Designing Your Pantry

Yesterday we talked a little bit about why having a pantry is a good idea. But where can you put it? Pantries bring to mind big rooms full of food. Although a walk in pantry is a lovely idea, it’s not always practical. How can you make room for a pantry? 1. Declutter to create room for a pantry. Are there dish sets you’re not using, or big pots and pans that you last used a few years ago? Sell them on Craigslist, and use the money to buy some starter goodies for your new and spacious pantry! 2. Designate an … Continue reading →

A Homemaker’s Christmas

What is a homemaker? A homemaker is not male or female, young or old. A homemaker is a person who builds a house into a home. Helping someone find the tools and skills to create a home is a wonderful gift. How can you share the homemaking love this Christmas? Give Inspiration I’m giving out a lot of homemaking inspiration this year in the form of jams, cookies, and canned fruit. I love to share what I’ve made, and sometimes it inspires others to do the same. Give Family Recipes I’ve done this a couple of times, and I’ve also … Continue reading →

Books To Inspire Homemaking

I’m loving the Little House books by Laura Ingalls Wilder these days. I have always loved them, and my copies show it. The Little House in the Big Woods book is quite close to falling apart. This time, I am reading them with my seven-year-old daughter. We tried this a couple of years ago, to very little interest. This time, she is enchanted, and it is lovely. No matter how tired we are before bed, we read an entire chapter. The simplicity and do-it-yourselfness of life back then is what is enchanting about these books, as are the close family … Continue reading →

Celebrate Pay it Forward Day!

Did you know that today, April 26th is Pay It Forward Day? That is right! People all over the world are celebrating by doing special acts of kindness. You don’t have to only pay it forward today, though. Get in the habit of being kind, and the world will be a better place. There are so many ways to practice a random act of kindness today, from paying for something for the person behind you to leaving a surprise gift for someone, to doing a much needed task anonymously. You can go small, such as putting a quarter in someone’s … Continue reading →

Three Things to Do on a Cloudy Day

Stuck at home with a cloudy day on your hands? Why not do one of the following activities? Take advantage of the weather and put those clouds to good use. The following three things work best when the forecast calls for a cloudy day. Enjoy! 1. Wash the windows. Professional cleaners know that the best time to wash windows is on a cloudy day. That is because direct sunlight can cause streaks when you are washing your windows. Have some cleaner and a good squeegee on hand for the best results. When the sunshine does come back, it will come … Continue reading →

Summer Fixes and Tips

Summertime comes with its own set of challenges, such as how to keep the sand out of the car or what to do when the kiddie pool is full of mold. Here are some quick summer fixes and tips to get through the season with ease. Sandy Bottom (and everywhere else) No matter how much you try to get all of the sand off before you get into the car, inevitably it seems that half of the beach gets in. Some beaches offer an outdoor shower, but not all. And some little ones want nothing to do with the shower, … Continue reading →

Things to Do with Loose Change

Is loose changing piling up at your house? Put it to good use with the following ideas. It will be like found money working toward a good cause. Gift Cards Turn all of that loose change into a gift card or two or three, depending on how much change you find in jars, pockets and the couch around your home. The gift cards can be used to thank the school bus driver or garbage man, as an unexpected gift for the baby sitter or just as fun money to spend when you are feeling down (one of my friends swears … Continue reading →

Taming the Rec Room

The recreation room or rec room in any home tends more to the other spelling of its name: it should be called the Wreck Room. It’s the place where you put all of the toys that the kids don’t use all that often. It’s the parking area for unfinished craft projects. It’s the place where the children play in the winter time and the place where you can close the door when guests come over. Often, it is the favourite room in the house. If your rec room is living up to its name, what can you do? First, determine … Continue reading →

The Tiny Home Trend

Whether from economics, environmentalism or just circumstances, there is a growing counter culture that extols the benefits of living in a tiny home. And we are talking tiny, not just small in comparison to the average. We are talking about homes that can be measured in terms of feet instead of square footage; homes where yes, you might have to move the bed to open the bedroom door. Tiny house blogs are popping up all over the Internet, and people who are getting back to basics offer plenty of advice on this lifestyle, including the average dimensions of a twin … Continue reading →

Great Uses for Shoe Organizers

While I love using containers to organize items in my home, I have discovered another great tool to use. Shoe organizers can do wonders for organizing, especially smaller items that you just can’t seem to find a good place for. The problem with smaller items is that if you do find somewhere to put them, you may forget you put them there or they may not be easily accessible. So let me share with you some great uses for shoe organizers. Let me first clarify what I mean by shoe organizers. I am referring to the kind you hang over … Continue reading →