Yes, what does your keychain say about you? Does your key-ring look like you are a school janitor or do you feel like you need a few more on your chain? I have about 6 keys on my keyring but I ran into a problem. Which key goes to which door? I found myself getting frustrated and wondering "Does this key go to our new house or old house? Does it go to my husbands work or to my mom's house?" Ahhh, I drove myself crazy trying each key over and over everytime I needed to get into a house or storage unit. Why was this so hard? It really shouldn't be. There has to be a way to organize these 6 keys so I can see which one goes to which door. I tried the Sharpie method but almost as soon as I wrote a keyword on the key with it, it rubbed off. So, (yes, this seems so simple, why didn't I think of it earlier?) I brought out one of my best friends.... my label maker.

Wow, has this thing made a difference! I now can view my keys and recognize which one goes to which door. So, my tip for you today is to label each key with a keyword (Tip: DO NOT use words as "home" or your address as labels. If someone found your keys, this would be too easy for them to use.) See if it doesn't help and you feel more confident when looking for a key to unlock your door.

So, while this seems so simple and such a short (and meaningless) post, I am now excited to have an organized keyring. It's the little things in life...



{photo credits}

My challenge for you this week is to clean out your car. I think under the description of being a mom, we have the title of "Family Taxi Driver". Alot of us spend alot of times in our cars shuffling kids from place to place but don't give our cars the attention they need. You laugh, but honestly, when was the last time you cleaned out your car? I promise, just try this and you'll see that after its cleaned out and washed, it will run like a brand new car. :) 

Let's see it! Yep, you heard me right. I'm challenging you to take a before and after picture of the most unorganized cabinet or drawer.

Today, I have a challenge for you. Clean it out and organize it then post an after picture for us to check out. Might be embarrassing but something we all need to learn is accountability and I've found that the more I post things before and after, and ask for accountability, the more willing I am at keeping it organized.

So, its my turn (and ya'll have to promise me you'll do the same and link me to your post) :)

BEFORE




AFTER I went through my cabinet. It took me all of 15 minutes to do. Now, why didn't I do this sooner?

We all try to do it all. But sometimes when we try to do it all and accomplish everything, we get lost in what it really means and takes to be a good mom. Here is a short list of things I keep posted as a reminder of what it means to really be a good mom.

1. Ignore the experts (most of the time). There is TONS of info out there (internet, tv, other parents, magazines, etc). I think there is too much actually. While some of it is great information, most of it means squat when it comes to you and your family. Why? Because only you know what is best for you and your family. No expert or other parent can tell you HOW to run things and why they WILL work best for you. You have to figure that out on your own. Now, trying the tips of some of these that have had experience? Most definitely. But don't ONLY go by their advice. Use your gut, use your intuition.



2. Love, Love, and more Love! You cannot love a child enough. And no, that doesn't mean spoiling. Your child doesn't have to have everything in the world and the newest and latest thing to be "loved". Love isn't being their best friend, but being their parent. Show love by hugging, kissing on the cheek, give positive reinforcement ALOT, tell them you love them, care for them properly, hold them, discipline, raise them right...the list could go on and on. All of these are traits of love. You cannot do these enough. You cannot over love!



3. Start your day off with inspiration or quiet time.  We all need it. Every mom needs "her" time to focus on what she has going on in the day, spend in devotion, or quiet time. When your children see and know you do this as a part of your daily routine, they will most likely follow in your footsteps. Any amount of time is fine - even if its just a minute. You need to start your day off refreshed.



4. Practice Patience.  Being patient is one of the best things you can do for yourself as well as your child. You wont ever conquer this but you can try to do better at it each day. Catch yourself before you overreact and be slow to anger. Be patient with your little one - they are trying to figure out the world and you are their biggest role model. The more you are patient, the less stressed you and your family will be.



5. Organize it! Everyone loves organization and schedules. Some are better at it than others. But "try" to be organized and set a schedule for your family. You'll see awesome results quickly! Surround yourself and learn from those who are organized and follow a schedule for their families. Get some tips from them and create your own.



6. End your day again with inspiration or quiet time. Reflect on your day, pray, journal about what you did and what you could improve on. You'll go to sleep less stressed and ready to end the day.

The word “rules” has a negative feeling that comes with it. But why? Why can’t “rules” be a positive word? I'm talking about family rules, things you want your family to live by, not "Make your bed everyday", or "Clean the bathroom twice a week."

We use this word in a positive tone in our home and our children already know (at the ages of 4 and 17 months) that “rules” are important things that make our family run smoothly. 

Here are our Family Rules. This pretty much sums up everything we want to live by and teach our children.

1. Always tell the truth
2. Never leave angry
3. Forgiveness in mandatory
4. Pray without stopping
5. Jesus First. Others Second. Yourself Last.
6. Husband: Love her Wife: Respect him
7. Everything is a gift from God. Take care of your things
8. Keep your promises
9. Too much TV is bad. Too much reading is good
10. Keep your promises
11. Be silly. Hug often. Smile Alot. Say I love you.
12. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind.

So yeah, that pretty much sums up everything. We keep this posted above our living room entry table and its something we always see and can remember it's importance. 

What are your family rules? 

What cleaning products do you love? Which ones have you tried that you just won't use again?

I stick by a handful of brands that I just love and felt the need to share with you :)


(As pictured above)
Woolite Oxy Clean Carpet Clean Spray
Disposer Care Tablets
Clorox Wipes
Lemi-Shine Dishwasher Cleaner

(In the Housekeepers Box)
Bar Keepers Friend
Natures Source All Purpose Cleaner
Lysol All Purpose Cleaner (4 In 1)
Lysol Disinfectant Cleaner (Spray)
Scrubbing Bubbles Shower Cleaner
Soft Scrub Bleach Clean For Kitchens
Soft Scrub Bleach Clean For Bathrooms
Windex
Pledge Multi-Surface Spray
Method Wood For Good Spray

Let's talk about whats under the sink. Yes, thats right. Don't go run and hide :) No really, tell me whats under there. I've seen some very organized under the sink cabinets and some very well, not so organized. So, I'm encouraging you today to purge your products and get rid of all except the ones you use on a regular basis. And stick to only your favorites. You CAN do it! :)



Was this post helpful to you? Let me hear from you! Do you have an idea for a future topic? Let me know!

Overwhelmed with cleaning? Wish you had unlimited funds to hire someone to just come clean it top to bottom? There is a simple solution. Daily Chores. Instead of spending a full day once a week or twice a week cleaning your house or not making time to get your cleaning list done, spread it out over the course of the week and make it simpler on you and enjoy a clean house ALWAYS. Yep, I said always :)

A few good tips to make it easier on you.

1. Stick to 4-5 chores a day.

2. Dont do all the big chores in one day. Spread them out.

3. Dont do all the laundry in one day. Spread it out. (Check my post from last week's Home Engineer for laundry tips)

4. Dont do all the chores in one room per day. That will get boring and wont stay clean as long.

5. Make your own chore chart. Make it pretty and pleasing to the eye. Keep it posted or bound somewhere where you will remember to look at it daily if not more than once a day.

Here is what my Daily Chore Chart looks like. Of course, make yours accommodating to you and your cleaning cycles.


So, make your tasks sheet on the computer or by hand and stick to it! You will see a big change so quickly in your home as well as you and your family's attitudes. You CAN do it!

Was this post helpful to you? Let me know! Also, if you have suggestions for The Home Engineer posts, please contact me and I'll see what I can do :)

Am I the only one who just loves laundry and finds it so relaxing? I think of it as this...

But the question today is, "How do you run a successful garage sale?" I LOVE having garage sales just as much as I love going to them. We usually do one every 6 months so I've gotten to learn some tips and ways to have it be a hit over the past several years. Follow this list for success in your garage sale!

I'd love to hear from you as well so share your tips!

1. Find out about restrictions in your neighborhood/city. Alot of neighborhoods only allow garage sales on the given day that the association has for a community garage sale. Some other neighborhoods may not allow garage sales at all. I've also seen that some cities/towns you must have a permit before hosting a garage sale. So, be sure to check out the "rules" before planning. I dont want you to get a ticket for such a funny thing. ☺


2. It's all about advertising! Make sure to advertise! There are lots of places online you can advertise for free: Craigslist ,  JustGarageSales, GarageSaleTracker, YardSaleAd, as well as your local newspaper. If you aren't quite sure what to write, read some other ads and get ideas from them then fill in with your sale information. If you're having a sale the same day as your neighbors or during a community garage sale day, go in together on the cost of advertising with some of your neighbors. Also place ad's on bulletin boards at churches, YMCA, City Hall, etc.Don't forget your own personal signs. (we'll have more on signs later). There are lots of ways to advertise for cheap, if not, FREE!

3. Avoid having one of those "never ending yard sales". You know, those houses you drive by that have a yard sale going on EVERY weekend? Can't stand those! (1) It's tacky, (2) Your neighbors wont be big fans of yours :) (3) You wont make $$

4. Dont forget some baisc things: (1) Do you have suitable parking?  (2) Don't pick a holiday weekend. (3) Choose the first Friday or the third Friday of a month. That is when people get paid.

5. What to do about "early birds"? Some hate early birds, some love them. I personally dont mind. If they come while I am still dragging things out and getting things organized, thats totally fine. My thought is the more who look, the more who buy and the more that I get rid of!

6. Lets talk signs. (1) Make sure to check your town's codes for signs. Some only allow free standing signs. I know there are some towns that will take down your sign if its on a utility pole or business pole. So be aware of that. (2) Make sure your signs are visible! The more signs to your sale the better. Nothing worse for me than to follow a sign and then there aren't any others, I end up driving around, getting frustrated and going home. You dont want your customers to have the same experience. Our signs are on most street corners near our house and then once in the neighborhood, at every turn. We've gotten compliments b/c our sign-age was easy to follow! (3) Make your signs high, so the driver and passengers can see them. We attach balloons to our signs so they are easier to spot. (4). Put a helium balloon on your mailbox or somewhere in the front of your driveaway so your garage sale is easy to spot (5) Its great to have kids involved, but don't let them or anyone else with sketchy handwriting make the signs. Buy premade signs or have someone who has good handwriting to create them for you. (6) Do a "drive by". Seriously. When your signs are up, drive by them and make sure they are visible and easy to read/follow.

7. Organizing The Things You Want To Sell: When going through your "junk" (thats what I call it when I'm getting ready for a garage sale and want to get rid of it), organize it so you know what goes in the garage sale and what stays in the house. Easy to go through and price when the time comes.

8. Have "departments" within your garage sale. We have "departments" for our garage sale. One section of the garage/driveway/yard will have electronics, another will have baby items, another household, holiday, and so forth. Makes it easy for your shoppers and easier for you to know where it came from and how much.

9. Save time on pricing items and make signs with the prices of things. "Shorts, $0.50, $Pants, $1.00, etc" A good way to display the prices is to make the pricing list on poster board. But if you do price every item, make sure you put the price in the top corner of the item. That way people aren't overlooking the price that is on the bottom of the item and asking you 800 times how much that item is. Also, the bigger the item, the bigger the price-tag so its visible. Also, do a "fill a bag" pricing so the buyer can fill a bag of clothing for a set price. That always works out well.

10. Common Courtesy.  (1) Keep pets inside (2) Keep younger children inside so they dont get into things and you aren't having to watch them (3) Cut your grass and fill holes in the ground (4) Have a line where the customers cant go past so there isn't question about what is for sale and whats not.

11. A few nice "extra's": I love being the garage sale that people remember and want to come back to. So, here are a few tips to going the extra "mile" for them. (1) Provide bags for their items that they buy (plastic is good, save Walmart/Target/grocery bags). (2) Have lemonade/water prepared on hot days and coffee/tea/cider on cooler days. Charge $0.50 - $1.00 for each. (3) Have some background music on. It makes it more "relaxing". (4) Put all tools, lawn mowers, etc at the front of the garage sale (closest to the road). That helps the male who is with the female want to get out and take a look. (5) Keep your tables and display areas nice and neat. Fill in the holes when things are bought with other products youre trying to sell and keep the clothing youre selling nice and neatly hung or folded on a table. Don't put in a box. People wont go through them if they are all jumbled up and thrown into a Rubbermaid bin. (6) Involve your kids. Most people love to see elementary kids and preschoolers involved in the sale. Set up a table with their toys or let them have a table for the "snacks" or refreshments. Its a good opportunity and learning experience if you oversee them handling the transactions.

12. Last minute reminders: (1) Don't take checks (unless you know the person who is giving it to you and can hold them accountable). (2) Don't forget to take down your signs once your sale is over! Nothing more frustrating than to send someone on a hunt to your house for a garage sale that has been over for 2 weeks. (3) Have "peek" times for your sale. Dont extend it all day. The normal sale times are 7am-1pm or 8am-2pm. Somewhere in that time frame is great!

I hope this has helped you and given you tips for your next sale! Let me hear from you!

How do you organize your child's art work? Need a new system? This has worked so well for us and it's easy to remember where each project is!

Each year has a folder. You know, one of those cheap 2 pocket folders from Target/Walmart. (some years have more than one folder). I label the outside of each folder with the child's name and year on it.

Part of the job description of being The Home Engineer is to keep the household and family running smoothly. How do you do this? What are your tips? Suggestions? What things have you tried that did/didn't work?

All I can say is "Wow!"

Praire Storm Designs will be where I go from now on to get my vinyl wall lettering! Sarah does awesome custom vinyl wall art and custom decals. Whether you like something she already has in stock or have an "idea" you'd like her to create, she'll do exactly what you have pictured. She is that good!

I was contacted by Sarah to do a review of her products and I was expecting it to be a normal, good review. But my experience was much greater! From the time she contacted me, she was easy to work with, quick to respond to my emails and requests, and extremely quick in shipping the items to me.

My choice was:

1. "Boy; (n): a noise with dirt on it"

This was placed in my 4 year old's room right near his bed.




2. "I'm thankful for piles of laundry...it means my loved ones are near."

This went right above my laundry door. It looks awesome!


And an added bonus she threw in....the flowers decal.

I put this next to the wall plate in the master bath.


My Experience with Sarah (Prairie Storm Designs):  A+++

I highly suggest you take a look at her store and get in on her awesome products! She will be hosting a co-op (discounted pricing) at MGR in just a couple of weeks. I can't wait to get more products from her then!

This week for lunch we're going to try Pizzadillas one day. Jackson loves to help cook and I got this recipe from nickjr.com so it should be an easy, fun, kid-friendly recipe to try.

This was amazing. Everyone has to try this...definitely a comfort food. It also is good to freeze and save for another wintery day.

Joe cooked the best dinner tonight. We had homemade (not Tyson) Chicken Fajitas! Woah, were they delish! Here is the recipe in case ya'll want to try.....yummo! Here are some pictures too of my plate :)

2 cooked boneless, skinless, chicken breasts
1 can Rotel tomatoes (not drained)
1 bell pepper, diced
1 onion (Vidalia is best), diced
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 tomato, diced
cooking spray or 1 tsp. of olive oil
corn tortillas
sour cream (low-fat or fat-free)- optional
shredded cheddar cheese - optional

Coat the skillet in cooking spray or 1 teaspoon of olive oil. On medium heat, add the diced bell pepper and onion to the skillet.

Sauté until the peppers have softened enough to be cut easily with a spatula. If the skillet becomes too dry, a few teaspoons of water may be added to prevent sticking.

Add the minced Garlic, diced tomato, and can of Rotel. While the above ingredients are cooking, shred and add cooked chicken to the skillet.

Cook until the juice from the Rotel has thickened. Set aside the cooked fajita filling in a covered bowl.

Heat the corn tortillas. Place fajita filling in the middle of your warm tortillas and serve. Top with sour cream and shredded cheese, if desired.

This recipe is very easy to modify to your personal preferences. You can add or decrease ingredients as you like. Rice also makes an excellent addition to this meal.