4 Reasons To Start A Bullet Journal

If you've ever talked to me at all over the last few months, you've probably seen the blue and white striped notebook that never leaves my side. Now, even though I'm not keeping a diary or keeping a journal of all the things that I hear and see throughout the day that blue and white striped notebook is still very important. That's because I've recently put myself into the family of bullet journalists.

Bullet journaling is a fancy way of saying "I'm making my own planner out of to do lists and habit trackers". Now, don't get me wrong, I loved the Life Planner and the Lily Pulitzer planner. It's just that neither planner worked for me. Taking a notebook and a pen and designing my own layouts is what has started working for me.

If you are finding that it's difficult to keep your life on track and regular planners are just too hard to keep up with, then here are four reasons why you should start your own bullet journal.

4 Reasons to Start a Bullet Journal

1. You can make it how ever you like.

Even though there are general guidelines for bullet journals, ultimately the journal is something you create and work on until you're pleased with what you have created.

 2. It's just a bunch of "to do lists".

To do lists are a whole lot more satisfying to check off then just writing your tasks in your planner.

3. You can keep track of anything and everything.

I tend to keep track of meal plans, books that I want to read, movies and tv shows that I want to watch, habits, bucketlists, routines, and cleaning tasks.

4. It will definitely keep you organized.

Even though I still use a planner, my bullet journal also helps me stay organized.

Do you use a planner or a bullet journal?

Summer 2020 Routine

Disclaimer:  I know it my sound strange to start off talking about the evening routine first, but I think that your evening routine sets the pace for the morning routine. 

Our Summer Evening Routine

Today I'm sharing what I do on a typical summer evening. This is easily my most favorite time of the day because it means I get to spend it with the ones I love the most! 


4:00pm- outside time, prep/fix dinner.

5:00pm- eat, clean kitchen, sweep/mop floor, take out trash

Around 5pm we sit down to dinner. This is where we catch up on our day and talk about our weekend plans (if we have any). After dinner, I will wash the dishes, put any leftover food in the fridge. Then I will clean and disinfect the counters and the stove, and sweep and mop the kitchen. Last, I will take out the trash.

6:00pm- baths (Angelina and Cadence), wind down from the day, TV/PC time.
Read together for a while.

Around 6pm, I will give Cadence her bath and then I will have Angelina take a shower and put her pjs on. Then I will let the kids play together and Paul and I will watch some TV or just try to sit and talk.

7:00pm- bedtime routine (Cadence, cup of milk/stories/cuddle)

8:00pm- bedtime routine (Angelina, stories, write in journal, cuddle)

9:00pm- declutter living room and dining room, prep Angelina's lunch (if she is taking it).

9:30pm- 12:30am- blog work, computer work, relax

Wow, when you list everything out, my evening looks really busy!!! What do your evenings look like in the summer? Let me know in the comments!

2020 Summer Bucket List

It's just a couple of weeks until it is officially summer! To celebrate I am sharing my summer bucket list. We're hoping to cross each one off the list before the season is over.

 2020 Summer Bucket List

 
1.  Swim in a pool
2.  Eat ice cream for dinner
3. Visit a Farmer's Market
4. Have a picnic
5. Build a sand castle
6. Catch lighting bugs
7. Have a game night
8. Watch fireworks
9. Take a road trip
10. Go to a baseball game
11. Ride a bike
12. Fly a kite
13. Watch a sunset
14. Learn  a new craft
15. Toast marshmallows
16. Read a book
17. Blow bubbles
18. Make a root beer float
19. Make lemonade
20. Try a new recipe 

What's on your Summer bucket list?

Happy Homemaker Monday {6/15/2020}

Well, it's Monday....again. I cannot believe we are already half way through the year. It's insane!

Last week was a better blogging week for me. I only missed two days this time.  Last week was so busy with deadlines looming for one of our online businesses and bedtime has become a nightmare, I was just too tired to blog once the kids finally went to sleep.

I'm hoping my blogging is better this week. Anyways, let's get on with Happy Homemaker Monday! Shall we?

Breakfast time....what is on the plate this morning

Scrambled eggs, bacon, hashbrowns and toast

Right now I am

Sitting at the dining room table typing up this post.

The weather outside

Temps are supposed to be in the mid to upper 90s all week with zero chances of rain. Although some rain would be welcomed since we might be on the verge of a drought again.

Looking around the house

The house is clean!! The laundry is all folded and put away!

On today's to do list

Cleaning- general tidying of the house needs to be done.
Planning- I need to update my planners and my bullet journal and I need to work my editorial calendar for June
Decluttering the living room closet

Currently reading

A Time to Kill 

On the TV today

Right now I am watching Fuller House of Netflix, and various movies on Hulu, Amazon Prime, and Crackle

On the menu this week

Monday- Chicken baked potatoes corn
Tuesday-  Leftovers
Wednesday- Spaghetti and garlic toast
Thursday-
Friday- Pizza and breadsticks
Saturday-
Sunday- Beans with ham, fried potatoes, cornbread

If I have a few minutes to myself I will

I will curl up on the couch with a blanket and read my current book.

Devotionals, Scripture Reading, Key verses

7 Things To Do On A Sunday For A More Productive Week

Imagine if you will.... it's Monday morning and you can barely drag yourself out of bed. You're exhausted and you are getting ready for work barely making it out of the door on time. You forgot to pack your lunch so you will have to grab some fast food on your lunch hour. Your desk is a mess and your email box is full. It's going to be a long day. This sounds familiar, doesn't it? We have all been there, but it doesn't have to be that way. If you take advantage of your Sundays to prepare for the week, Mondays can be a lot easier! Here are seven things you can do on Sunday for a more productive week:

1. For thing's first.... think of Sunday as the first day of the week instead of the last. Most people tend to think of Sunday as a day of rest, instead think of Sunday as the first chance to prepare yourself for the week, This one simple little thought will make Monday seem less overwhelming.

2. Clean out your email inbox. If you work a typical 9 to 5 job, chances are most of the emails you receive Friday night through Sunday are personal and junk mail as opposed to work email. Clean these out on Sunday night. By doing this it will help you jump into the work week more quickly.

3. Write a to do list for the week and then begin to tackle it.

4. If you work from home clean off your desk on Sunday so you start the week off with a clean desk. Put anything you will need for Monday's projects front and center.

5. If you are a blogger, schedule your social media posts for the week. Now, I haven't started this yet mainly because I'm still finding the best free social media scheduler. I hope to start this sometime next week.

6. Clean the house. There's is nothing worse that starting the week with a messy house. I don't know about anyone else, but I am much more relaxed when my house is clean.

7. Meal plan and meal prep for the week. I tend to one big shopping trip at the beginning of the month. So, I usually have a detailed menu plan for the month. I still shop at least once a week for the essentials like milk, bread, and eggs and some fruits and veggies. It make all the difference when it comes to meal times.

What do you do on Sundays to have a more productive week?

Have a great day!!

10 Tips For A Cleaner Home

You can drastically stretch the time between weekly and daily cleaning just by following these 10 simple tips for a clean home. 

1. Make your bed

As the focal point of the bedroom, an unmade bed can make the whole room look messy. By making the bed, the room instantly looks tidy. Strive to do this every day, it makes a world of difference.

2. Empty the dishwasher each morning

If you have ever timed yourself then you know that emptying the dishwasher takes only about 5 minutes. Empty the dishwasher while the coffee is brewing or while the kids are getting ready for school. An empty dishwasher lets you put breakfast dishes in so they don't pile up in the sink all morning.

3. Clean up after each meal or snack

Dishes, pots and pans, food containers and spills all make your kitchen look messy since you already emptied your dishwasher. Load dishes after every meal or snack and then wipe down your counters with a homemade all purpose cleaner.

4. Do a load of laundry daily

No one wants to spend their weekend doing laundry and you won't have to if you do a load everyday.  Can't decided what to wash first? Use a laundry sorting hamper and grab the one that has the most clothes. Worried about mildew? Use your washing machine's delayed start (if your machine has one) so that the load is finished when you get home and transfer to the dryer.

 5. Wipe your sinks and faucets

Toothpaste spatters and hairs in the sink look gross. Food spills in the kitchen eventually stink. Grab a disinfecting wipe and spend a few minutes cleaning the sinks and faucets before you leave for work in the morning. Or use a microfiber cloth and a daily sink spray to clean, disinfect, and shine your sink as you go.

6. Sort and recycle paper right away
  
Keep papers from piling up on the kitchen island and dining table by dealing with the mail when you walk in the door. Run junk mail through the shredder, then put bills and letters in your mail sorter to pay or answer.

7. Use floor mats at every exterior door.

Even if you can’t train your family to not wear shoes in the house (which really reduces household dust) you can keep some of the dirt out by placing floor mats both inside and outside of each exterior door. Vacuum or shake the mats outside every few days.

8. Tidy counters before bed

Before you head to bed give the kitchen a quick glance and put away any clutter. Wipe the counters down with an all purpose disinfecting spray.

9. Nitpick your carpet.

We’ve all heard that we should vacuum high-traffic areas at least every other day, but not everyone has the time or energy for that. Get in the habit of looking over your floor and picking up small messes (cat hair, scraps of paper, etc.) between regular, weekly vacuuming and it will look nicer all week.

10. Run a kitchen sweeper or sweep the kitchen floors nightly 

Let’s face it, brooms and dustpans are a hassle and, thanks to their cords, vacuums aren’t much better. Use a multi-surface sweeper each night to pick up crumbs and pet hair from the kitchen floor so your kitchen always looks company-ready.

Performing these tips to keeping a clean house takes only a few minutes a day but they’ll keep your house looking constantly clean and make your regular, deeper cleaning tasks much easier.

What are some of your tips for a cleaner home? Please share in the comments below!

10 Ways to Fill A Notebook

Whenever I see a cute notebook, I must have it. If someone asks me for something that they could get me for my birthday or Christmas I always say "buy me a cute notebook". Right now, I have quite a few notebooks lying around just waiting to be filled up. The problem is I just don't know how to use them. That's why I thought of these 10 ways to fill a notebook.

10 Ways to Fill A Notebook

1. List of books that you want to read. My to read list was kept on various scraps of paper. Using a notebook to write a list of books that I want to read is one way that I can use my notebooks. This way I have a list if books that I want to read and as I read the book I can cross it off my list.

2. Habit trackers. It takes, roughly, around 30 days to form a new habit. Whether your goal is to drink 8 ounces of water each day or to meditate for 10 minutes, those first few months are tough. A habit tracker can help you through. Use tally marks or even a fun design, it's entirely up to you/

3. Bucket Lists. Dedicate a hardy notebook to all the places you want to go and the things you want to experience. Then cross them off one by one. Even better – write mini reviews and paste in ticket stubbs or printed photos.

4. Handwriting practice.  Beautiful handwriting is everything – especially if you’re a planner addict or a snail mail correspondent. Buzzfeed has collected samples of penmanship. But it’s not something that comes naturally to all of us. A fountain pen can help, but regular practice is best. Choose an A4 notebook with blank pages that are tough but thin. Insert a sheet of guidelines and work on your alphabet.

5. Meal Planner. Plan out breakfasts, lunches and dinners for the week ahead. This saves time and money and means that when you g shopping, you don’t end up buying loads of random things just because they are cheaper and on sale.

6. Goals.  With so much going on day-to-day its easy to forget your focus. Keep your goals noted down and carry them with you. I have a dedicated notebook for this. This helps in reaching my goals and I can reflect on them at the end of the month.

7. Moody tracker. One of the best pieces of advice I’ve ever been given is not to analyze your life when you’re having a bad day. But if you’re down in the dumps it can feel as though everyday is a bad day. A mood diary can help. Use smiley faces or assign colors to common feelings and color in a square or shape for each day. Do this for a while and soon you’ll be able to see what triggers your highs and lows.

8. Sketches.  I love some of the artworks that Moleskine and Leuchtturm fans share on social. Follow both brands on Instagram for some truly beautiful drawings and paintings. And then grab your own A5 hardcover, pencils, ink or paint and seek out a beautiful scene to commit to paper.

9. Favorite recipes.  It’s the tweaks you make to recipes that really lift them. Or better yet, those family ones that only your nana seems to know. Keep a record in a notebook with a plastic cover so you can wipe off any spills when you’re in the kitchen.

10. Bullet journal. The bullet journal is described by its founder Ryder Carroll as ‘an analogue system for a digital age.’ It’s a simple method of journalling aimed at productivity. Numerous posts have been written on how to bullet journal and the best monthly spreads and weekly layouts. My personal favorite is Boho Berry.

June 2020 Goals

I cannot believe that it's already June! While March and April crept by (distance learning started, social distancing, and quarantine), it seems that May just flew by (end of distance learning and a return to marital arts class via zoom for my oldest).

We are just into our summer routine and we are in the process of fine tuning it, so in today's post I would like to share my June 2020 goals with you!

June 2020 Goals:

1. Read one book (about to start See Me by Nicholas Sparks).

2. Drink 100oz of water daily.

3. Start using my habit tracker in my bullet journal every day.

4. Eat more fruits and veggies (I have been lagging on this and I really need to fix it).

5. Walk 6 days a week and strength train 3x per week.

6. Have at least two at home date nights with the Husband. 

7. Organize the girls' bedrooms (purge old toys and outgrown clothes).

What are some of your June 2020 goals? 

Happy Homemaker Monday {6/1/2020}

Hello friends! I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend as well as a wonderful and relaxing day despite what it going on in the world. Right now, our world is broken and I'm afraid it might never be healed. There is so much hate and hurt being thrown around that I just don' know what I can do.

Even though our state has started reopening, my husband and I have decided that it would be best for our family to stay in quarantine mode for a bit longer. It makes me nervous because in our area no one is staying 6 feet apart and most are not wearing masks.

Anyway, let's get to today's post! Enjoy!!

Weather:

Monday: 86 sunny
Tuesday: 90 sunny
Wednesday: 96 partly cloudy
Thursday: 101 partly cloudy
Friday: 100 sunny
Saturday: 99 sunny
Sunday: 100 sunny

On the breakfast plate this morning:

Bagel with cream cheese and some milk

As I look outside my window:

Since it's evening now, it's dark outside with twinkling stars in the sky.

Right now I am:

Sitting at the dining room working on this post.

On today's to do list:

Hang out the laundry
Vacuum all rooms
Mop kitchen and bathrooms
Tidy all room
Change all bedding

On the menu this week:

Breakfast options: scrambled eggs toast bacon, cereal, bagel with cream cheese and yogurt with granola, peanut butter and banana sandwich

Lunch options: sandwiches and chips, tortilla pizzas, turkey or chicken wraps, leftovers from previous day

Dinner options: spaghetti and meatballs, Mississippi chicken with mashed potatoes and veggies, pizza with breadsticks and salad, tacos with chips and salsa, creamy ranch chicken, hamburgers, BBQ shredded chicken

Currently reading:

On the TV today:

I have been watching various TV shows on Hulu: Full House, Beverly Hills 90210, 7th Heaven, The Wonder Years, Designing Women....just to name a few.

Inspirational quote: