The Stressed Mom

Keep your rugs from sliding

Bernice — Fri, 17 May 2013 23:24:06 +0000

Good old Martha Stewart taught us that rather than buying those ridiculously expensive anti-slip mats for a rug, just turn it over and run a few lines of acrylic-latex caulk every 6 inches or so. Let dry and flip over and your rug wont be going anywhere! If you don’t have a caulk gun, or don’t want to go that route, check out this Rug Gripper Non-Stick rug tape.

PS. The links are all affiliate links. Purchase anything by clicking and I will earn a few pennies!

Get more done by doing the right things at the right time

Bernice — Wed, 15 May 2013 10:33:41 +0000

Source: The Household Planner

Learning to be more productive will help you to get the important or necessary things done in the time you have. The goal of being more productive is NOT to cram even more stuff in your life. Being efficient and effective in how you get things done will allow you more time for the important stuff in your life, whether that is kids, spouse, your passion, or yourself.

Let’s talk a little about being effective vs being efficient. There is a difference between the two and the best way to remember it is this sentence:

Being effective is about doing the right things, while being efficient is about doing the things in the right manner.

An example of efficient vs effective

Your goal is to clean the tub and shower. You grab a bottle of window cleaner and spray it on the shower and tub, and then start scrubbing rigorously. You scrub and scrub, and after half an hour, your tub looks decent. You were doing the right thing, but doing it poorly (by using the wrong tools). So you were effective at cleaning the tub and shower, but not efficient.

If you took the same window cleaner and sprayed it on the faucet and handles and rubbed to a shine, I could say that you were efficient at shining the faucet, but not effective in reaching the goal of cleaning the shower and tub.

If you sprayed bathtub cleaner on the tub and shower, let it sit 5 minutes, swished a sponge around the surface, and then rinsed it clean, I could say that you were both effective and efficient. You did did the right things to accomplish your goal and did it in a timely manner.

So you want to do both, the right things in the best way possible for the desired outcome.

Timing is everything

Another thing you want to consider is the best time to do certain things. Preparing for tomorrow morning may be best if done tonight. If you are an early bird, maybe you need to go to bed early and get up early to prepare for the day. Knowing your most productive time is important to working effectively and efficiently.

If these activities involve other people such as spouse, children or elderly parents, you need to consider the best time of day for them to be the easiest to work with or manage. Knowing the peak and worst times for those around you as well as yourself can be helpful in making the most of your day.

The stress and exhaustion that come from doing things that you have to do in your life, the responsibilities or the difficult circumstances that you have right now, may not be able to be removed. However, you may be able to adjust or shift some things around to minimize some of the stress. After making some adjustments, you may feel better just because you have exercised a little more control over the situation.

Productivity- doing the right thing at the best possible time in the best possible manner

Instead of doing things how you’ve always done them, see if there is a better way or a better time. Do you need better tools for the job? Is someone else better suited to do the job?

Examine your life. What changes you can implement to be more productive?

How to freeze avocado

Bernice — Tue, 14 May 2013 14:08:22 +0000

I absolutely love avocado. I could eat it almost every day. The problem is, their shelf life isn’t very long, so they can go bad fairly quickly. I’d love to stock up when they are on sale for .99, but what would I do with a dozen avocados before they went bad?

That’s why I was excited to see that you can actually FREEZE avocado!

Deana, from The Pink Sugar Bowl, says to cut in half and seed, wrap very tightly with no air, and voila! It seems the very top layer will turn brown, but the inside is still green! (I wonder if you brushed with lemon juice, if that would prevent the browning?)

I’m definitely on the hunt for some recipes using avocado now! I think first on the list will be this:

Creamy avocado pasta from The Flourishing Foodie

Don’t let the sunshine in

Bernice — Thu, 09 May 2013 16:04:25 +0000

I love sunshine. Don’t get me wrong. But when it is 6:30 am and you don’t have to get up until 9, the last thing I want is sunshine in my eyes! (or in the eyes of my kids!)
This was a real issue when I moved into my apartment earlier this year. The side of the curtain kept pulling away and letting the light in WAY too early. I found a tip on Pinterest to fix this!

Take one of your ring clips and turn it around the corner so that it’s hanging on the bracket rather than the rod. Then run the rest of your clips on the curtain rod like normal. Goodbye annoying side light!

What to clean if you only have 5 minutes

Bernice — Thu, 09 May 2013 10:47:51 +0000

Our lives as moms can be SO busy. We don’t know whether we are coming or going a lot of the time. This can make it difficult to carve out time to truly clean our house. Eventually we will have to deep clean, but I wanted to share with you what you can accomplish even if you JUST have 5 minutes. While you are waiting on a kid to get ready, or the water to boil, try doing one of these below:

Five minutes isn’t a lot of time but if you’re efficient you can get a lot done. Here are a few ideas:

In the kitchen-

Put dishes in the dishwasher
Unload dishwasher
Wipe down countertops
Wipe up crumbs from the floor
Wipe fingerprints off appliances and cabinets
Clean sink
Swiffer the floor

In the Bathroom-

Wipe down the toilet and the floor around it with a disinfectant wipe
Spray the inside of the toilet and swish it clean
Rinse out the sink, wipe the sink, faucet and counters clean with a hand towel, toss the hand towel in the dirty clothes, grab a clean hand towel
Empty trash, refill toilet paper, put items on counter away, straighten towels, shine mirror

In the Living Room-

Pick up toys
Pick up shoes, coats, and bookbags
Clean off and wipe down the coffee table
Fluff pillows, put pillows and blankets back up on the couch
Grab the Swiffer duster and dust all the surfaces in the living room

In the Bedroom-

Make the bed
Gather all the dirty clothes and start the washer
Close drawers, closet doors, fluff pillows, pick up shoes
Fold a load of laundry

If you have a few quick minutes pick the zone (kitchen, bathroom, living room, etc.) that needs the most help in that moment and tackle as much as you can! And don’t be afraid to get your kids in on the 5 minute frenzy!

PS. If you are overwhelmed with the clutter, you might want to take a look at the e-book below!

The easiest way to hang a picture

Bernice — Wed, 08 May 2013 10:40:42 +0000

I was blown away when I actually tried today’s tip! I could’ve saved myself so much frustration if I’d known this when I moved into my first place (and 2nd and 3rd….)

Thank you, I Heart Nap Time!

What we REALLY want for Mother’s Day!

Bernice — Tue, 07 May 2013 20:18:01 +0000

This article was originally posted on my other blog Living the Balanced Life in May, 2011.

As I see the ads and watch the commercials for Mother’s Day, I get frustrated at all the pressure that is put on the men in our lives to buy us fancy, extravagant gifts. While fancy things are nice, I don’t particularly feel the need to have them, and I sure don’t want my husband to feel the pressure to buy them for me.

One of my favorite Mother’s Days

Last Mother’s Day (2010), my husband and my oldest 2 daughters got the 4 siblings and their significant others to plan to meet for lunch at one of my favorite Italian restaurants. Afterward we went to Piedmont Park in Atlanta. A couple of Sundays a month, they have what is called “Play in the Park”. A lot of circus performers gather to practice their skills and share willingly with onlookers. The girls planned a wine and cheese tasting, and also had fruit and juice for the under-aged.

So there were me, my husband, 4 adult children and their Others, as well as 6 grandchildren. We had an awesome time just laid out on blankets, watching the performers. Then some of the kids and grandkids joined in! These are “real hula-hoops”! It was so much fun just watching them all hang out together!

Does a gift have to cost a lot to be special?

The thing is, a meaningful gift does not have to cost much. I actually did a twitter poll and asked, barring expensive jewelry or fancy trips, what would they like for Mother’s Day? I wasn’t super surprised by the answers, after all, I’ve been a mom for a while now!

Many moms wanted help around the house. They would’ve liked to have the family clean up for once, or even pay to have a housecleaner come in!

Others would like to sleep in for once!

Some would love to have a massage…

And this mom and I must be sisters separated by birth as I think this would be awesome!

Others had some varied requests, but they were rooted in simplicity.

Some mothers would just like to be shown some respect, and have their families be appreciative of their efforts.

And this last Mom’s tweet made me really stop to think, as it should us all…

So, what do you really want for Mother’s Day? And for my male readers, what do you think your wives may really want?

The best Mother’s Day gift

Bernice — Wed, 01 May 2013 15:19:29 +0000

If you are looking for a Mother’s Day gift for a fellow mom friend, sister, or cousin, read on! (Or you could share this with your husband, HINT, HINT!)

So many moms today are stressed out, confused about all the differing opinions they hear, of all the things they NEED to do, or SHOULD be doing. The EXPERTS seem to have all the answers.

I think the best experts on mothering can come from those who are currently in the trenches. More than 75 bloggers, who are also moms, have come together to sell their gathered wisdom and advice, at an incredibly low price. Get almost 100 resources for only $29.97, a $640 value, not including the bonuses.

Below is just ONE of the categories of books included in this bundle:

Home & Property {Cleaning, Organizing, Decor}

31 Days to Clean by Sarah Mae @ SarahMae.com ($4.99)
Getting it Together: Your Guide to Setting Up a Home Management System that Works by Kayse @ kayse pratt ($3.99)
Pulling Yourself Together: Implementing a Cleaning Routine that Sticks by Becky @ Clean Mama ($10.00)
Simple Living by Lorilee @ Loving Simple Living ($2.99)
NOT a DIY Diva by Melissa @ The Inspired Room ($3.99)
One Bite at a Time: 52 Projects for Making Life Simpler by Tsh @ Simple Mom ($5.00)
28 Days to Hope for your Home by Dana @ A Slob Comes Clean ($5.00)
Organizing Life as Mom by Jessica @ Life as Mom ($9.00)
Clean Enough: Simple Solutions for the Overwhelmed by Jenni @ Live Called ($4.99)
10 Steps to Organized Paper by Lisa @ Lisa Woodruff.net($5.00)
Handmade Walls by Jamin and Ashley @ the handmade home ($9.95)
Easy Peasy Chores: An Easy-to-Use Chore System That Brings JOY Back Into Family Chores by Alina Joy @ The Good Old Days Farm ($17.99)

Want to see the whole shebang? Click here for the full details of the Ultimate Homemaking eBook sale!

Note: you do NOT have to have a Kindle to access these books! They can be read on your computer!

The other categories include:

Beauty
Health & Fitness
Children’s Educational resources
Marriage
Spiritual Growth
Motherhood
Pregnancy & Baby Care
In the Kitchen
Budgeting ( Time & Money)
Holidays
Work from Home and Blogging

BUT WAIT! (I couldn’t resist, lol!) You also get the bonuses below with your purchase of the bundle!

A FREE Two-Month Membership to Fit2B Studio, where their wholesome workouts for the whole family are tummy safe and particularly target Diastasis Recti (split abs). ($19.98 value. No shipping restrictions.)A $15 store credit to TruKid. With products like their aware-winning sun care, they are dedicated to providing all natural skin and hair care for kids, babies, and now pets. ($15.00 value. Standard shipping applies. International shipping available.)

Your choice of incredible natural products like sea salt and clay for FREE. Choose from the Redmond Trading Earthpaste Bundle ($24.90 value) or the Facial Mud Bundle ($26.90 value). (Standard shipping applies. Continental US only.)

Your choice of a FREE heirloom sourdough starter or FREE yogurt starter from Cultures for Health, the leading supplier of starter cultures and supplies for making cultured and fermented foods ($12.95 value. US & CAN addresses only. Standard shipping applies.)

Your choice of: a FREE 3-Month Subscription (for new accounts) or 30% off a One Year Subscription. Plan to Eat is an online menu planner that uses your recipes, scheduled for the days you want them. ($15.00 value. No shipping restrictions.)

A FREE Culinary Herbs Assorted Seed Pack Check just in time for spring planting from www.wheatgrasskits.com, a living whole foods company. ($11.95 value. Standard shipping applies to all US states and territories- no international shipping for seeds.)

Get $10 off Union28′s original “my husband rocks” tee. Their marriage apparel lets you celebrate your spouse in style. ($10.00 value. Standard shipping rates apply. International shipping available, but free shipping only available within USA.)

A $10 store credit plus 1 FREE lip balm from Bee All Natural. Their whole body products nourish and heal, and are made using only the highest quality, food grade, organic ingredients. ($13.49 value. Standard shipping applies. International shipping available.)

A FREE 2 oz. bottle of your choice of liquid herbal formula from TriLight Health. They specialize in fast acting, great tasting natural herbal remedies. ($12.95 value or more. Standard shipping applies, within the USA only.)

Your choice of 3 FREE ePlanners OR a 3-Month FREE Membership toListPlanIt, whose mobile lists will help to organize your life. ($15.00 value.No shipping restrictions.)

Click here for the full details of the Ultimate Homemaking eBook sale!

Homemaking bundle e-book sale

Bernice — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 12:57:03 +0000

For 6 days only, more than 75 widely-known bloggers and authors in the homemaking sphere have joined together to offer 97 of their most popular eBooks and eCourses, valued at just over $600, for the incredibly low price of $29.97!

More than anything, our goal for this sale was for it to be, well… ultimate! We firmly believe that you will not find a more comprehensive collection of homemaking resources anywhere on the web, and particularly not in this price range. For this low price, you gain access to every single one of these resources, so that you can customize your own collection to contain exactly the ones you want and know you’ll use.

This library of homemaking helps include topics such as mothering, organization and cleaning, recipes and kitchen helps, home education, spiritual growth for both moms and kids, home décor and DIY, pregnancy and baby care, frugal living, health and fitness, and even work-from-home and financial tools.

To sweeten the pot, we’ve also teamed up with 10 companies to bring you over $140 in bonus offers, giving you an affordable opportunity to get products you’ll use and love for only the cost of shipping, or in some cases, entirely for free!

What’s Included in the Sale?

When you purchase The Ultimate Homemaking eBook collection , you will get instant access to any of the 97 eBooks and eCourses listed below.

PLUS over $140 of FREE Bonuses

Each The Ultimate Homemaking eBook collection comes with more than $140 of FREE Bonuses from 10 companies that we know you’ll love. More on these bonuses below.

Please note: This collection is only available from 9 a.m. EST on April 29th to 11:59 p.m. EST on May 4th. There will be no late sales offered.

Home & Property {Cleaning, Organizing, Decor}

PLUS, You will receive FREE Bonuses from these companies…

A $15 store credit to TruKid. With products like their aware-winning sun care, they are dedicated to providing all natural skin and hair care for kids, babies, and now pets. ($15.00 value. Standard shipping applies. International shipping available.)

Your choice of 3 FREE ePlanners OR a 3-Month FREE Membership to ListPlanIt, whose mobile lists will help to organize your life. ($15.00 value. No shipping restrictions.)

The fine print:

Bonus Offers

Each bonus offer can be redeemed once only per eBook Bundle purchase.
For each bonus offer, transaction numbers or proof of purchase may be required at the time of redemption.
All bonus offers are free gifts from the bonus sponsors, are their sole responsibility to provide, and are subject to availability.
All bonus offers expire at midnight on May 19th, 2013 (2 weeks from the last day of this sale).

General

It is your responsibility to download and back-up your purchase within the 1-month download time-frame. With proof of purchase, we can renew download links up until August 1st, 2013. After this date we will no longer have access to the books and will not be able to provide any new links to download.
Due to the nature of this sale, there will be no refunds available. However, we would invite you to read our Frequently Asked Questions page to learn more about the file types, the download process, how the bonus offers work, etc.

Please note: This collection is only available from 9 a.m. EST on April 29th to 11:59 p.m. EST on May 4th. There will be no late sales offered, so make sure that you get your bundle right away!

Particularly for those wanting to read these ebooks on their mobile devices (iPhones or iPads, Android, Kindle, etc.) you will want to learn more about the file types, how to download them correctly, and how to transfer them to your device.

This post includes affiliate links, and I make a portion of the sale of each ebook bundle. Thanks for your support of this site!

A full homemaker’s library at your fingertips

Bernice — Sun, 28 Apr 2013 15:50:24 +0000

I have the perfect opportunity for you to build your homemaking resource library, at an INCREDIBLY low price! Check out ALL the titles below! Something for everyone! Be sure and come back tomorrow to take advantage of this Ultimate Homemaking e-Book Sale!

Even if you don’t have a Kindle or an e-reader, you can read on your computer. This post explains in more detail how to do so.

If you are worried about having 97 ebooks cluttering your files, check out this post on how to organize those files for easy access, for when you want a certain book.

Home & Property {Cleaning, Organizing, Decor}

Educational Children’s Resources

Budgeting {Finance & Time}

In the Kitchen {Recipes and Cooking}

Crock On by Stacy @ Stacy Makes Cents ($5.00)
Real Food, Real Easy by various bloggers @ The Humbled Homemaker ($9.95)
Wholesome Mixes by Kristy @ Little Natural Cottage ($4.00)
20-Minute Meals by Leigh Ann @ Intentional by Grace ($4.99)
Restocking the Pantry by Kresha @ Nourishing Joy ($9.99)
Money Saving Mom’s Guide to Freezer Cooking by Crystal @ Money Saving Mom ($3.99)
Simply Summer by Kate @ Modern Alternative Mama ($7.95)
Do the Funky Kitchen by Laura @ Heavenly Homemakers ($4.95)
Real Food Kids: In the Kitchen plus 1 month access to select Real Food Kids eCourse videos by Wardeh @ GNOWFGLINS and Jami @ Eat Nourishing ($20.00)
Seasonal Menu Plans on a Budget: A Month of Meals from My Humble Kitchen to Yours by Diana @ My Humble Kitchen($4.99)
Just Making Ice Cream by Marillyn @ Just Making Noise ($12.00)
The Curative Kitchen by Susan @ Handy Pantry ($20.00)

Pregnancy & Baby Care

Holidays & Special Events

Spiritual Growth

Pursuit of the Proverbs 31 by Amy @ Amy Bayliss ($3.99)
The Best of Visionary Womanhood by Natalie @ Visionary Womanhood ($5.00)
God’s Word in my Heart: A Scripture Memory Learning Guide with Verses {all 4 versions} by Jenn @ The Purposeful Mom($3.99)
Kept: a 13-Week Inductive Study on 1 Peter by Lara and Katie @ Quench Bible ($4.99)
Love Like Him: an 8 week Inductive Bible study on 1 Corinthians 13 by Lara and Katie @ Quench Bible ($2.99)

The Stressed Mom

Keep your rugs from sliding

Get more done by doing the right things at the right time

An example of efficient vs effective

Timing is everything

How to freeze avocado

Don’t let the sunshine in

What to clean if you only have 5 minutes

The easiest way to hang a picture

What we REALLY want for Mother’s Day!

One of my favorite Mother’s Days

Does a gift have to cost a lot to be special?

The best Mother’s Day gift

Home & Property {Cleaning, Organizing, Decor}

Click here for the full details of the Ultimate Homemaking eBook sale!

Homemaking bundle e-book sale

What’s Included in the Sale?

PLUS over $140 of FREE Bonuses

Home & Property {Cleaning, Organizing, Decor}

Educational Children’s Resources

Budgeting {Finance & Time}

In the Kitchen {Recipes and Cooking}

Pregnancy & Baby Care

Holidays & Special Events

Spiritual Growth

Marriage & Romance

Motherhood

Health & Fitness

Beauty

Working from Home & Blogging

E-courses

PLUS, You will receive FREE Bonuses from these companies…

The fine print:

This post includes affiliate links, and I make a portion of the sale of each ebook bundle. Thanks for your support of this site!

A full homemaker’s library at your fingertips

Home & Property {Cleaning, Organizing, Decor}

Educational Children’s Resources

Budgeting {Finance & Time}

In the Kitchen {Recipes and Cooking}

Pregnancy & Baby Care

Holidays & Special Events

Spiritual Growth

Marriage & Romance

Motherhood

Health & Fitness

Beauty

Working from Home & Blogging

E-courses