluttered my entire house using her methods. And it stayed that way for the most part! I did, however, do the process again this week. […]
Favorite Cleaning Tools: 4 Homemaking Tools I Can’t Live Without
Since we’re talking about spring cleaning and avoiding “tool-shaped objects” syndrome, I thought it would be a perfect time to talk about favorite cleaning tools I can’t live without. For years, I cleaned with sub-par products, wasting time, energy and money on homemade cleaning products and homemade laundry detergent that didn’t work (and that left my […]
Spring cleaning: skip it and do this instead
Everyone’s talking about spring cleaning right now. I’m going to take a slightly contrarian position and encourage you to skip it entirely. Here’s why, and what you might do instead that’s a more profitable use of your time. Where did spring cleaning come from? “When homes were heated with wood, coal or coal oil […]
Simple Healthy Cookbooks: 3 favorites for food on the table in record time
If you’re like me, you want three things. One, to feed your family healthy and delicious meals. Two, to not spend all day slaving over a hot stove accomplishing number one. And three… self-cleaning kitchens. Well, I can’t help you with the third thing. But I CAN recommend my 3 favorite simple healthy cookbooks to […]
Foca Laundry Detergent: 5 Frugal Uses Outside the Washing Machine
Last summer during my no spend challenge, I looked for the cheapest laundry detergent that still had positive reviews. That turned out to be Foca. Foca laundry detergent comes in huge bags and is dirt cheap. Like, 4 pounds for $3.42 cheap. I liked the convenience of a large bag of detergent. It meant I […]
Things I’m Enjoying Lately
Every once in a while I post things I am enjoying. It’s a sort of product review meets gratitude list. This list is for stuff I liked in February. I moved this month, so a lot of stuff will revolve around that (I’m talking to you chocolate, comfy shoes and Epsom salts!). Lily’s chocolate – […]
Drugstore game: why I don’t play
The drugstore game is a method of stacking store sales (especially BOGO deals) with coupons in order to obtain drugstore items for pennies on the dollar, or even for free. I learned how to do the drugstore game back when I was a single mom getting out of debt, and I did it for a […]
Moving: routines and the power of place
Our move is complete, although our “settling in” is far from done. Turns out, 9 people have a lot of stuff. The only thing we haven’t unpacked: the books. We need to buy a bookcase first. My body is aching and exhausted (*except for one part) and for the last two days I’ve been having […]
Clean with pretty things
Yesterday I talked about how I want to have a cleaner house (even while living with a husband and 7 kids – what can I say, I like to dream big). A thought came to me late yesterday afternoon. I remembered something I read years ago. The main message was this: Use good tools. Clean […]
I want a cleaner house this year
There’s something I’ve been thinking about for a few weeks now. I want a cleaner house this year. We’re about to close on a home, a first for my husband and me. It feels huge. The house we’re buying is currently inhabited by a retired couple from Australia. There are no kids there, but the […]