Ah January, the month of “new” the month of “I will” the month of resolutions and goals and promises. Helpful organizing tips abound in January, they even made January National Organizing month, which hammers home the message that we all should be cleaning and organizing during every free minute.

But- I’m not.

Nope. I refuse to get myself all worked up this year.  

It’s the 10^th and I simply refuse to feel behind as I “heart” the many free printable’s showing up in my Pinterest feed.  Everything from chores, menu planning to home organizing binders can be found and printed. I’m tempted- I mean really tempted to waste my printer ink on these prettily designed pieces of paper that in theory should make short work of my organizing dilemma’s. 

I don’t print them because I know I won’t use them. I have seen myself not use them in the past. So- here is what I use instead.

A legal size pad of plain white paper, a colorful pen and a clipboard.

That’s it.

Now the organizing magic can begin.

I walk from room to room with an Eagle eye, channeling my Moms white glove, everything neat and tidy approach to homemaking and I make my list for each room.

Only put chores on this list. No jotting down “buy new hand towels” when you are in the guest bathroom. There will be a list for that later.

Stick to what you want to get done- your chores.

Do feel free to put a family members name by certain chores. If they drug it out, they should find its home again (says every Mom on the planet).

Then- once you’ve gone through every room in your house and feel like your head is going to pop because you must be the worst housekeeper on the planet- stop! Take a breath, and choose the easiest task first. 

And. Do. It. 

Then check it off. Done! 

 Go through your list this way until you get to the real hot spots of your house. Seeing your completed tasks will make slaying your dragon easier.

I use this checklist method for any project that is multi-step, like planning a party, or revamping my flower beds.  This style of organizing my thoughts to organize my life works for me and it may very well work for you too. If you give it a try, please stop back by and let me know your thoughts.

 

And if you really want to get a feel for How clean (or not) your house is, go take this easy quiz on HGTV. I answered  mostly B’s- with a couple of A’s I blame completely on my Mother! You’ll understand that statement once you take the quiz.

Share with me in comments, what’s your dragon- what is the one place you wish you never had to organize again?

For me- it’s the Foyer closet! Ugh.

And let me know the outcome of the quiz too- no judging here!

Here's wishing you a happy, productive weekend. Now I'm off to buy some much needed hangers for that foyer closet of mine.

Happy January everybody, I hope this finds you all safe and warm. I have been anxiously awaiting this first working Monday of the new year to share this awesome giveaway with you! If you want to upgrade your kitchen faucet, then you will be as happy about this giveaway as I am. I want to sincerely thank Pfister for sponsoring this giveaway by sending me the faucet shown below free of charge to try. All opinions are my own and may differ from yours. 

About Pfister Slate Pasadena Faucet:

Pfister recognizes a trend in mix and match kitchen design and launches a first to market Slate finish for faucets saying:

In line with the current design focus on finishes and mixed metals, Pfister rounds out the updated kitchen look by introducing its Pasadena faucet in Slate. Slate, a warm, grey metallic finish complements any existing kitchen color palette simply and naturally. Another significant benefit is its Pfinish Guard offering, an innovative matte surface that resists the frequent build-up of fingerprints or water stains. The combination of style and convenience makes the Slate finish ideal for design enthusiasts and homeowners alike.”

Features of the Pfister Slate Pasadena Faucet:

While I put away my Christmas decorations and tell myself I simply MUST organize my closets, I’m dreaming of warmer days, flowers in bloom and veggies on the vine. That can only mean one thing: it’s time to order my seed catalogs! I limited myself to just 4 per year and I change them up each year by adding a couple of new ones. 

This year’s choices are:

Burpee: 

Of course Burpee would be #1 for me. I plant more Burpee plants and seeds than any other because they never disappoint. I bet you plant alot of Burpee products too.

Burpee says:

The all-new 2014 edition features all the best seeds, plants and supplies to make your 2014 gardens the best ever. Discover over 70 new additions featuring 'Steakhouse' Hybrid Tomato-the world's biggest beefsteak, and 'Bam' Basil-the first no-bolt basil.

Order their free catalog HERE.

Gurney’s:

A must order too. Just look at those Sunflowers!

Gurney’s says:

Receive a FREE copy of the Gurney's Seed & Nursery catalog PLUS a coupon for $25 OFF by simply filling out the information below. And don't forget to fill one out for each of your gardening friends. Go HERE to order yours.

Johnny's Seeds:

This is a new catalog for me this year. I was drawn to their company because the value their employee’s.

Johnny's says:

Johnny’s Seed Catalog- An employed owned company. The 2014 catalog has 250 new products! Order this catalog HERE.

Seed Savers:

Seed Savers is new for me this year too. I want to try my hand at growing some Heirloom veggies this year and their seed catalog looks so pretty and inviting, I just had to order one.

Seed Savers says: 

Join us and help preserve our garden heritage. Seed Savers offers a collection of 600 Heirloom and Pollinated verities of seeds in the 2014 catalog. Go HERE to ask for their catalog.

In less than 10 minutes you can order these free seed catalogs and start dreaming of digging in the dirt too. Please share in comments what type of plants you are wanting to add to your garden or flower beds this year and what your favorite Seed Catalog is.

Don't consider yourself a gardener because of space limitations? Stay tuned for my tips on starting a container garden!


Update: 

I am going to have to order more than 4 catalogs this year after reading Michelle's list over on Simplify,Live, Love- she's got a rocking list of 11 free catalogs! Stop on over and check it out here.   

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!

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."

About VitaFrute and VeeV:

                             

An Entrepreneurial brand founded by two brothers Courtney and Carter Reum bringing us the world’s first Acai Spirit. This ready to drink cocktail is the first organic super fruit cocktail in a bottle.  All of the flavors are made with VeeV - the original acai spirit and are available in 4 delicious offerings at 125 calories per serving. 

Not only did they bring us a healthier cocktail, their environmentally aware being the first carbon neutral spirit company that also runs their distilleries on renewable energy. Not to mention they give back a portion of every sale!

“At VeeV^®, we donate 1% of all sales to rainforest preservation and environmental initiatives because we would never want to lose sight of the little berry that inspired it all. We are committed to ensuring that the açaí berry, along with all the wondrous superfruits and flora in their rainforest habitats, is around for generations to come.”

Our Review:

My husband and I gave the Margarita a try first. It’s made with organic VEEV Acai spirit, premium Tequila and a blend of all natural lemon, lime and agave nectar. We just poured over ice and enjoyed! It was one of the sweetest Margarita’s we’ve ever had. We found it a little too sweet for our tastes, but if you like drinks with little umbrella’s in them- you will love this Margarita!

Sweetness aside, we still liked the Margarita and can’t wait to try the Lemonade on New Year's Eve. We may even make our own Margarita with the special Veev spirit. Speaking of the VeeV spirit, my husband enjoyed it straight saying it has a smooth, fruity quality that would mix well with any fruit juice. 

Special Offer:

VitaFrute also has a special consumer offer this New Year's (where legal).  VitaFrute will offer savings on any Fitness Class, Gym or Health Club Membership or Monthly Fees.  Consumers just need to purchase 2 bottles of VitaFrute and mail in the rebate form. Just visit  their website HERE to learn more and find a retailer near you. You can also follow them on Twitter and Instagram.

As always, I hope you find this information helpful. Here's wishing you a happy, healthy and safe New Year!  Please share in comments what is your favorite way to greet the New Year?

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."

Who needs a quick, healthy snack? Are you a fan of Larabars? Recently we received a free 4 pack of Larabars to try in the hopes that I would share my honest opinions here and host a giveaway. All opinions are 100% my own and I’m happy to say- we are now fans of Larabars!

About LARABAR:

“LÄRABAR® is a delicious blend of unsweetened fruits, nuts and spices. Made from whole food, each flavor contains no more than nine ingredients. Pure and simple, just as nature intended.

GLUTEN FREE/CELIACS LÄRABAR®, über®, Jŏcalat®, and ALT® bars are Gluten Free. They have no gluten-containing ingredients, and we have manufacturing controls in place to ensure that there are no cross-contact concerns. We also periodically verify our practices using Gliadin gluten testing.”

Our Review:

With wonderful flavors like Apple Pie (my personal favorite), Peanut Butter Cookie (my hubby’s favorite) and Banana’s Foster (my kids favorite) you are sure to find your favorite too, that is if you aren’t a Larabar fan already! 

Even though these bars are higher in calories than some others on the market, in my opinion they are worth it! They taste so fresh and good and they stay with you for a long time making them the perfect snack for busy days. I invite you to go here to see all their flavor options and to like Larabar on Facebook.

The Giveaway:

One lucky reader will win a 16 Larabar variety pack! Entering is easy using the Rafflecopter form below. No purchase necessary. Open to U.S. residents 18+. My WAHM Plan is not responsible for shipment of prize. See all terms on Rafflecopter form.

Good luck!