Category: Lifestyle

How to Declutter Your Home – 10 Tips That Actually Work

March 28, 2020 3:13 pm March 28, 2020

Living in a home that is decluttered, clean and organized feels amazing. I am sure that we can all agree that it feels great, but the harder thing is learning…

Living in a home that is decluttered, clean and organized feels amazing. I am sure that we can all agree that it feels great, but the harder thing is learning how to declutter your home.

Being surrounded by clutter can make you overwhelmed, stressed and unable to relax. Don’t worry if you are having a hard time decluttering your home.

I have some great tips that help me keep my home clean and decluttered and also some hacks that work for others. I hope they will work for you too! Check them out below.

How to declutter your home

1. Keep a specific place for junk

There is no way around it. You are going to have some clutter that you will get everyday that you can’t avoid. The key is to create a system and place for it so that you can keep it under control.

Get a basket or create a space in an empty draw specifically for all this incoming junk. Things like mail, paperwork, kids papers, and more. Their will always be something!

The types of things that we don’t want to sort through right when we get them but can’t just throw them away.

Instead of piling it all on your counter or table just place them into the the new place you created. Then once per week go through it and clear it out.

2. Find a donation center

I think that sometimes we don’t get rid of things because we don’t know what to do with it all. We don’t want certain things, but we also don’t want to throw throw it all away.

If you find a great place to donate too, you won’t feel this way. Instead, you will feel great getting rid of your clutter knowing that it can be a blessing to others.

After you find a donation place, figure out the times and locations that they accept donations. Make a plan to get things together to drop off. The number one thing that you can do to declutter your home is to get rid of the clutter.

If you haven’t used something in a year, or it doesn’t fit, or maybe it just takes up too much space in your home, then it’s time to get rid of it.

3. Set rules for your spaces

To keep your home decluttered you will want to have an idea of exactly how you want each space to look at it’s best. This becomes your baseline. Make it your new rule to try and keep a space looking this way as much as possible.

If you have a specific way that you want your bedroom or living room to look then it will be easier to achieve this by setting a rule. This rule will help you to keep things in order and others in your house too.

4. Focus on one room at a time

Pick just one room that you want to declutter at a time. If you try to declutter too much at once you will get overwhelmed and might even give up. So stay focused on one room, then when you are done move to the next.

Seeing the first space looking clean and decluttered will help motivate you to keep decluttering the rest of your home. So instead of getting overwhelmed you will get excited.

5. Use technology to reduce clutter

I love this tip! Are there any things that you could replace in your home with technology? I love to buy things like books in digital format instead of a hard copy.

This helps to keep my home from filling up will books that I probably will never read again.

If you haven’t already I would suggest signing up for email statements instead of paper. This reduces junk mail and clutter. Also, instead of holding on to papers, you could start scanning them and saving it in a digital format.

This cuts down on clutter and makes it easier for you to get rid of things knowing that you will have a backup copy saved if you need it in the future.

6. Keep caught up on laundry

Nothing make the house look more cluttered than laundry. I love to do just a little bit of laundry everyday. This has eliminated my laundry day (since I am doing it everyday), created more time, and made my home look much less cluttered.

Make it your goal to start doing at least 1 load per day and see how much less cluttered your house will begin to feel.

7. Watch what you buy

When you are making a new purchase for your home really take into consideration if this new item is going to make your space cluttered.

This will keep your home less cluttered and make it less that you have to go through and get rid of overtime. Really be picky about what you buy and bring into your home.

8. Don’t just buy more storage stuff

I think that many people have made the mistake of buying a bunch of storage bins when they are getting ready to declutter. I know that I am guilty of this mistake in the past!

More storage is not always the answer. You don’t want to just hide the clutter away, because evenly it will creep back up on you.

The key to decluttering is to get rid of it. To minimize what you need to have in your home and in your storage containers.

Step one should be eliminating clutter. Only after you have gotten rid of the unnecessary things should you go out and buy containers, baskets, and organizers. You will definitely want to purchase these things, but just save them for last.

9. Declutter with the seasons

There are certain things that we will use in the winter but not in the summer. To cut back on clutter you can store your off season stuff away in the garage or attic. Extra blankets, heavy coats, and winter decorations should be in your garage packed away at the end of the winter season.

Rotate with the seasons. This is great for kids rooms too. I do this with my kids clothes in their dressers and things stay so much less cluttered and organized.

10. Plan to keep down clutter

Make a plan and stick to it. Plan to declutter your home and keep it that way. You will find yourself enjoying a nice clean organized space instead of just constantly fighting the clutter.

Having a plan is the easiest way to make sure that you stick to your goal of having a clutter free home.

I hope that all these tips on how to declutter your home and life help you to get some ideas on how to clean out your space and make it look and feel great.

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Lifestyle

8 Helpful Tips on How to Get Motivated to Clean House

Amber

March 27, 2020 10:19 am March 27, 2020

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If you are wondering how to get motivated to clean house, don’t feel bad, your not the only one that feels this way. I know that somedays I just don’t…

If you are wondering how to get motivated to clean house, don’t feel bad, your not the only one that feels this way. I know that somedays I just don’t want to clean house, but still want my house to be clean!

So what can we do to get motivated? Here are my favorite tips to actually get excited to start cleaning.

How to Get Motivated To Clean House

1. Turn on your favorite music

Pick your favorite radio station or playlist and turn up the volume. Sometimes its as easy as listening to some loud music to get us up and motivated to tackle cleaning the house.

I know that when I have my favorite songs on it motivates me to clean and get things done. Some people also suggest turning on “clean with me videos” on Youtube or listening to their favorite podcast.

Whatever you listen to that gives you that extra boost of energy, turn it on and get to cleaning.

2. Set a timer

Sometimes you can just get in your head and feel unmotivated to clean since you think it will take too long. Set a timer on your phone for 10 minutes. As soon as the timer starts get up and start cleaning until it goes off.

I have tried this in the past and it works great! For some reason its easier to get up and start if you know that your only going to have to do it for 10 minutes. Sometimes after the timer goes off and you are already in cleaning mode, you might not even want to stop.

3. Give yourself a reward

The reward system works great for cleaning motivation. Give yourself a cleaning task to get done, such as cleaning the kitchen and living room and choose a reward for yourself when you are done.

Some examples of a reward might be your favorite coffee, some time alone, or getting your nails done. Sometimes the pleasure of knowing that you will have a reward at the end makes cleaning seem like less of a chore.

4. Try a new cleaning product

Every time I buy new cleaner I always want to try it out, and to try it out you have to clean. Buy a new kind of cleaning spray or bathroom cleaner and you will be excited to try it out. This will get you cleaning quick.

5. Start a routine

It’s easier to fall into the habit of not wanting to clean, if we choose to clean only when we feel like it. If you schedule times and days that you will do specific cleaning chores and stick to it then it will become routine.

This makes it easier to get it done since you won’t even waste time thinking about it and instead just do it because its on your schedule. Stick to the schedule and you won’t have to try so hard to stay motivated.

6. Start small

It’s easy to get overwhelmed thinking about everything that needs cleaned in your house. It can be so overwhelming that you don’t even want to start at all. To make it easier to start just pick one thing that you are going to clean.

Instead of telling yourself that you have to clean the kitchen. Just start small and just clean off the counters. Starting small gets you started and makes it easier to come back to and finish up later in the day.

7. Pick your favorite thing first

Have something that you hate cleaning? I know for me that I hate mopping. Start with the thing that you enjoy the most and save what you really don’t like for last.

It will be easier to start cleaning when you are not dreading the thing you hate most about cleaning your house.

8. Get a new cleaning tool

Buy that new vacuum or duster you have been wanting. The last time I bought a new Dyson I think I was vacuuming my floors twice a day for a week just because I wanted to use my new toy. Try it out and see how it works for you.

I love the feeling of a nice clean space. I hope that these tips help you learn how to get motivated to clean house. It can be hard to get started but you will feel so good once you start seeing progress.

Just getting started is the hardest part. Sometimes you just have to make yourself do it.

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Lifestyle

8 Habits of Fit Girls You Need to Try

Amber

March 26, 2020 12:13 pm March 26, 2020

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Sometimes it feels like you workout and eat healthy and you never get fit. We have all struggled at time to reach out fitness goals. So whats the secret? Why…

Sometimes it feels like you workout and eat healthy and you never get fit. We have all struggled at time to reach out fitness goals. So whats the secret? Why are there some girls that just always seem to stay fit?

The reason that they get fit and stay in shape is that they have healthy habits. Here are some of the best habits that fit girls make a priority in their daily lives.

I know that when I follow some of these habits of fit girls I start getting in shape and feeling great. I hope that these habits motivate you to adopt some healthy habits and reach your fitness goals.

Habits of Fit Girls

1. Working out is priority

This is the number one habit that all fit girls have in common. They have a workout schedule and certain times and days that they schedule into their routine for workouts. Fit girls make it a priority to stick to this schedule and don’t just skip workouts.

While it may seem impossible to start working out 4-5 days a week, once you start it will become a habit that you adopt and it will get easier and easier as time goes on.

2. High intensity interval training

The secret to staying lean and in shape for many fit girls is that they schedule a few days a week for high intensity interval training. I know that when I do high intensity interval training I see fast results.

It might seem intimidating at first but high intensity interval training is actually not that hard and alot of fun. This is an easy habit to adopt and you will see results quick.

3. Don’t rest more than 3 days

Fit girls make it a priority to workout at least 4 – 5 days per week. This means that they don’t rest for more than 3 days. While resting is important to give your muscles and body a chance to recover, you don’t want to rest too much.

Its a great idea do stretching or yoga on your rest days. This helps to keep your muscles stretched out and you will be less sore.

4. Always keep healthy snacks on hand

When you are hungry for a snack its so easy to reach for the closest or quickest thing to get. Fit girls understand this so they are always prepared with healthy snack options. This helps them to always have something healthy on hand so that they are not tempted to eat something bad out of connivence.

5. Use weights

When you see girls that are fit and in great shape, chances are that they have the habit of lifting weights. While cardio and HILT will help you to stay lean, you need some weights in your workout routine to help you to build muscle.

Building muscle helps your body to increase your metabolism, burn more fat and gives you more definition. Fit girls know this and aren’t afraid of weights. If your new to using weights just start small with very light weights and work you way up. Every little bit with help you to gain more muscle.

6. Eat healthy

Fit girls understand that all the time spend working out won’t make a difference if they are not eating healthy. They have learned about what foods are healthy and make it a habit to have these food on hand and to prep their meals.

Even if you don’t want to prep your meals quite yet, just start by researching healthy food options and trying to incorporate more healthy food such as vegetables and proteins into your diet. Sometimes its easier to start with small changes.

7. Watch what they drink

Girls that are fit know that you don’t want to drink your calories. One of the worst things for your body when you are trying to stay fit is alcohol. Also, you should try and drink less sugary drinks as well. Try to eliminate sodas and replace them with water.

You will often see fit girls carrying water with them. This is because they know how important it is to drink water to stay fit. Try to start making it a goal to drink more water everyday.

8. Set fitness goals

If you have no specific goals it is hard to stay motivated. Fit girls know that to stay fit they have to set fitness goals and stick to them. They make it a goal to workout 4 days a week or to eat certain foods, or try to go down a certain amount of pants size.

If you want to reach your fitness goals then you should first set some goals and figure out what you can do to move toward these goals each day.

9. Exercise even when sore

Fit girls don’t let sore muscles stop them from sticking to their exercise habits. They know that sore muscles are part of the fitness process and do things like stretching to make their muscles feel better, but don’t skip their workouts.

The most important thing that you can to do start using some of these fit girl habits is to just get started. Pick a couple of these habits of fit girls and set a goal to stick to them. Figure out how you can work them into your daily routine.

Once you start to follow these habits and you will be feeling stronger, have more energy and start getting great results. This will motivate you to work even harder to reach your fitness goals!

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Lifestyle

6 Home Organizing Basics Everybody Should Know

Amber

March 25, 2020 3:44 pm March 25, 2020

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There are so many different ways to organize your home. When it comes time to organize it can cause stress and feelings of overwhelm. There are a few basics that…

There are so many different ways to organize your home. When it comes time to organize it can cause stress and feelings of overwhelm. There are a few basics that will make organizing your home easier and quicker.

These are some of the top suggestions of professional organizers. It feels so great to have a clean and orderly home. Let’s get more organized!

Organizing Basics

1. Get rid of stuff

If you have too much stuff in your home it makes your job of organizing even harder. One of the best ways to make organizing less stressful is to get rid of things that you don’t need. There are two approaches that you can take to start minimizing your home.

The first is that you can just go through your house and get together things to donate or sell and just get rid of them right away. The second approach is better if you are not ready to get rid of things yet. What you can do is just pack it away and store it in the garage until your are ready to let go for good.

Once you get all the extra clutter and things you don’t need out of your home, then it will be much easier to start organizing. Just remember to try and be picky about what stays since you really want to clear things out.

2. Start in one spot

When you are planing to organize your home it can be hard to even know where to start. The professionals suggest that you pick the most cluttered area of your home and focus on organizing that spot first. Then once you are done, pick the next most cluttered area to tackle.

This will help to keep you feeling less overwhelmed and you will be able to start seeing progress fast. Make it your goal to pick one spot per week or every few days and before you know it your whole house will be looking more organized.

3. Take it all out

When you find a spot to focus on you will want to start by taking everything out first. For example, if you are going to focus on your desk then take everything off your desk, clean it and then start organizing the items as you put them back.

The professionals also suggest that you wait to buy any organization stuff like baskets or bins, unit after you have done a bit of decluttering and organizing so that you know exactly what you will need.

4. Organize every day

Don’t just wait until spring cleaning to do your organizing. Try and make it a habit to keep things organized as you go along. Once everything has a place, make it easier on yourself by putting everything back where it goes after you use it.

5. Get rid of one thing when you buy something new

Get something new? Make sure that you pick at least one thing to get rid of for every new item you bring into your home. Buying lots of new things can make your home cluttered and unorganized quick. You have to make sure that you equally getting rid of the old to make room for the new.

6. Make a place for everything

This is one of my favorite tips. You need to have a place for everything in your home. This tip is so great because it also helps make it easy for you to keep it organized. For example, have a spot for incoming mail, outgoing mail, towels, dishcloths, shoes, ect. When something is out of place you can easily put it back.

Its never fun to clean and organize but its always a great feeling after your done. The best feeling is relaxing in your clean and organized home. I hope that these organizing basics help give you an idea of easy things that you can start doing in your home to get more organized.

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Lifestyle

11 Habits of People That Always Have Clean Homes

Amber

March 21, 2020 9:03 pm March 21, 2020

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Cleaning house! It’s something that we all have to do. It can be hard to stay on top of keeping the house clean but there are certain things that you…

Cleaning house! It’s something that we all have to do. It can be hard to stay on top of keeping the house clean but there are certain things that you can add into your routine to keep your house cleaner and save time.

There’s always that one person that seems to have a nice clean home every time you visit. What’s the secret? Here are the top habits of people that always have a clean home. They are easy and quick and will have your house looking great.

Clean Home Habits

1. Make your bed first thing in the morning

This is such a simple and quick little thing that you can add to your morning routine. If you start your day out right by making the bed you have already set a tone for the day.

Getting in the habit of making your bed right after you get up makes your room look nice and clean all the time. Plus, who doesn’t love crawling into a nicely made bed at the end of a long day.

2. Do at least one load of laundry every day

Your home will look cleaner because you wont have dirty clothes and full hampers. By doing just a load a day you won’t have to take an entire day a week to do laundry. Leaving you more time and less dirty laundry around the house.

3. Straighten things up before bed

Take just a couple minutes to go through the house and quickly put anything laying out away. This helps to keep the clutter under control and its nice to wake up in the morning knowing your house is a bit cleaner.

4. Clean things as you go

If you get a few things out, then just put them back when you are done. Using a blanket, fold it up and put it away. Doing a craft at the table, clean it up when you are done. Cleaning things up as you make a mess is great for keeping your house looking tidy.

5. Get your papers organized

I am sure you have a ton of papers that you get everyday. Don’t just pile them up on the counter. Instead, create a place to store them all. Get a paper organizer and separate them out as you get them each day.

6. Have a place for coats and shoes

People that have clean homes normally have a place for everything. Create a spot where you will store shoes, hang coats, and backpacks so that you can get in the habit of putting them where they go.

7. Vacuum and sweep at least every other day

Floors can get dirty quick. When your floors look clean it makes your entire house look cleaner. Get in the habit of doing a quick vacuum and sweep as much as possible. Your house will always be presentable and it saves time in the long run since you don’t have to take a full day a week to clean.

8. Wash the dishes after using them

This is one habit of people that have clean homes that you will want to start doing. It might take some time to get in the routine, but your kitchen will look much cleaner. When your kitchen is clean it just makes the whole house feel cleaner.

9. Get rid of things you don’t need

I am sure you have a ton of stuff that you don’t really use or need that is just taking up space and causing clutter in your home. People with clean homes regularly go through and get rid of things that are no longer used.

10. Don’t store things on the counters

If you want your home to look nice and clean make sure that you don’t have stuff on your counters. Create storage space in your cabinets and put things away that you don’t need right away like toasters, or blenders.

It’s amazing how just having clutter free counter and table space can make your home look clean.

11. Have a spot for everything

People with clean homes have a place for everything. This might take some organizing and getting rid of things to accomplish. After you get it all organized it will be much easier to keep your home looking clean every day.

Keeping your home clean might feel impossible, but just start by adding one of two of these habits to your daily routine and you will start to see a cleaner home.

These tips also save time. You won’t have to spend an entire day or weekend cleaning since you will be doing a little each day. I hope that these ideas inspire you to develop some new habits and a cleaner home.

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