I’m wondering: What’s one thing you own that cost less than $20, that has gotten you the most bang for your buck?
Have you got something you’ve been wondering about that I could feature in a future I’m Wondering post? Submit your question here!
Well, Christmas is finished for another year. You may be thinking of taking down all your decorations but dreading the mess that your storage area becomes. Or what about next Christmas when you can’t find the specific decorations you’re looking for?
Look no further, I’ve got you covered with this handy Christmas Decoration Storage Inventory printable! Simply print out a page or two (depending on how many boxes you have) and get to work filling the paper out as you put away decorations. Label the boxes with the corresponding number that you have marked on the papers. For example, on the paper, box #1 includes all the Christmas lights. Be sure to label the actual box with #1 too!
Print your Christmas Decoration Storage Inventory printable here.
Can you believe that we are at the very last day of 2016 already? For me, the year just flew by! 2016 was full of lessons, laughter and exciting things. (New baby, new home.)
Now that 2017 is nearly here, what are you hoping to see happen in the new year?
Anyways, here are the interesting links I came across on my travels around the web this week! Enjoy and have a great weekend!
Here are some posts you may have missed from Simply Frugal this Week:
A Delightful Home has a ‘delightful’ bath mix that would be enjoyed! Pair some homemade oatmeal cookies with the Oatmeal Cookie Bath recipe found on her site.
Maybe you could go one step further by adding a candle, lotion and some tea to a gift basket?
If you are on Pinterest at all you have undoubtedly seen Bullet Journals. Maybe you have looked into them a bit, maybe not. I am going to assume for the sake of this post that you are intrigued but haven't given it much research.
If you find the rigidity of common planners is just too hard to maintain and stick with, you may find that a bullet journal, in its simpleness, is better suited to you. Read on and find out just what the heck a bullet journal is and if it’s the planner system you have been looking for.
Bullet Journals were created by Ryder Carroll of bulletjournal.com and you can find out some additional info by checking out his site. Originally they were more utilitarian and then this community just sort of... exploded, people who wanted to use the simplicity of a bullet journal but add a touch of art and color to their pages. Bullet journals are a system of notes, lists, brainstorming, calendars, etc. Much more fluid than your typical planner, the bullet journal system allows you to create a layout that works for you and also make it beautiful!
What do you need to get started? All you need to start is a journal and a pen, where you go from there is up to you. You can grab packs of wonderfully fluid pens in every shade of the rainbow for writing and sketching, stickers and washi tape that the bullet journal community love to use for making their pages pop. The creativity in your book, even if you are not an artist makes you look forward to writing your lists and checking items off every day.
The one rule of bullet journals is... there are no rules! This is your book, and instead of making your style fit the book, it can be designed to suit your needs.
Decide how you want to use it- However, this may change as you make it your own. Do you want to divide up work and home into boxes? Use the front of each page as a calendar and the back as a task list? There a a ton of videos on YouTube to inspire you with ideas.
Start with a key page - A list of symbols to note items that are completed, pushed back, high priority, etc.. These symbols can be used
Make an index- To quickly reference and find your various sections like daily schedules, lists, and monthly goals.
Grab some supplies to make it fun- Below I have a few fun items you may want to really get creative with your bullet journaling. Keep them all together in a pretty basket or bag.
(Note: The links in this post may be affiliate links. Read the disclosure policy here.)
The Journal
Dotted journals are the most popular notebook option for Bullet journaling. The dots allow for plenty of artistic freedom but give you a hint of lines for making boxes or other shapes. Lined notebooks are great too!
The Pens
Pretty ink just makes it more fun to write out those mundane lists and goals! You can use just black but colors are just so inviting. I like these pens and these erasable Pilot Frixion pens.
The Washi
Let me caution you, pretty washi tape can quickly become a bit of an addiction. You can find it in every color, theme, and size you would hope for. I use it across the top or sides of my pages for color and also to separate sections on each page.
Stickers
Stickers are a great way to highlight important dates or appointments in your journal. There are so many fun stickers available on Amazon or even at your local dollar store! Stickers are also a fun way to personalize your planner if you're not really artistically creative.
Bullet journaling can help you get your life organized. Everything from your weekly menus to school meetings without the fuss and structure of a box planner. You may find you fill up your journal quickly using it daily or you may just use a couple pages per week. Either way, it’s your bullet journal, so make it work for you! Hope these bullet journal ideas are helpful!
Are you a bullet journaler? I would love to hear your favorite tips and tricks below in the comments.
It always amazes me how much stuff we can accumulate. How is it that despite many of us being on a tight budget these days, we still manage to be overrun with too much stuff? There’s a reason the tiny house craze and the concept of living with less are appealing to so many.
Eliminate some clutter and you’re sure to start feeling like you can tackle every day life with a little more zest.
Below, I have a list of simple things to declutter. Ones that don’t take much thought, but will have your home and mind feeling lighter than before.
1) That pile of stuff “to be repaired” (You know, the broken items you are honestly never going to get around to fixing, including ripped clothes.)
2) That other pile of stuff “to be repurposed” (If you don’t have a specific project in mind, toss it.)
3) Old receipts, statements, paper clutter (Invest in a shredder and get rid of any papers past their prime.)
4) Expired coupons
5) Old batteries (Don’t just throw them in the garbage. Check out Call2Recycle.ca.)
6) Old magazines, catalogs, newspapers, and newsletters
7) Things that don’t fit (Including ill-fitting bras, maternity clothes and children’s clothes, too)
8) Things you are hanging on to because of guilt (Ugly gifts from family members…)
9) Old cell phones
10) Old pet stuff (Unless you definitely plan to get another pet in the near future, donate these items to your local animal shelter.)
11) Expired medication (Drop these off at your nearest pharmacy, where they’ll make sure to dispose of them properly.)
12) Expired cosmetics and skincare
13) Menus from take-out restaurants (Most have their menus online these days.)
14) Wrong cosmetics and/or skincare for your skin type (Including samples and free gifts with purchase that you’ve collected over time)
15) Period underwear (Girl, get some black underwear and toss those ugly ones!)
16) Too many clothes for the wrong season (Do you own 10 bathing suits, but only swim a handful of times? Do you have 5 pairs of snow boots, but live in a rainy climate?)
17) Outdated clothes that you can’t even salvage as a costume (If they’re not funny enough for Halloween, but too funny for everyday wear, it might be time to donate them.)
18) Jewelry you dislike, is broken, or tarnished.
19) Shoes that stink, are worn out, or uncomfortable (When’s the last time you wore them?)
20) Cleaning products you don’t use. (Find out how I clean our whole house with homemade cleaners, here.)
21) Unnecessary kitchen items (We all have space-wasters that we never actually use, including, but not limited to gravy boats, fine china, strange gadgets, multiples, and too many cookbooks.)
22) Expired food
23) Food that you won’t eat before it expires (Take these to your local food bank or soup kitchen before it’s too late.)
24) Home décor (including art) that doesn’t express who you are or doesn’t bring you joy
25) Scratchy or uncomfortable throw pillows and blankets
26) Children’s art in excess (Take pictures of them for a digital scrapbook instead of filing away mass quantities of finger paint masterpieces.)
27) Children’s toy’s in excess (If they aren’t age appropriate, are missing pieces, are no longer being played with, books that have ripped pages, or are all used up, it’s time to let them go!)
28) Baby stuff (If you are done having babies, if the items may change by the time you have another one, if they won’t last, if they can be repurchased secondhand for cheap instead of storing them for years…give them to someone who will benefit from them now.)
29) Defunct art & craft supplies (If the supplies are dried up, smell funny or you just have too much of a certain item. Ask yourself whether you even scrapbook/knit/etc. anymore.)
30) Excess office and school supplies (These can be donated to a teacher in your community.)
31) Outdated calendars and planners
32) Damaged luggage and excess bags (Totes, free-with-purchase makeup bags and beach bags)
33) Rusty or moldy patio furniture
34) Broken pots, damaged hoses and any other yard items that have seen better days
35) Anything cardboard (It attracts bugs, so find a different material to store your things in.)
There you have it. 35 things to declutter now, to bring a more peaceful feeling to your home!
