Tag Archives: family dynamics

How to Make Great Coffee

Does everyone groan when you make the coffee at work? Are you constantly picking up cups of coffee at expensive shops because it tastes so much better? Don’t worry, it isn’t that hard to make great coffee at home. You just need to know a few of the secrets that will make a difference. Start Clean A clean coffee maker can make all of the difference in the world when it comes to good coffee. Clean the pot and the spot where the grounds go well, so your next cup of coffee will be smooth and not bitter. It’s All … Continue reading →

A-Tisket A-Tasket , A Green and Yellow Basket

Housekeeping is not just about cleaning. It is about keeping your home in such a state that you can actually enjoy it. Yet it’s also not about perfection. So now we are going to tackle the living areas of your home, most times called your living room or family room. This is the part of your house where you gather with loved ones and hang out. Maybe you watch TV, play games or just talk. What makes a living room or a family room special is when it feels “lived in.” It shouldn’t feel like a museum, where you are … Continue reading →

Thinking Positive Thoughts about Housekeeping

I am very excited to now be contributing to the housekeeping topic. I currently blog in the topics of parents (teens), fitness, home business and marriage. It almost seems natural to add in housekeeping. Why? Because while I am a parent of teens, I enjoy working out, I work from home and am married…I still have a house to run and maintain. It is one of the most important things that I do as a wife and mom. I truly do consider myself to be the “Queen” of my home. For me, housekeeping is very important. I feel much more … Continue reading →

The Reality of Homemaking

This month, I’m substituting in the Home category here at Families.com. As I sit here in my living room, I have to laugh. Me? Blog about the home? Let me draw you a picture. My computer desk is completely trashed—papers, pens, receipts, and books are piled everywhere. Behind me, the couch is stacked with clean laundry. Toys are scattered all across the floor. I’m not sure if the carpet needs to be vacuumed – I can’t see it. The dishes are done, but only courtesy of my husband. If he hadn’t done them, they’d be up to the ceiling. Yes, … Continue reading →

Good Home Smells

Along with the decorating and other care of your home, do you cultivate some good home smells? This can make a difference in many areas, from influencing your mood to embarrassing you when your neighbors come to call. Most of the time, we usually don’t think too much about home smells until, well, our homes smell. This morning after church when we entered our home, we were hit with an awful stinky smell. My husband had left some wet cat food out on the counter for a few hours. Ugh. Quick, get the air freshener! Another time we think about … Continue reading →

Preparing Your Home for the Colder Months

Depending on where you live in the United States, you may be starting to think about preparing your home for the colder months to come. I live in Wisconsin and by September we are already thinking of snow. It has been known to snow in October so you can never be too prepared. This is the time when we like to take advantage of what could be the last month or so of decent weather. By the middle of September we are packing away most of our outdoor furniture and making sure the snow blower and shovels are handy. There … Continue reading →

Storing Keepsakes

If you are anything like me, you have keepsakes all over the place. I have tried to get everything under control but what I end up doing is moving some to one place and some to another place. What I have left are keepsakes that are all over the house. I have some keepsakes in cabinets, some in boxes and some in closets. My goal for the next few Saturdays is to get it all in order and store my keepsakes the proper way. I already know how I want to do this. I plan on purchasing a plastic container … Continue reading →

Keeping the Paper Piles at Bay

If you have a home office you likely have a paper issue. Paper piles can abound. They seem to grow almost overnight. So if you are ready to tackle those paper piles, here are some ideas. Invest in a bulletin board. A bulletin board is a great place to stick notes on. Instead of having sticky notes all over you can keep everything in one place. You can tack on reminders, to do lists, or passwords. Binders are another way to keep papers organized. Binders can organize school papers, receipts, bills or even CDs. Clear page protectors are a great … Continue reading →

Great Uses for Shoe Organizers

While I love using containers to organize items in my home, I have discovered another great tool to use. Shoe organizers can do wonders for organizing, especially smaller items that you just can’t seem to find a good place for. The problem with smaller items is that if you do find somewhere to put them, you may forget you put them there or they may not be easily accessible. So let me share with you some great uses for shoe organizers. Let me first clarify what I mean by shoe organizers. I am referring to the kind you hang over … Continue reading →

Say Goodbye to the Single Socks

What is the statute of limitations for single socks? Some can hang around for years. Why is letting them go so hard? During the day, I have my two youngest children at home. As most parents know, this makes it pretty hard to get things done around the home. Today, though, I couldn’t put off the laundry any longer and needed to get some things washed, dried and folded (ironing will be another day). When I have laundry like this to do, I try to involve the kids. It keeps them occupied and teaches some life lessons. Too young to … Continue reading →