I’m often asked for any “secrets” I have to being productive while also being a “present parent” who plays with their kids, shows interest in what they want to do, reads books with them, does crafts together, etc.
I realize there are MANY variables that could come into play here, but as I’ve thought about these questions over the past couple of years, 2 simple concepts (a.k.a “secrets”) came to mind…
I love thinking about better, more efficient ways to keep my home and life more organized — but I usually don’t start looking for a more efficient way until I start feeling like my current system isn’t working anymore.
If my current system isn’t broken… I don’t fix it (and I save a lot of time, money, and stress in the process!)
I’ve gotten lots of money-saving questions over the past few weeks… so today, I thought I’d share a handful of relatively small and simple ways we save quite a bit every month and every year.
Most of these simple ways to save won’t instantly change your financial situation, but (as with most things in life) the changes will come about more slowly. However, by starting small and sticking with your savings goals, you will be on your way to create the very valuable habit of SAVING!
After many years of visiting 4-5 grocery stores each week, finding the BEST deals, playing the drugstore game, and sending in multiple rebates every week, I now do 97% of my grocery shopping at ONE store.
I know I’m spending more because of it… but the luxury of more time is a splurge I’ve thoroughly enjoyed for the past few years! I’d love to know how you handle your grocery shopping too!
It’s February — the month of love — so it only seems fitting that I should share a handful of things I LOVE!
One is a newer favorite, the other 4 have been favorites for years and years! And as always, be sure to check out some of my favorite things from past months and share your favorite things in the comments!
As a self-employed, work-from-home mom of 3 energetic, non-school-age children, my days can be very VERY unpredictable… and this lack of structure starts to wear on me after a while!
Today I’m sharing a few basic routines I’ve implemented that allow our family to thrive, even when every day is different. I think the concepts could be implemented into many different family situations too.
One of the things I love most about scalloped potatoes is that it’s a delicious MAKE-AHEAD side dish that can instantly be transformed into a MAKE-AHEAD main dish with the addition of some chopped ham!
If you’re looking for a hearty winter meal (or yummy potato side dish) this is the recipe for you!
Despite starting our week with 3 sick kiddos, we had a great week with slightly warmer temperatures and Dave home a bit more due to exams.
I finished a couple more books, did a few small projects around the house, and updated our important document binder… so overall, a pretty productive week for me!
Simple living can sound like an overwhelming task for many of us… and it CAN be at first.
However, I know from personal experience that when simple living becomes a habit, or “an unconscious pattern of behavior,” it just feels right, and easy, and oh so simple you won’t even be able to imagine living life any other way!
As we start a fresh new year, I thought it might be fun to revisit a time when I started over fresh with my business — that time I rebranded my entire blog and business!
Believe it or not, it’s been almost FOUR years since I changed the name of my blog and my business — which means I’ve officially been “Andrea Dekker” for longer than I was “Simple Organized Living” — crazy!
Have you ever pushed yourself too hard… to the point where you hated an activity you once loved?
As we strive for new goals and resolutions in the coming year, I want to highlight the negative impact of pushing too hard. It’s one thing to strive for a lofty goal… it’s another to completely burn out and start hating an activity you formerly enjoyed.
Freezer cooking has been a crucial part of my efforts to simplify my life for over 10 years now. I have saved myself countless hours in the kitchen, thousands of dollars at the grocery store, and bucket loads of stress due to planning ahead and having ready-made meals in the freezer ALL THE TIME.
However, aside from some leftover soup, we currently have ZERO full meals in our deep freezer right now! Today, I’m sharing why…
Although I’m not nearly as frugal as I was 10 years ago, I still try to use our money wisely, get the best value, and save when it’s not too much of an inconvenience.
One of the ways I save quite a bit (without sacrificing much time, effort, or quality of product) is by simply asking the right questions to the right people.
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