I thought you might want to know about some of my little secrets of keeping on top of larger-than-life living.Picture #1 is of a nail-pouch I wear around the house (and was extatic to find at Lowe's for $.77!).
I keep rubber bands, sticky notes, and pen in one pocket, and use the other for putting things in which i find all over the house--small toy parts, socks, etc.
Picture #2 is a my tracking and recording page from my homeschool binder. I developed this method of keeping track of our relaxed-style homeschooling a number of years back. It is not high-tech--I just used some lined paper and a ruler one day when I was at my husband's office and had a few spare minutes--anyone could make one to suit her needs.
Picture #3 is the basket I take along with me and "station" on the floor where I am working, depending on the time of day. It contains my "brain" (common-place book), my homeschool binder, anything i need to read/file/copy, wipers, my timer, a "correction tool", my Polder street-light timer (wow! do I really love this timer!I bought it on Amazon after owning too many wind-ups that broke--this one uses a green, yellow and red light to indicate when time is winding down and is magnetic) and right now it contains potty candy.
Picture #4 contains the sum-total of my beauty routine, minus some lotion. I have learned to keep things as uncomplicated as possible so that there are onlt perhaps 2 days out of the whole year I do not have time or energy to fix myself up. Lately I have been watching for sales and buying make-up from Avon; better quality at Walmart prices.
Picture #5 is the coffee maker--not in the kitchen, but on our bathroom counter. I was inspired to make this early-morning coffe center by the ones conveniently found in hotel rooms (I rarely drink coffee, but others in the house enjoy a hot cup while we are fellowshipping together before the start of the day).
Picture #6 is me wearing my daughter Patience in my $2.50 sling--quite satisfying for both of us!
Picture #7 is a wipe-off board made from a thrifted picture fram with a piece of white paper and border embelishment inserted under the glass. I find that a wet-erase marker is better than a dry-erase for this purpose.
There you have a small tour of some of the things that make life a little bit easier and more organized. I am always looking for others. What are some of your tricks and tools?
elcome! My name is Sherry and I am a devoted Christian wife and mother to 15 homeschooled children. 
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ou just look young and beautiful!!!!!
ReplyDeleteLove it! The tool belt idea is novel. Reminds me of my waitressing days when I had the cream, sugar, pen, etc. that someone would no doubt need when I was heading another way! You are so efficient!
ReplyDeleteGreat tools of the trade! I think it is important for home makers to see that their job is important enough to require thought and organization! Great tips!
ReplyDeleteLove it, very organized.
ReplyDeleteI love the picture frame erase board; great idea! :) Btw, I stumbled upon your blog and have found it soooo inspirational. Your posts have helped motivate me to really sink my teeth into this wonderful vocation of being a wife and mother!
ReplyDeleteLove all of your ideas!!! Can't imagine having an idea that could improve on anything in your beautiful home and life. Wish I could sit and ask you a thousand questions. Thank you for posting these pictures. Of course, pictures are worth a 1,000 words, and you have once again blessed me so much by sharing a peek into your life.
ReplyDeleteI would love to find out more about your baby sling! I am about to purchase one for over $40.00, but I am sure I could make one for less if I knew the dimensions, fabric and how to tie it.
ReplyDeleteThank you for this post. I really like your schedule on a simple note pad! I always to do big elaborate schedules that look great on paper but never work.. Simple is just better. I also like your "tool belt", I often think of my grandmothers generation that always wore their aprons.. The more I wear my apron, the more I LOVE it!
ReplyDeleteI like the tool belt idea! I have been thinking how exactly to stop losing my stuff, esp pens and notebooks! Thanks!!!
ReplyDeleteThanks you for the ideas! Can you post the details of the "relaxed homeschooling schedule"?
ReplyDeleteKathy
like the tool belt--especially for picking up all of the stray items.
ReplyDeleteFound you on: Mega-Family Blogs
I like the tool belt idea. I am always picking things up.. now I can be organized about it.
ReplyDeleteThis is a great post! Thanks for sharing all of your helpful tips and tools!
ReplyDelete~traci
One of my roommates kept stuff in a shoe organizer that hangs on the back of a door. Works marvelously for keeping small things organized (e.g., hair things in one slot at top, deoderant near it, then hose, batteries and flashlight in a bottom pocket). It's so much nicer than drawers where small things run together!
ReplyDeleteAnother very helpful tip, this time from another blog, is organizing jewelry with bead containers. I bought plastic rectangles 1/2 off at JoAnn Fabric's that have a bunch of little circle containers inside. It's much easier to see what I have, find matches, avoid tangles. Plus I'm more motivated to keep everything neat.
Have an organizer too and love it! Found out about doing such initially from a very helpful book it seems would be just your kind of thing...The Gentle Ways of the Beautiful Woman by Ann Ortlund. She aims to help people make their lives Christ-centered. Her tips cover all kinds of areas such as taking Bible notes in a waiting room through one's notebook to organizing Bible study notes to simplifying a wardrobe in ways like picking whether you'll buy clothes that go with brown accessories or black so one can cut way down on shoes/purses/belts etc. and the time & money it takes for so much stuff... Not doing a good job at all of showing how helpful this was! Perhaps it's time for a reread ;) Anyhow, I gotta stop because I have trouble with my arms, but I can't recommend enough looking into this book at least!
Great ideas. I'd love to see my wife wearing the Lowe's belt around the house!
ReplyDeleteI have a caddy with bathroom cleaning stuff. Very handy in our house between potty training, occasional illnesses, and other sordid details.
We also have a coffee maker in our bathroom, but use it less now that we are home-roasting and fresh grinding, and it is a pod brewer.
Thanks for the great ideas!
Where are the pictures? For whatever reason, I'm seeing only the lowes tool belt and the dry erase board with Home sweet home on it. But the other ideas sound really great...would love to see them!
ReplyDeleteI would really like to see picture #2, not sure where are the pics are
ReplyDeleteThanks