Posted in Frugality-Simplicity

Simple Journey Ministries Presents

Simply Frugal

Which Teapot is the Most Cost Efficient?

Some time ago I posted about the fact that our kitchen is need of a serious facelift. One of our issues is that our appliances are on their last legs or, as in the case of our microwave, it is dead. Since I don’t know the first thing about microwave cooking, other than melting butter, it has always been a bread box. One thing I hadn’t realized was that I used the microwave daily to heat water for tea. After burning myself several times pouring water from my small saucepan into my cup, I resolved myself that I would need to get a teapot.

I was discussing this with one of my most wonderful friend’s and she let me in on a VERY frugal secret…an electric teapot. The savings she spoke of was that it heats water very quickly and is only 110 volts, instead of the 120 I would use heating a pot on my stovetop. That was enough to sell me on getting an electric teapot. However, upon further though, I realized that I could use this little gadget to save money on more than water for tea.

Here is a small list of the ideas I thought would make an EXCELLENT frugal electric savings with an electric teapot.

·         Jello

·         Stuffing

·         Hot cereal

·         Individual portions of pasta

·         Hot cocoa

·         Instant coffee

·         Ramen noodles

·         Instant Rice

Who would have thought that a little gadget designed for making water for tea could be so versatile AND save money!

These are my thoughts.

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Posted in Frugality-Simplicity

Simple Journey Ministries Presents

I Can’t Live Simply Until…

The Small Time Approach

There is a well known fact that we will put off a large project that may be much needed to help provide some simplicity in our lives. We may put these projects off because they are ones we dislike, we can’t imagine actually doing the task, we want to hire someone else to handle to the task, the task is just too time consuming, and the list goes on. However, you can achieve your goals by a simple method that WILL fit into your life.

Schedule small bits of time to accomplish the task over an entire week. Cleaning out your cluttered bathroom cupboards won’t seem quite so daunting when you complete the task over a five day period using 10, 15, 20, or 30 minute increments. That overgrown garden can be weeded and looking well maintained by using the small time approach. Make the job simple and a simple life will be in the making.

These are my thoughts.

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Posted in Organization

Simple Journey Ministries Presents

Keep It Together Girl!

Mug Storage

There isn’t a one of us who doesn’t wish we had just a bit more cupboard space in our kitchen. It’s a fact that will remain throughout time. No matter how many cupboards, there just never seems to be quite enough. One way to combat this issue, is to store your mugs outside your cupboard. Years ago it was a popular practice to hang mugs from underneath a cupboard from mug hooks. However, they often took space away from the countertop and under the cupboard small appliances. So, what’s a girl to do?

Most kitchens are designed with at least one cupboard that has an outer side exposed. Attach mug hooks to the side of that cupboard and hang mugs. You can arrange the hooks in a whimsical design or in clean cut even pattern. This will add a cute dimension to that boring unused space while freeing up valuable cupboard space!

These are my thoughts.

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Posted in Kitchen

Simple Journey Ministries Presents

Can I Have Some More Please?

Storing Rice

This past week I learned a wonderful little trick from my most wonderful and groovy Aunt Barb! Recently, she had the opportunity to visit Tokyo her friend’s family. She noted that her mom was taking out these little Tupperware containers and asked what was contained in them. To her surprise she found that her mother made rice in larger quantities and then packaged them in little containers and placed them in the freezer. WOW! Now, THAT is convenient!

She then told me that since returning from her most fantabulous trip she has made rice and packaged it for freezing in little sandwich bags, for single portion servings. Simply place the rice in a pan with a bit of oil and stir fry for tasty NON-mushy rice!

What really interested me about this is that I can make a large portion of rice and freeze in appropriate portions according to my menu for the month. In this way, when it is time to make a meal that includes rice, I can simply take a package out of the freezer, saving time in the kitchen!

These are my thoughts.

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Posted in Homeschool

Simple Journey Ministries Presents

Mom, I’m Bored

Sidewalk Paint

A few weeks ago I posted about a great outdoor activity, chalk drawing. Recently, I discovered actually the littletons discovered) a FABULOUS new way to use chalk.

This happened quite by accident. You see it’s the rainy season here in SW FL. This means it rains almost every afternoon. One day, the kids had forgotten to bring their bucket of chalk inside. When it rained that afternoon, the bucket filled with water. The next day we went out for some drawing, only to discover the marinated chalk. I was about to dump the water out and lay the chalk on the driveway to dry in the sun, when Tessa asked if she could draw with the wet chalk. Although I thought this was going to be messy, I allowed her to try. What she produced was AMAZING!

The wet chalk sticks were not mushy or messy. But the chalk was able to be used like paint on the cement. She created drawings that were FULL of color and more elaborate than those drawn with dry chalk.

So, if you don’t have rain, consider putting some water in your chalk bucket and let it sit overnight. The next day have the kids experiment with the wet chalk on the dry cement. Your budding artists will have FUN and you will cherish the drawings!

These are my thoughts.

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Posted in Frugality-Simplicity

Simple Journey Ministries Presents

Simply Frugal

Waste Not Want Not

If you have been reading here for any length of time or have read any of my books regarding household groceries, then you know that I try to reinforce the fact that if you throw food away due to spoilage, you may as well have thrown the money you originally spent on the food away. Since, its summer time, a lot of us are using fresh fruit as a snack and meal choice. This is frugal in and of itself because fresh seasonal fruit is quite low AND it’s a healthful choice! But how do you keep from wasting fruit? What if your kids don’t eat an entire serving? Here are a few tips to make your fruit dollars count!

·         Serve fruit that is already in small portion sizes, such as berries. Small apples or tangerines are also an excellent portion sized choice. Usually you can find smaller apples if you purchase by the bag.

·         For those fruits which are not eaten in their entirety, place in a fold over sandwich bag and place in fridge. If your children won’t eat a half eaten apple, because it looks brown, cut the left over apple into chunks and brown with a little butter to serve with toast, pancakes, or by themselves. Sprinkle on a little cinnamon for an extra kick!

·         Vary what you buy. Purchase blueberries and apples one week, bananas and oranges the next, strawberries and watermelon the next, etc. In this way your children will not tire of the same fruits and be less likely to leave it behind.

·         Use leftover fruit to toss into salads. Cut up apples, oranges, tangerines, & berries into a garden salad and you will have a truly delicious addition to your dinner.

These are my thoughts.

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Posted in Frugality-Simplicity

Simple Journey Ministries Presents

I Can’t Live Simply Until

Simple Living Resources

Normally, I post about ways you can begin to live simply or build on what you have already begun. But this week, the wisdom comes from another source. I have been reading a website called Choosing Voluntary Simplicity. I have found lots of great articles. I highly recommend that you take some time to check it out. Here are the articles I have been chewing on over the past week. They have inspired me, and they will you too!

How Can I Stay Motivated

A Sense of Balance

Getting Organized

Getting Out of Debt

Multitasking & Finding Quality Time

Are Buyer’s Clubs a Frugal Choice?

There is so much more I can’t wait to dig in to! Enjoy these resources and check out the rest of the site!

These are my thoughts.

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Posted in Organization

Simple Journey Ministries Presents

Keep It Together Girl!

Closet Storage: Use it ALL!

Every time my kids are involved in an activity or we go yard saling, it seems we end up with a bag or ball cap. I would come up with baskets etc to store these items in. What I found was that my kids don’t grab fro these items on a regular basis. After a lot of brain power, I couldn’t come up with a solution that I thought was feasible, so the stuff stayed in baskets.

Then one day I was cleaning their closet and I was inspired! The back wall of the closet, behind where the clothes hang would be a perfect place to hang these items out of the way without interfering with the clothing. You can mount pegs on the back wall or use one of those old fashioned accordion coat hangers that looks like a series of diamonds when you open it. Simply hang the bags and caps there and place the hanging clothes on the rod in front.

One warning, if the hats are too large (like a cowboy hat), they will get knocked off the peg repeatedly. However ball caps, and bags hang nicely!

These are my thoughts.

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Posted in Kitchen

Simple Journey Ministries Presents

Can I Have Some More, Please?

Full Brownie Recipe

Due to an overwhelming request for my basic brownie recipe, I am bumping this week’s post to next week and giving you what you have been clamoring for. Without further ado, here it is!

Leslie’s Scratch Brownies

 1 c butter. Softened

½ c mayo

5 oz unsweetened chocolate, in pieces

5 oz semi-sweetened chocolate, in pieces

3 c sugar, turbinado, or sucanat

3 TBSP ground flaxseed + ¾ c water, OR 3 eggs

1 TBSP vanilla

2 c whole wheat pastry flour

Optional: nuts

1.      Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2.      Melt butter and chocolate in a pan over medium heat. Turn heat off.

3.      Beat sugar, flaxseed/eggs, mayo, & vanilla on high speed, until well creamed. Add butter/chocolate mix and beat on medium until well incorporated. Add nuts if desired.

4.      Beat in flour until blended.

5.      Pour into a 9 x 13 pan, muffin tins, or mini muffin tins.

6.      Bake 15-45 minutes depending on pan size.

Buono Appetito!

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Posted in Homeschool

Simple Journey Ministries Presents

Mom, I’m Bored!

Break Boredom AND Get Your Kids Ready for School

School time is coming for all. Whether your children attend traditional school or you are a homeschooling family you are likely getting ready to get back into education. It can be a struggle for any mom to get their children’s minds back into the academic game. Here’s an idea to break those end of summer doldrums AND get their minds back in shape for school.

Consider Legos. They are so much fun, but did you know they can be used for educational purposes?

• Legos can be used for reviewing multiplication, addition, subtraction, and division.
• Use them to make patterns.
• Anything you would normally use Cuisenaire rods for can be done with Legos because they come in blocks that have a variety of pegs on them.
• Practice sorting skills. You can sort by shape, color, or number.
• Build shapes.
• Try constructing different types of buildings such as pyramids, skyscrapers, stilt homes, etc. Ask questions that will allow your child’s attention to be drawn to the different concepts that need to be taken into account for the construction of each structure.

Want a little inspiration? Check out http://www.weirdrichard.com/unitlist.html for activities and lessons using Legos!

These are my thoughts.

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Posted in Frugality-Simplicity

Simple Journey Ministries Presents

I Can’t Live Simply Until…

Prepare for Simple Time

Ever wake up on the morning of a busy day and feel so relaxed because you did so much planning and preparation the night before? It just makes the day go more smoothly when you can start off without a tremendous burden on your shoulders when your feet the floor in the morning. So why do you only make those preparations the night before a super busy day? Maybe you make preparations only before a day out of the house. Why only then?

The key to putting yourself in a simple mindset at the very beginning of your day is to do two things.

1. Make some preparations the before you go to bed. Have your school papers ready. Make certain your kitchen is clean. Have your school area ready to go. Place all the materials you will need for the next day’s activities in one location. Be sure to take anything that needs defrosting out of the freezer. Make a list of the five most important tasks you need to accomplish. Run a load of laundry so it will be ready for drying first thing in the morning.

2. First thing when you wake up, make time to spend with God. Even five minutes on a daily basis will make a difference you will be amazed with! I just chatted about this with a dear friend. We agreed that sometimes we find ourselves struggling to fight off getting through our email first thing. We both notice the difference in how our day runs when we don’t spend time with God first.

Make just these two changes in your daily routine and you will find that simplicity of mind comes swiftly!

These are my thoughts.

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Posted in Frugality-Simplicity

Simple Journey Ministries Presents

Simply Frugal

Many of us are struggling with the rise in grocery prices. The crunch is on! Shopping at a farmer’s market can really help curb the costs. But what if you don’t have one locally? Check out roadside vendors. These are usually farmer’s who are looking to unload their wonderful produce for less than you would get at the grocery. It has been my experience that they are usually friendly and chatty people. Take an interest in their lifestyle and they will give you all the information you want about their farming practices. In addition, they will unload their produce VERY cheaply at the end of the day.

What if there is a farmer’s market within an hour or two’s drive. First you will need to find out if the produce is grown locally. If it is shipped in from any distance you will find that the prices will be lower than the grocery, but higher than what you can find that is locally grown. When you make your call or visit websites, determine what produce you may be able to find. Remember, eating locally is one of the least expensive and healthful ways you can feed your family, but that also means you won’t be able to pick whatever you are hankering food. Eating locally, means eating in season.

The next thing you need to determine is how much you will save comparatively with where you normally purchase your produce. When the savings is abundant, purchase as much as you can afford from the farmer’s market. The simple fact is that even if you do not have the means to can food, you can easily put food by with freezing and drying methods that will keep you in produce through the winter. Be forewarned that you will need to plan at least two days for putting food buy after a large farmer’s market purchase, so as not to have spoilage. Check your local library for resources on food storage. Shop at the end of the day, when you will get AWESOME bargains on the same produce you would have paid more for in the morning.

Now figure the cost of gas to drive to the market and back. Are there any other stops you could make along the way or activities you would want to partake in, that you would not normally spend the gas on if you weren’t in the area? Subtract your savings on groceries figure from the gas expenditure figure and this will be your base savings. Now, try to estimate how much the food you will put by would cost if you were to purchase in the off season. Add that figure to your base savings. Use this amount to determine if this simple & frugal day trip is worth your time. I bet you will find that it is!

These are my thoughts.

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Posted in Organization

Simple Journey Ministries Presents

Keep it Together Girl!

Ponytail Band and Scruncii Storage

If you have girls and you are a girl you likely have many hair bands and scrunciis. Ever wonder why you can’t find one when you need it? Ever gotten so frustrated you have used a binder clip to hold your hair back? YES, I have done that…more than once. A great and frugal storage idea for all those bands is cardboard toilet paper tubes or a paper towel holder.

Simply put bands around cardboard toilet paper tubes and store in a box or on an upright paper towel holder.

Another simple idea is to use a paper towel holder on its own. With a counter top holder you can simply slip them on and off, right at the sink. If you have little vanity space, try a wall or cabinet mounted paper towel holder. A great reason to use this type is that it can be mounted inside a cupboard door or under a closet shelf for optimal space efficiency.

These are my thoughts.

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Posted in Kitchen

Simple Journey Ministries Presents

Can I Have Some More, Please?

Decadent Brownie Recipes

This week has been a whirlwind, I say! I had some unforeseen circumstances yesterday so, here are the posts in the order they were intended. ENJOY!

Brownies from a box are convenient, yet expensive, and seem to have a hint of cardboard flavoring. Brownies from scratch are a soooo tasty, but they take about 7 minutes more to make than boxed brownies. Whichever type of brownies to make, you can do a few things to turn your brownies from yummy to decadent with little effort.

• Consider putting brownie mix in muffin or mini muffin pans for individual treats.
• Add a little sumthin sumthin. Wal-Mart sells bags of mini peanut butter and caramel cups. Five minutes before brownies are ready to come out of the oven, push one of the mini cups into the center of each brownie. Other options for center treats are caramel squares, a teaspoon of peanut butter, junior mints, or rolo candy.
• Sprinkle it up! Add sprinkles, crushed hard pretzels, or crushed peppermint candies to the top of the brownies before baking.
• I haven’t tried this yet, but my gal pal April told me a little secret to scrumptious brownies. Melt Andes candies and add to the batter before baking.

Buono Appetito!

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Posted in Thoughts Comments or Concerns

Sharing the Good News!!!

Hi to all! Wondering where yesterday's post is? Well, I have been working feverishly to restructure the Simple Journey Bookstore...and it is finished for now. As many of you already know, I have been reading all your emails. Some of those had some GREAT ideas on what YOU would like to see in the Simple Journey Bookstore. You can see some of those answers to your requests TODAY!

The newest addition to the Simply Frugal series of books has recently been released; Simply Frugal Electric Skillet Recipes. I have had SO much feedback on this book, there may be a hike in stock of the companies that manufacture electric skillets!!! WAHOO! That is too much fun! I LOVE hearing from all of you. As always, I am offering this at a LOW introductory price!!! You DON'T want to miss out on this BIG savings!

Everyone is getting ready for the new school year. Looking at co-ops, sports, classes, and commitees can be a bit overwhelming. I have been grabbing bits and pieces of planners for years. I have never been able to find one that met all of my needs. NOW I have. Available in the Simple Journey Bookstore is Julie Forsythe's NEWEST planner, and it is the BEST YET! The Master Plan is the most consie planner I have ever seen! Some of the best features are that it is a FOUR YEAR planner and that it is digitally interactive. Have you been frustrated with digital items that have glitches? You won't have that issue with this planner. This planner is for EVERYONE, not jsut homeschoolers...that is how much is in this planner!!! Read more about it at Simple Journey Bookstore.

There is a SOOOOO Much many more wonderful deals to tell you about, I am just busting!!!

Ok, In the Hands of a Child is having a FABULOUS sale on their new Olympic 2008 lapbook!

In the Hands of a Child Featured Unit

Save Big on the 2008 Summer Olympics, Beijing, China Project Pack

Now thru August 15, 2008

Super Members Save 50% off the regular price!

Super Members at In the Hands of a Child Receive Super Benefits!

BUT WAIT….

Everyone Saves at In the Hands of a Child!

Basic Members Save 25% off the regular price!

Special does not apply to prior purchases.  Good on eBook, Printed and CD formats.

There's Still MORE to tell you!!!

So Keep Reading!

Look What I just got from Cindy! 

She has just introduced a super new set for those who want (or need) real help getting organized for the new school year. She is "pumped"  ( isn't she always?) about having it all online right in time to help you get ready for your new school year.

This set is amazing! It includes two bonuses that are normally cost more than the price of the set:

1. Organization 911 Seminar Set (over 24 audio sessions!)
2. Let's Get Organized Seminar Set (Cindy's newest audio set!)

Actually, Cindy told me that she is so excited that she decided to share a sneak peek into some of the goodies included in this set. 

Anyway, that brings me to the reason that I am sharing with you...

Cindy just sent me permission to give you a sampler of one of her free gifts that is included on the Download Page. I am so excited to give it to you! It is a audio that she actually sells on her website, but she is giving away as a bonus gift with this set. Here is the link so you can check it out:

Restoring Balance To Completely Overloaded Lives… with Cindy Rushton

Overloaded!  Busy! Hurried! Overworked! Stressed! Rushed! Relate?? This is reality for most in our culture today--EVEN homeschooling families! We exceed our limits. We take on WAY TOO MUCH! We write checks that our body and mind cannot cash!  Everything (and EVERYONE) suffers. It gets harder and harder to hear God as He whispers direction, encouragement, and wisdom along our path. We miss the best! We wonder why we end our days empty and without meaning or accomplishment. We forget what is most important—or at minimum, put it off for another day.  The important seldom screams for attention, but the urgent, often insignificant, constantly screams for MORE and more! We get so busy and distracted doing the urgent and demanding in life that we lose the opportunity to impact the important, that in which we are given to leave a legacy! So, how on earth do we get out of this rat race? How are we to restore balance? If we could restore balance, how could we maintain balance?  How could we make life really count for something?  In this workshop, Cindy shares what the Lord has taught her He pulled me back from so many GOOD things to restore balance and keep me on the path to leaving a legacy! Join Cindy for a workshop that will change your life as it has changed hers!

Download by Mp3
http://tinyurl.com/quvf2

Isn't that FUN?

You know the saying that a picture captures a thousand words,well...what about a a gift like this???  And, just think...this is only a sampling of Cindy's teaching. You get tons more with this set.  Take my word for it, you will WANT this set and access to all of the wonderful resources. Grab your set here today:

http://www.cindysaffiliates.com/go.php?offer=boltbabe&pid=2

I CAN'T wait for this to start. I have my ticket, and I hope to "see" you there!

I Am NOT Done Yet!

I will be working on transitioning this site over to the NEW Journey to Simplicity in the next few months. SOOOO, go on over and book mark the site, TODAY!

If you love the daily tips, ideas, recipes, & information I post about on my blog, then be sure to sign up for the Journey to Simplicity E-zine. This E-zine is monthly, so it won't clog up your inbox, BUT the information is SO rich, you WON'T want to miss it. The bst part, IT"S FREEEEEEEE! We NEVER spam!

Remember you can only sign up for it at the NEW Journey to Simplicity!  

If you are looking for some inspiration and encouragement on your journey to Godly Womanhood, sign up for Simple Journey Ministries monthly e-zine, Her Simple Walk E-zine. AS always, it's once per month, so no clogging up of your Inbox and we NEVER spam!

It's FREEEEE! So sign up today!

Ok, it’s super late and it’s time for me to hit the hay. Tomorrow, I will post the last few days worth of posts, so You haven’t Missed a Thing!

These are my thoughts.

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Posted in Homeschool

Simple Journey Ministries Presents

Mom, I’m Bored!

Do I Have a Story for You!

We are mid-summer now. The kids are getting bored if they are taking a break from school. Mom is trying to get tasks accomplished, but the kids want her attention. A great way to bridge the gap is to have a story telling time. I am not talking about reading a story. This involved the usage of the brain and your own storytelling voice.

Have the kids take turns telling (or retelling) a story that they know, created, or is from a life experience while you are working on a task that doesn’t require a lot of thinking. You will be amazed at how much fun and how quickly you get those kitchen cupboards cleaned out and re-organized while your 5 year old is telling stories. Don’t listen rotely! Interact with your kids. Ask questions. Comment on the creative parts. Have appropriate reactions, i.e. laughter, sucking in your breath during a spooky part, sighing during a frustrating scene, the ever popular, “Awww!” for those oh so adorable parts of a story, etc. You can get so much done, and your children get to practice an invaluable skill all while having TONS OF FUN! Reconnect with your kids using storytelling, and you will be creating the sweetest memories!

These are my thoughts.

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Posted in Frugality-Simplicity

Simple Journey Ministries Presents

Simply Frugal

Container Veggies

Food costs are on the rise. We have all seen it. We are all trying to manage and figure out hwo we are going to pay for those same growing grocery bills with a budget that is not growing. Try your hand at growing some veggies. I am not talking about starting a veggie patch out in your yard. Many don’t have the time, energy, desire, or resources for a home garden. However you can grow quite a bit of veggies in containers such as larger flower pots and 5 gallon buckets. Tomatoes are a GREAT choice for the first time veggie gardener because they are so versatile and you get a lot of yield per plant. This means you could grow enough tomatoes of 3-4 plants to keep you in spaghetti sauce, tomato paste, salsa, soup, and salad for quite some time! Container gardening is a great way to do a little money saving on the groceries, without having to have a master’s in Greenthumbology! It’s simple and it’s frugal!

These are my thoughts.

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Posted in Frugality-Simplicity

Simple Journey Ministries Presents

I Can’t Live Simply Until…

Laundry, Laundry, Everywhere and Not a Thing to Wear

Recently, I was chatting with a mom I met at the library regarding simple living. I mentioned that I only own clothes that are solid tops and bottoms and she was amazed. Not amazed as in, “WOW! You are Super Woman!” Her reaction was more accurately, “Wow! I never thought of that?” What amazed her was that the idea is SO simple and easy, she couldn’t believe she hadn’t thought of it.

I have a 2 fold reason for solid tops and bottoms. The first reason is that I can pull any top and bottom out of my closet or dresser at any time on any day and know that I have a match. This really helps if I have gotten behind on laundry! Secondly, my shirts get stained so easily that I spend VERY little on them and often am in need of new ones, so I don’t have to think about it when purchasing. Any solid v-neck t-shirt at about $3 each is a WIN for me! I can easily replace these shirts without one moment of wasted time thinking about if the shirt will match anything I own.

I often find that mom’s purchase so many single items that they have TOO MANY clothes and never anything to wear. This can be so overwhelming, not to mention frustrating, on those oh so chaotic days. I recommend that you only keep 9-12 everyday shirts on hand at any given time. Each time you purchase a new shirt, one must be given away. If you use this system you will stop and think before you buy another shirt, because you may not have any you are ready to pass on. Think that is the only benefit, OH NO! It does not stop there! When you limit the number of items in your wardrobe, you will also have LESS LAUNDRY to keep wash regularly. You can only get so far behind before there is nothing left hanging in your closet, right? When this happens you will HAVE to do the laundry. If you have 20, 30, 40 tops to choose from, you could put your laundry off for quite some time. When that day comes, WOW will there be lots to do!

Just to clarify, I have more than 10 shirts. My shirt count usually runs around 10 v-neck t-shirts, 5-10 tank tops, 10 long sleeve tops, and 4-5 dress tops (varying in sleeve length).  Every top is solid colored and matches every bottom I own. I never have to think too much, I never have to spend too much, and I never have to worry about overloading of laundry. You can too can put this into practice, and you don’t have to wait until your whole life is simplified to do it!

So, what are you waiting for?

These are my thoughts.

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Posted in Organization

Simple Journey Ministries Presents

Keep It Together Girl!

Hang It!

Do you have lots of smaller items that need a place? Have so many little plastic storage containers that hold smaller groups of items, that you have no place to put them all and no way to keep them organized? Ever try to find one of those small plastic containers only to find every one you DON’T need and never the one you do? Here’s an idea that can help you locate those items quickly and store them efficiently.

A hanging shoe organizer is a GREAT storage item. You can store all types of items in those little clear plastic pockets. Jewelry, buttons, flash cards, counting bears, calendar blocks, small stationary supplies, cotton balls, foam pieces, glue sticks, sewing notions, spools of thread, scissors, office supplies, art supplies, extra rolls of tape, belts, scarves, and SO much MORE! What makes these ideal is their space efficiency. You can hang on of these on the inside of a closet door, on a clothing rack, or attach it to a wall!  These are SO inexpensive that you can purchase 2-3 for under $10! That is a LOT of storage for a frugal price.

These are my thoughts.

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Posted in Kitchen

Simple Journey Ministries Presents

Can I Have Some More, Please?

Stuff It!

Today was a CRAZY day! Not only did I have so many things on my To Do List, but I also had a few unscheduled snafus! One of the snafus was that I had not marked my pantry inventory list correctly, so when I went to gather the ingredients for today’s crock-pot meal, I found I didn’t have everything I needed. Instead of letting it get the better of me, I simply improvised. I tried something completely new with ingredients that I had on hand that were not scheduled for another meal. What I came up with was one delicious dish!

Stuff It Pork Chops

• 4-6 Pork Chops
• 1 bag of stuffing cubes, prepared
• 1 can cream of chicken soup
• water

1. Place pork chops in the bottom of crock-pot.
2.  Place stuffing on top of pork chops.
3. Mix soup and ¼ can of water in a small bowl. Pour over stuffing.
4. Cover and cook on low 4-6 hours. (Check chops at 4 hours.)
5. I served this with steamed broccoli and corn and it was a HUGE hit!!!

Buono Appetito!

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