Making the Most out of Your Declutter Session

For 2020, I really wanted to focus on simplifying my home. I know 'minimalism' means something different for everyone, but for me, my goal is to make it where I never feel overwhelmed by the stuff or 'mess' in my house. Is that you too? Do you feel overwhelmed and stressed when you walk in certain rooms or open certain drawers?

This is my challenge to you: Figure out what stresses you out the most. Remember that I started with the kids' room? It was giving me such stress every time I opened the door, that I decided to get it simplified to a point where even if it was messy, it didn't get to that 'stressed out' point. 

This time it was my bathroom drawers. For too long I stuffed what could fit in the drawers and let it be. Out of sight, out of mind, right? Not when those drawers were being opened on a daily basis and I would feel guilty that I had let them get over stuffed every time. 

While declutter series, and lists are great, sometimes tackling what makes you most overwhelmed, can give you the motivation to tackle the next thing. I have found this to be true this month. Even something as small as bathroom drawers, has given me inspiration to tackle other areas of my house. 

P.S. Yes! That is a Melissa and Doug wooden tray. It came from the magnetic dress up boy. Turns out it makes a perfect organizational tray! Check my Instagram for a video of my drawer organization and how I used it to fit everything. 

Another tip for making the most out of your declutter sessions, is to make sure that things towards the front are the things most used. That way, you are more likely to keep things tidy. I also scaled back on how much of each thing I was keeping. You only need so many Bath and Body works things, right?!!

My last tip is to not stress over making things perfect. The drawer above is a bit awkward and I'm not sure I just love the way my hair tools are organized. What matters most is function!

What is making you the most stressed? Try tackling it today, and tag me on Instagram or Facebook when you finish, I would love to see what you accomplish!

Letting Go and Saying No! Steps to a Decluttered Schedule

'I'm just a stay-at-home-mom', I said to the lady who asked me what I did for a living. If you've ever been one or been married to one, you know it's not 'just' staying home with the kids. There are bottoms to be wiped, dishes to be cleaned, laundry to be sorted, meals to be planned, ect. Add homeschooling to the mix and you have lessons to plan, science experiments and art projects to clean up after, math and phonics to be taught, and the list goes on. This year we've also tried to include Little Man in some extra curricular activities like 4-H, as well as homeschool field trips and our Culture Day club. I am also a piano teacher 3 days a week with 3 students for each of those days, and on top of that I help teach a Wednesday night class at my church as well as being the Sunday School teacher for the Pre-K/Kindergarten class.

If you follow me on Instagram and Facebook, you'll know that in December, we found out we were expecting baby #3, this was 4 days after we celebrated Baby Girl turning 1! Yes, this means that in 6 months, I'll be adding to the number of rears needing wiped, and 2 of those bottoms will be under the age of 2! As I thought about what that would entail, and all the things on my list already only getting half accomplished, I sighed and thought, 'Something has got to go'.

Where do you start? If you are also finding yourself overwhelmed, whether a stay at home mom or not, maybe this can help you find the confidence in saying no to things so that you can be fully present for the most important things!

Figure out what is most important

This may feel like a 'duh' thing, but a lot of times we let the 'fluff' stuff take so much time that we don't have time for afternoon walks with the kids, morning devotionals, or making a homemade meal for our families. Perhaps we need to take a step back and make a list of what is most important, and the things that are on the bottom of the list may be the things that need to be let go.

For me what is most important is:
My relationship with Christ- This means morning devotionals, teaching God's Word to my children, and Mine and my husband's Bible reading in the evenings

My family- My husband comes first, then my children. Their well being and education need high priority. Under their education comes keeping a home that is maintained (not perfect, but at least not stress inducing!)

My church- I didn't include this in my relationship with Christ, because sometimes service inside the church can become 'fluff' if I am doing it just to 'do it' and not because I am called to the service I am doing.

Everything else- This includes the extra curricular activities, homeschool clubs, and even my 'side hustle' as a piano teacher.

Take what is at the bottom of the list and choose what needs to go

This is what will be difficult. It may even hurt some people's feelings. Remember though, what is most important needs to be front and center. Soccer games, ballet recitals, birthday parties, are all fun until they start to take over one of the most precious commodities you have-time. You will never get back that time again.

For me I chose to let go of teaching piano next school year. It was such a hard decision to make, as I love my students and the relationships I've built with the parents. I may also say no to extra homeschool activities, if it starts to feel overwhelming again. My goals are to have a cleaner home and an emptier schedule. I want more time to take my children outside and less time in the car going from activity to activity.

I think what this translates into is peace. What can you let go of to have more peace in your home?

Tips for Ruthless Toy Declutter

The kids' room-aka my nemesis. Over and over again I have organized it and organized it. If you have been following my blog for a while, you'll know a while back I did a deep overhaul and clean-out of his bedroom. A year and countless times organizing it later, and it was still a disaster. Part of what made it an even bigger headache than before was that both Christmas and my daughter's December birthday brought more toys than I had estimated. So much for my no-toy preference for gifts! haha! Another factor is that my 14 month old loves to bring random objects from around the house and dump it into the play room, as well as being a little tornado when she plays. 

Something had to be done. I had tried to allow the kids to keep a lot of their toys and not be the 'bad guy'. Finally I was overwhelmed, as well as my 5 year old son. I took the advice of the Minimal Mom and decided to be ruthless! Here are some tips that helped me scale down on the kids' toys and not hurt my 5 year old's feelings in the process. 

I started by allowing only a certain number of categories to stay in the room. 

In her toy declutter series, The Minimal Mom talks about how she allowed a certain amount of categories for toys. When the kids get new toys, they need to fit into those categories for them to stay. I also don't allow the bins to get full. Once that happens, it's time to go through and figure out how to minimalize the toys again. 

Our Categories:

Little Man

Cars

K'nex building toys

Figures 

Baby Girl

Little People

Wooden toys and animal figures

Baby dolls

Together they have a dress up box and the play kitchen. Baby girl has a Little People's kitchen, and they have a few larger toys that didn't quite fit into the bins, but fit into the cubbies. They play with these toys often, so they are staying...for now.

When decluttering with kids, focus on what they love, not on what will be donated

Okay, so I am reiterating a lot of what the Minimal Mom says, but it really works! I told Little Man (who really wants to keep everything!) 'Which of your Spider-mans do you love?' Out of the 5! that he had, he picked his favorite, and easily let go of the rest. If you make it feel like they are apart of the process, while still being in control of the amount kept, it really helps the process to be smoother. 

Clear the space

Before when decluttering this room, I was too apt to allow the 'big items' to take over Little Man's floor space. He had big trucks, giant stuffed animals, Nerf guns, etc. that took valuable real estate in an already small bedroom. Outside of what fit into the top cubby space, I wanted to get rid of all the 'awkward' shaped toys. It made the room feel twice as large!

When deciding what to keep and get rid of, I remembered how hard it is to keep organizing. It helped me keep the number of toys as low as possible. I also made paper labels that I hope to replace with nicer ones. I just wanted to see if it helped (I drew a picture of the toy category on each card) the kids keep the room up. So far it has seemed to help!  Below I am giving you ideas and inspiration with my favorite organizing tools. Links are affiliated. 

What are your favorite tips for decluttering toys. 

Dot a Dot Art! Review: A Timberdoodle Review

 What an amazing opportunity to be able to try this product and review it for you! We had so much fun with this and I am excited to share the details.  The Dot A Dot Art! kit comes with two boxes of the dot paint 'markers' and two activity books. One is a preschool workbook and the other has simple drawn pictures the student can fill in with the dot a dot paint. It's for ages 3+ and both my 5 year old son and 14 month old daughter really enjoyed these!

Here is a sample of my son's first art project in the book. What I love most about the simple design, is that it allows kids to get creative. My son added a flower to his art creation.

Baby Girl got in on the fun too! While for ages 3+ I would say this is mess free (which is awesome for my son who hates getting his hands messy), Baby Girl managed to get some on her fingers. However, the shape of the 'markers' allowed my daughter to be able to figure out how use them easily. She was quite proud of her art project!

If I had one thing I would change about this product, it would be that at least one set of paint markers were not glittery or shimmery. My son felt like it was a bit on the 'girly' side even thought the workbook and coloring activity book could apply to either. It would have been nice to have a plain set of colors. However, this is a small complaint, and it definitely didn't stop him from asking again and again to use them!

Another small thing was that a few of the pages weren't perforated, while the rest of the book was. I loved the ones you could easily tear out of the book!

All in all, I would definitely recommend the Dot a Dot art kit! This is perfect for a rainy afternoon, or when the kids want to start an art project but you don't want the mess! The workbook is perfect for preschool age (I am setting it aside for Baby Girl) and this whole set comes with Timberdoodle's Preschool curriculum. The pages are durable and thick and make perfect art to give to grandparents. They will brighten any proud refrigerator door!

Making Time for Date Nights When you Have Littles

note: amazon links are affiliated

Life has just gotten busy here lately. Hubby's work, sickness, visitors, doctor visits, homeschool events, you name it! My husband told me the other day 'I miss you'. It really struck me, because even though we see each other every day, we haven't gotten to spend much time with each other.

I know this happens to so many of us, especially those with young kids. As the kids get older, I know it can be even more challenging, with extra curricular activities being added to the mix. With all the busyness of life, how can we make time for our spouse?


Set aside a day each month
One of my goals for this year, was to pick a day each month and set aside time to be with each other and plan a 'real' date night (or day). Sometimes this may mean fancy dinner or simply a movie and popcorn. We are very blessed to have family nearby to watch the little ones, and always seem happy (or at least I hope they are!) to let us have some time to ourselves.

Give your undivided attention
It's so easy to whip out your phone, but try to set it aside and really visit with your spouse! This is really the time where you can open up to your spouse and deepen your relationship. Remember, one day the kids will be gone, and it will be just you and your husband again. These moments are perfect for building on your relationship.

Be young again
While I like to think of myself as still young, things are just different now that we have little ones. When we are able to be 'childless' for an afternoon or evening, we go all out. Holding hands, him opening the door for me, go to our favorite bookstore without having to go to the toy section, and ending the date at our local coffee shop.

What are your top tips for having date nights with littles? If you follow me on Instagram or Facebook, I'll be asking you to share your favorite date night ideas! Also, below in my suggestions, I am sharing my favorite books and resources for couples. I am also sharing a Dave Ramsey book, because having our finances in order has really helped us have peace as a couple, and money for date nights!

Adding Fun into my Homeschool Year: 2020 Goals

note: amazon links are affiliated

 Since starting preschool, I've always tried to make learning fun. We've played games, done puzzles and and art to promote learning. When we started kindergarten, I was really thankful for all the neat activities and ideas that The Playful Pioneers gave, which was perfect for a less than creative person like me. While the curriculum has been great, sometimes we still get bogged down with math facts and reading.


If you read my previous post on 2020 goals, you know that adding fun to our schooling was one of my family goals. This week I've really focused on that, and have loved the results! I am still needing to designate a night a week for game night, but adding games and fun to our schooling is a step in the right direction!

This Animal Snapshots game was a perfect cold and rainy afternoon game! Each picture is detailed and colorful and there are so many ways you can play this game. This time my son and I took turns picking a card and describing the animal (kind, color, climate, etc.) while the other guessed. Another way you can play is by asking the questions printed on the back, or by telling a story based on what you think is going on in the picture. My son was pretty good at this game, thanks to his love of the TV show, Wild Kratts!

The Melissa and Doug fishing game might be a touch too young for my son, as he has mastered both colors and numbers, but it was his choice and my 1 year old enjoyed it just as much as he did. Even though he had a good understanding of numbers and colors, it did help him with following the rules and being a good sport, which are also great things to know!

The final 'fun' thing we did was this Kumon telling time book. While still a workbook, the illustrations are so colorful, and the layout so engaging that here you are seeing my son work on it because he asked me if he could! He is learning a lot but having so much fun doing it!

You can check out these previous reviews of games and activities that we've enjoyed and continuing to enjoy, but this is a snapshot into what we've been doing this week to add fun to our homeschool year in 2020. Check next week to see how some of my other goals are going. 

You can also check out the Timberdoodle Winter Blog Hop that is going on right now to see other activities you can do during this season!

Goal Setting for Non-Planners

I am the opposite of Type A, and a go with the flow kind of a person. More gets accomplished the day before or 30 minutes before an assignment/project etc. than in the weeks I knew about it ahead of time. This is a weakness I've discovered about myself, and the best way to not be my normal self? Just do what needs to be done! I am hoping to be successful in implementing this philosophy in my goals for this year.

Winging my goals was also part of my normal routine, but something Dave Ramsey posted caught my attention 'Unwritten goals are just wishes'. Ouch. So instead of just wishing to accomplish some things this year, I am writing down specific, achievable goals. No fancy color coded planners, and my bullet journal has been sorely neglected. I just got out a plain notebook, wrote down my goals, and I'm allowing you to have a peak so I can have some accountability!

This year  I'm making goals for my:

Home: 
Declutter a little each day. Set aside at least 15 min each day to go through and declutter.
I am planning to redo the plan by Laura Noelle. I started the plan, life got in the way. If you would like to start your own 30 day journey, click this link to her plan! She has other great posts on minimalism. I also follow the Minimal Mom on Youtube, and she has fantastic videos on minimalism, and I feel like our personality types are similar!

1 complete load of laundry a day. Laundry has been my nemesis! I've tried all sorts of 'methods', but I believe the best method is to just do it!

Family:
Integrate more fun into learning. I'm not as creative or artsy as some, but I want to add more games and activities to our homeschooling. My specific goal is to do an educational game or science activity at least once a week.

Family game night. Designate one night a week as game night, and add special treats like popcorn to make it even more fun!

I wanted to add traveling to this goal list. With me giving birth during the summer, this may not happen as much this year. I would like to have one good family vacation this year, though!

Couple:
Make designated date night at least once a month. Having quality time as a couple is so important! Especially when thinking adding another little to the mix.

Personal:
Read more books! Designate 20  minutes during lunch to read. Rotate genres of book each time. I am also wanting to be on my phone less. I am hoping this will help!

We use the YouVersion app to complete our Bible reading goals. This year my husband and I are doing the chronological Bible in a year! We are also going through Dave Ramsey's Financial baby steps, and using it to help us reach our financial goals.

What are your goals this year? This month I'll be sharing how I'm implementing these goals in my home and family, so stay tuned!