Every year, I make Homemade Vanilla Extract as Christmas gifts. It’s a hit with friends and family and super easy to make. The only catch….it takes time to steep. About 4-6 weeks before you can use it in baking. And the longer the better! So, now is a great time to get started! Want a Simple 🎁 Gift Tag for your Homemade Vanilla Extract? Click HERE for your FREE digital download. And if you are reading this in December, you can still make it. One year, I told recipients to wait 4 weeks before using it. Don’t let perfection be the enemy of good. I like to order supplies in early November. Needing to make this gift early actually helps with the holiday crazy. Vanilla jars sit happily in the pantry, while I carry on managing the December calendar. Shopping List Vodka - I choose a mid-priced brand of good quality Vanilla Beans - I like these Glass Bottles - I prefer this style for a tall vanilla bean Pint or 1/2 Pint Mason Jars work well and are …
Blog
Why I Stopped Organizing Legos
When my son was young, a fellow mom asked how I organized his Legos? I paused and said, "I don't." Being clutter-free does not mean perfection. Toys were not neatly stowed every night, certainly not Legos. I learned pretty quickly that organizing Legos was unnecessary. In our house, we love Legos. The benefits far outweighed the clutter and our loose organization system worked well. The LEGO Group The LEGO Group makes a high quality, fair trade product. My son would request a special set for Christmas or his birthday from his grandparents. Legos are what I call a "work-horse" toy because they stand the test of time. They also encourage friends and siblings to play together. But I learned that the more toys my son had to clean up, the less he played. And the fewer toys he had, the more he would play. With Legos, he was creative and content. He played with mini-figures from Marvel and Harry Potter at the same time. Sometimes all in one body. We did not stress …
7 Easy Ways to Get Organized for Back-to-School
Summer is coming to an end and many kids are already back to school. Articles fill your feed with items to buy for back-to-school." But what if you handled it differently this year and saved money? Families want to start the year off right. Organizing your school supplies can be a great way to signal the transition from summer to school. Just keep a few things in mind before you shop. Advertising Works Advertising works because billions of marketing dollars make it happen! Ads lure you into buying 64 brand new crayons and all those cute IKEA desks you had to have during the pandemic. Let's be real for a minute. June-scissors work in August, right? Crayons and pencils might be scattered but still create art, correct? Kids are productive in different spaces, so do NOT force them into a desk. (I learned this from a homework expert years ago.) Before the ads convince you to buy, take an inventory of your supplies and consider what you really …
[Read more...] about 7 Easy Ways to Get Organized for Back-to-School
A Minimalist Guide to Dorm Room Essentials
Last year, my son and I went to Target to buy items for my his dorm room. Ironically, my minimalist epiphany occurred in the Target parking lot when he was a baby. But this trip was very different. We had our list of dorm room essentials and were intentional about every single purchase. We ask questions like: Are we sure we need something new? Can we repurpose an item we already own? Is this purchase absolutely essential on Day 1 or could you experiment without it for a few weeks? Will this item add value and do you have space for it in a small dorm room? Can you live without this item and thus make it easier to keep your room clutter-free and neat? Over the summer, we talked about what items to buy and more importantly, what NOT to buy. I have seen obscenely long lists of alleged dorm room essentials. And I challenge many of these items. My dear friend sent me sales alerts about things to buy. And we've had some fun conversations about what each of us is …
[Read more...] about A Minimalist Guide to Dorm Room Essentials
How to Host Simple Kids Birthday Parties
The House Party Years ago, I met a friend for coffee. We chatted about our kid's upcoming birthdays. She shared how her daughter was made fun of for her birthday party. The school friends asked, "What kind of 'house party' will you have this year?" Implying it was less of a celebration. Mom and daughter were already excited about their plans, so thankfully the comments had little effect. The New Norm for Birthday Parties But we were shocked by the response and discussed the new norm for children's birthday parties. Party expectations start with 10-15 kids, food, cake, goodie bags, entertainment and more. She mentioned attending an indoor skydiving party at iFly. Over $1,100 for 12 people. Yikes! And that's just the flying part! To be fair, I'm all for experiences. In fact, I'm a huge fan of experiences, not stuff especially travel. But I fear we're setting unrealistic expectations for our kids with extravagant parties and gifts. I was once very guilty of this. …
[Read more...] about How to Host Simple Kids Birthday Parties
How to Organize Your Storage Space in 3 Simple Steps
I’m not a fan of big storage rooms with endless shelves and bins. But we all have storage needs and it's important to keep it organized. Storage rooms, attics, and garages are where clutter goes to die. And more space simply means more stuff. Most storage rooms I visit are jam-packed with no organization and the floor can't be found. Worse yet, useful items are buried under stuff you do not need. But with intentional planning, you can create an organized storage space. Our storage closet is small. But it holds the following: holiday decorations, extra paint, banker boxes of files, ski equipment, extra flooring and tile, and sentimental items. It is a 4x8 unfinished space that extends under our stairs. So, anything at the back of the closet is small and rarely used like the flooring and tile. Likewise, the more frequently used items are upfront. I resist the urge to fill the entire space and keep the floor clear. Having room to move around and open bins …
[Read more...] about How to Organize Your Storage Space in 3 Simple Steps