My WAHM Plan : home

Showing posts with label home

Fall Cleaning Checklist Week Two

in checklist, clean, fall, home, by Linda A Kinsman, Friday, October 24, 2014

I have been making headway on my fall cleaning checklists and hope you have too. If you aren't as far along as you'd like to be, I've got you covered! Start with Week One Checklist then come back here. This week to expedite our Fall cleaning efforts I’ve compiled a roundup of some of my favorite Fall Cleaning Checklists to share with you. Let's keep going through the mild days of October and get our homes sparkling clean!

To me, nothing says welcome to my home and my kitchen like a sparkling clean kitchen sink. Scrub yours today and see how awesome you feel!

Fall Cleaning Checklists:

From RealSimple.com. The great thing about the RS checklist is you can save your progress online, or just print it out and check the boxes as you go.

Source

To use this checklist visit Real Simple here.

From MarthaStewart.com:

Homemakers everywhere love Martha and I'm no exception. She makes everything seem do-able.

Source

MarthaStewart.com has an endless supply of homemaking checklists, so be warned: you may need to pry your fingers from your mouse when you visit this site.

To use this checklist visit MarthaStewart.com here.

Now let’s take our cleaning efforts outside with these two handy checklists.

From ThisOldHouse.com:

I enjoy watching This Old House with my husband on weekends when we have the time. I’ve come to enjoy their website as well. If you haven’t visited This Old House.com let me be the first to share this site with you starting off with their Fall Landscaping Checklist.

Source

Each of the 11 tasks on the list are broken down in quick, easy to follow directions and the why behind doing it, so you get so much more than a cleaning check list here, you get easy to digest tutorials as well.

To use this checklist visit ThisOldHouse.com here.

From BHG.com:

Next, we head over to BHG.com for their Fall Cleaning Checklist that covers everything from cleaning your gutters to inspecting your driveway for wear and tear.

Source

The thing I love about this checklist is Better Homes and Gardens has added a link to a step by step guide on how to do each task.

To use this checklist visit BHG.com here.

That’s it for our Fall Cleaning Checklists. I hope you find them helpful. The weather is supposed to be perfect in my area for getting lots of these chores done this weekend. I can’t wait to open up our windows and air out the house one last time before we hunker down for cold weather.

I hope you are enjoying great fall weather too and please stay tuned for my organizing tips next week as I start working on closets and pantries. Plus, I’ll be adding a Giveaway for some amazing Eco friendly cleaning clothes soon!

Please share in comments: What one Fall Cleaning chores do you want to tackle this weekend?

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Weekly Fall Cleaning Checklist- Week One

in checklist, clean, fall, home, weekly, by Linda A Kinsman, Friday, October 17, 2014

I have been a busy little bee around the home office this week, but now it's time for me to turn my focus back to domestic pursuits, cause folks, you just can't decorate an unclean home anymore than you can entertain in one.

I've looked at several Fall Cleaning Checklists, but found them to be to generalized, so I decided to make a weekly checklist of what I'm doing and share it here with you. I hope you find this list helpful. If you do, please feel free to print out a copy for yourself and pin it for others to use. Now, let's roll up our sleeves and get some fall cleaning done.

Weekly Fall Cleaning Checklist Week One

Inside: Bedrooms:

Clean ceilings, walls, ceiling fans and light fixtures
Flip mattresses
Wash mattress and pillow covers
Bring cold weather linens out of storage, wash if needed
Vacuum baseboards
Vacuum behind beds and dressers
Clean window treatments as needed (don’t wash windows yet!)
De-clutter nightstands, recycle reading material as needed
Hang/put away all clothing
Find proper home for anything out of place

Helpful Tips:

Wrap your broom with an old tee shirt and secure with a rubber band to clean ceilings and walls.
Always clean from top to bottom going clockwise around the room.
Put a laundry basket at the door to place “found* items in to take to their proper home later.
Turn on your favorite upbeat music and go!

Be sure to check back next Friday for week two's Fall Cleaning Checklist where we will tackle the living room and other common area's of your home and start working on some outdoor fall cleaning projects.

Are we friends? Be sure to follow My WAHM Plan on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram. I'd love to see your Fall projects, so be sure to tag me or leave a comment here on your recent Fall posts.

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Three tips to help foster positive energy in your home

in energy, family work balance., happy, home, positive, by Linda A Kinsman, Monday, August 18, 2014

As my blog name attests- I am a work at home Mom with a simple plan- to keep the focus on home. What I mean by that is- I strive daily to keep my “home” and all those who live here or visit top of mind. It isn’t always easy- this home/family/work balance I have, but it is worth every minute of planning and nurturing it takes.

I enjoy being a home maker. I enjoy cooking, gardening, cleaning (most things),

decorating and being downright domestic. It’s a part of who I am, just as much as running two small businesses are, which I also enjoy immensely.

When I was a teenager, I dreamed of having a Home. Not just a house, but a true home. One filled with lightness and love and happiness and laughter. A home filled with feelings. Good vibes if you will. And I am blessed to have that home.

Two of the highest compliments I’ve ever received on my homemaking skills were based on feelings these people felt while in our home.

The first came from a dear friend of my Mother in laws who came to a family BBQ we were hosting. This fine lady stood in my kitchen drinking tea and laughing when out of the blue she said something along the lines of - "You know, you and your husband have something rare and beautiful here. You have a happy home and family. You can feel it, see it in every little detail and every sparkling room.” I couldn’t stop smiling as I thanked her for such a compliment.

The next compliment I received about our home came from a friend of my teenage daughters, who was here helping my daughter celebrate her birthday. We were hosting a sleep-over pizza party and our home was bursting with teenage girls! A fun time was had by all. I could tell by their faces, laughter and animated conversations well into the night.

The next morning, the girls got up and one by one, slowly gravitated to the den where my daughter and I were talking quietly. One girl, long blond hair in a mass of tangled curls, was sitting in my office chair happily eating a muffin when she said to me “I like it here Mrs. Linda”. “This is what a home is supposed to look and feel like- all happy and comforting.” “This is what a family is supposed to be.” I wanted to hug her, but instead I smiled and invited her over anytime she could come.

To these two people, years apart in age and time of visits, it was all about the energy, the feeling of our home and ultimately, me, the homemaker. These compliments mean that more often than not, I’m doing my job as homemaker correctly. And that to me is a blessing.

Are you a homemaker at heart who may need to refocus your energy? Do you think your home may be lacking in positive energy? You can change it!

Here are three quick tips to start you on your way:

Check your own feelings. Moms and wives- you are the heartbeat of your home, so you will reap what you sow. I know this all too well. I was in a foul mood for a brief time on Saturday. I took my whole family down that stinky road with me until my funk moved on. Even though it was short lived, it dampened the mood and impacted the energy in our home for at least an hour afterwards.

Respect your home. Tidy up a little each day, or at night when you get home from work. Make a list of chores and delegate as needed. Yes- a level of clutter is to be expected and accepted in everybody’s home- but don’t let it take over! Clutter frustrates and makes for bad energy.

Love the home you have now. Not the home you dream of. A favorite life quote of mine comes from Sheryl Crowe’s song- Soak up the Sun: “It’s not having what you want; it’s wanting what you’ve got.” This goes for your home too. Whether you are renting a two bedroom condo or living in a 3 bedroom with a mortgage – this is what you have and you need to accept it, small bathrooms and all.

There are tons of remodeling projects we want to do to our mid-size Ranch, but until we have the time and the money at the same time- I’m going to love this home, just the way it is. And you will be welcomed into my less than perfect home if ever our paths cross and hopefully, you will like what you feel from the moment you step out of your car and long after you drive away.

Please share with me in comments: What room in your home has the most positive energy, or gives you the most joy when you enter?

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15 chores you can tackle in 15 minutes or less

in chores, cleaning, home, homemaking, quick, summer, by Linda A Kinsman, Monday, June 30, 2014

Summer is such a fun season. We wait for it all year, planning and dreaming of those long, hot summer days and what we’ll do in them.

Summer Fun Activities:

Swimming
Traveling
Enjoying summer fruits
Picnics
BBQ’s
Bonfires
Sleepovers
Gardening

The one thing we don’t plan and dream of is summer chores. I don’t know about you, but at my house, once the kids are out of school my chore time increases. From sticky kitchen tables and counters to the ever-present need to sweep up tracked in grass and dirt, I felt like I could not keep up until I made this one simple change.

Take a Break from Work-do a quick chore:

I take a break from work every 30 minutes or so and do a quick chore. Taking these mini-breaks helps me be more productive, helps increase my energy while decreasing my seat time and helps lessen my chore list when I do switch gears and stop working for the day. You’d be surprised how much you can get done in 10 - 15 minutes!

15 chores you can tackle in 15 minutes or less:

Here are 15 quick chores that I do. Feel free to copy my list to get you started.

Fold a load of laundry, put it away and start a new one.
Sweep the kitchen and mudroom floor.
Wipe down bathroom counters and mirrors.
Water plants on the front porch.
Clean out the trash in the car.
Go through the mail and recycle junk mail.
Deadhead flowers and pinch back herbs.
Check pantry supplies for a weekly meal plan.
Dust a room and put away discarded items.
Unload dishwasher.
Wipe down kitchen table and chairs.
Clean out Frig drawers.
Clean photo frames in the hall.
Update coupons.
Wipe down glass doors.

WAHM's Re-Energize:

If you work away from home all day, you can still use this list to tackle your chores. Taking a break every 30 minutes to do something you enjoy like sipping a cool drink while reading will help you feel re-energized once you do return to your chore list.

Delegate Chores:

Be sure to delegate some of your chores to your kids if they are old enough and especially if they find you mid-task and tell you they are bored! I always find a task my daughters can handle. Just remember to be good to yourself and step away from work too so you can fully enjoy this special season.

Enjoy Summer!

Please share in comments: If you could wish away one household chore forever, what would it be? For me, it’s cleaning showers!

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Keeping track of important dates with House of Dolittle

in business, calendar, desktop, home, office, organization, planner, Small, wahm, by Linda A Kinsman, Friday, January 24, 2014

Happy Friday! Brrr… another cold snap has taken over and I for one am so ready for temps above 40. While I’m wishing for spring along with most everybody I know at this point, I’m thankful for January and all the “new” stuff it brings.

Like calendars and planners.

I love calendars. No, scratch that, I love functional calendars. Not those little purse thingies with their little bitty squares that I need two of per activity. Nope I like extra room for my leftie scrawl. So when Shoplet.com asked me if I’d like to review a desk calendar and weekly business planner for House of Dolittle, I happily agreed. I received the products shown above free of charge to share my opinions, which are 100% my own and may differ from yours.

About House of Dolittle:

House of Dolittle has been helping people be more productive during their daily activities since 1919. They happily make all their products in the U.S.A. in Chicago, IL. All products are made with 100% post –consumer paper and soy inks. My kind of company!

This desk top calendar reminds me of my many years (pre-kids) working outside the home in various secretarial and administrative positions. I had to have one on my desk. I wrote on it constantly. Not just important dates and key points of conversations, but reminders of what I needed to do and all the audibles tossed at me during the day from fellow office employees.

For at home use, this beauty resides on our family desktop. We all sit there and work and get frustrated when there is no paper to write on (usually because somebody carted off the notepad placed there). Now everybody can write all they want and have a visual reminder of what they wanted to remember instead of just telling me.

This weekly business planner though?

It’s all mine and is strictly for business. I have a lot to keep track of daily with my husband’s business, my blog and my Avon business. Way too much to put in my family planner. The weekly planner has lots of room for me to write on each day, an at a glance week view that I use often and it even offers an expense report ledger on the bottom of each page making it so much easier for me to keep track of the his, mine, ours business spending we do. It will also serve as a reminder of expenditures we need to remember come tax time. Ugh, taxes! Another thing to "like" about January! *wink*

I’m very pleased with these products, they are easy to use and are helping me stay on task. It's not to late to buy yourself some new office supplies like these or the many other products available at Shoplet.com

As always, I hope you found this review helpful. Please share with me in comments, what type of planner or calendar system do you use to stay organized?

Disclosure: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be a good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

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3 cool office supplies from Master Caster & Shoplet.com

in furniture, home, office, rest, smartphone, supplies, touch-up, wrist, by Linda A Kinsman, Tuesday, December 31, 2013

It is the end of the year my friends and I can’t think of a better way to end a great year of reviews than with 3 product reviews! Shoplet.com was kind enough to send me 3 office supply products shown below free of charge in the hopes I would share my thoughts with you. All opinions are 100% in own and may differ from yours.

Product 1: Rolling Wrist Rest:

The rolling wrist rest is ergonomically designed to help reduce joint stress. Independent 360 degree wheel rotation makes it easy to work with your mouse or keyboard without lifting your wrist.

My Review:

Old methods die hard, so even though I have used the rolling wrist rest for a few days, I still find myself lifting my wrist more often than not. In time I may get used to utilizing it. I do find my wrist feels less fatigued just resting it on the wrist rest while I read online, so I do recommend this product for those of us that work a lot online, or on a computer. You can learn more about this product here.

Product 2: Smarter Dual Action Gloves:

Microfiber, dual action Smarter Gloves are a smartphone users dream come true. No longer do you have to take off your glove to answer a call. These gloves provide any finger activation, touchscreen cleaning and are washable & reusable. Perfect for your tablets, readers, music, Navigation systems and more.

My Review:

I was excited to give these gloves a try during our last cold snap. I’m happy to report they really do work! I kept my gloves on to answer calls, clean my screen and share pictures on Instragram. I did have to take my glove off to text though because I grew frustrated with my misspelled words. As with the wrist roller, I think there is a learning curve and the more I use these gloves the more proficient at texting with them I’ll become. I like them and think you will too! You can learn more about this product here.

Product 3: ReStor-It Furniture Touch-up Kit:

For use on wood and wood laminates pieces like cabinets, doors, frames and more. This set of 3 filler sticks and 5 touch-up markers fills and stains to restore beauty to furniture.

My Review:

I couldn’t wait to try this out on a few new dings our Cherry Entertainment center took over Christmas. Since my husband is a custom furniture and cabinet maker, I let him do the honors. He was very pleased with this set saying it is the most comprehensive touch-up kit he’s seen short of a professional one and he liked the way the product did what it was supposed to do quickly and easily. I loved the fact that I can no longer see scratches in my entertainment center. We do highly recommend this product! You can learn more about it here.

That’s it folks- my last reviews of 2013. Thanks so much for reading them. I hope you found them helpful in making a purchasing decision. That is why I do what I do here on my little blog that could.

Please share in comments if you have used any of these kinds of products before.

Stay tuned for more reviews and giveaways coming soon in 2014. I think it’s going to be a great year!

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Don't Copy Me

in copyright free, domestic, home, work at home mom, by Linda A Kinsman, Tuesday, September 13, 2011

As I sat down to my laptop this morning, I had every intention of finishing up the post I'd been working on over the weekend. After visiting so many wonderful blogs over the last few weeks ( many of whom stopped by here first, thank you), I decided that I needed to post here more often AND that it was perfectly okay for me to talk more about family stuff to boot! Afterall, I am a work at home Mom; home is in my title.
So, I was writing a piece all heartwarming and domestic-ey, when I decided to take a break and see how my lil' blog that could was doing this fine morning.

Imagine my surprise when I saw that I've had a boat load of visitors this morning, but only a handful were reading my latest post ( yes, I was looking at my stats) and there were no new comments... so super sleuth that I am followed the yellow brick road of clicks to this post: http://mywahmplan.blogspot.com/2011/07/honey-nut-cheerios-freebie.html

Okay people, there could only be a couple of reasons you are visiting this old post. And I have a sneaking suspicion that getting the freebie wasn't the lure. IF you are doing a review for this brand or IF you are offering this Freebie too, kindly do your own leg work, find your own pictures ( like I did) and write your own review. Don't copy me. Thank you!

Thanks to Miranda over at Moms Book Shelf for having a Copyright Free button on her blog.
I've placed one on my blog now, so I feel somewhat protected.

I'd love to hear from you on this topic. Has your work been used without your knowledge or consent?

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Monday and My Plan

in clean, declutter, home, office, organize, plan, spring, by Linda A Kinsman, Monday, March 14, 2011

This week is a continuation of projects I started last week.

March 8th was International Women's Day. I recognized the day by visiting sites, learning more and sharing a link here, but did you know that the 8th was also National Home Office Organization Day? I didn't think so.

I didn't know about this day either until a story popped up on Google! In the spirit of this day I thought I'd share some of the tasks I did on the 8th and what I hope to accomplish this week.

· Emptied my inbox. No, not emails. The ever so neat looking "inbox" sitting on the top shelf of my desk with all manner of notes, to-do's , half-finished projects and the like. Nothing urgent enough to do ASAP. I have a folder just for those projects.

Seems I've let this task go for a while. I unearthed some love notes from my girls and re-read each with a smile straight from my soul. No wonder they are still here I think to myself. I’m such a clever lady to have put them back to re- discover them later.

Hmm, what else do I have in here? Pizza coupons. The email address to a contact I've already put in my hubby's business contacts, school fundraiser forms (you know the kind sent home almost daily until the event)? I know I volunteered or sent in the money/drink/gadget required because, see? There’s my check in the top right corner indicating DONE in my world. So why do I still have the paper? Cause my neat looking inbox hides oh so many secrets.

· I did a quick eenie, meenie, miny, moe to decide which file cabinet to open first. Left or right.

Left being the behemoth holder of ALL and right the smaller less frightening holder of how to manuals, notebooks and trade publications with important articles for hubby. Yes! I do read them and turn down the corners of interesting articles. I am his secretary after all and you could learn a lot about the state of our economy by reading what is going on in the housing industry, but let me not stray too far from the subject: file cabinet on the right was my best option last Tuesday. 35 minutes later I felt pretty good about the overall state of affairs in that file cabinet, but alas, I broke my stapler! Darn the luck, looks like I'll just have to put off file cabinet on the left until I purchase a suitable replacement.

· Next, I took everything off my desk and gave it a good cleaning. Not just a dry dusting, nope. Warm, slightly sudsy, lemony scented water and a nice towel dry.

Okay, you may be yawning at this point and saying to yourself: Boring! Trust me on this one: a clean and shiny desk in an office that smells good equals a happy work zone. I also de-cluttered. The pencil sharpener that didn't really do more than gnaw the pencils? Tossed and added to my list of needed office supplies.

And so went my morning. I had a box of recycling and the lid full of shredding and a nice happy work zone to show for it.

Today I am still minus a stapler (I was way too busy flying kites and re- learning archery with my family to go running to the office supply store this weekend) so this week:

I've decided to tackle the sideboard in my dining room that doubles as work/family filing and storage. I'm a bit nervous because I can't quite remember the last time I took everything out of this lovely piece. Wish me luck.

I'm also going to do away with the ever present basket of incoming stuff that has taken up semi-permanent residence on my kitchen counter. It's full of receipts, coupons, pictures, cards, washers, nails, cameras, and better keeps because this looks important to (insert appropriate family member).

It’s amazing how much time I have to spring clean my office and home now that I’m no longer working in direct sales. It’s true what they say about less is more. I feel more efficient and in control. Please try to do yourself the favor of cleaning off your desk and maybe ridding yourself of the clutter of too many things on your plate. You and your family will reap the benefits.

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Fall Cleaning Checklist Week Two

Weekly Fall Cleaning Checklist- Week One

Three tips to help foster positive energy in your home