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Sprucing Up Before the Holidays

Now is the time to get those little things done around the house to make your home holiday worthy. Do you have some projects that you would like to see done? Is there a room in your home that is in serious need of decluttering, a door that squeaks, some artwork that needs to be hung? Develop a plan to get one or two things done around your home each day, and you’ll be in a great place for the holidays–that great place will be your home! It is so hard to fit the time in to do anything extra … Continue reading →

Ready for the After Christmas Sales?

It was Christmas evening. The kids were nestled all snug in there beds after a busy and fun filled day of opening presents, going to church and celebrating Christmas day with family and friends. The house was half picked up–at least the new toys and gifts were neatly stacked in a corner near the Christmas tree, if not exactly put away. The gift wrapped had all been recycled, and the dished loaded. My husband and I had settled down to relax and watch about 30 minutes of television and reflect on the day. But what to our wondering eyes should … Continue reading →

Create a Home Inventory

In the event of a disaster, you may wind up losing your belongings, from a few items lost to flooding in the basement, to an entire household full of stuff. That is why it is important to create an inventory of your things , so you can have a record of anything you might lose. For insurance purposes, you want to make sure that you have all of the information that you need. This way, you are more likely to be able to get the full replacement cost of your valuables. Creating an inventory can be done in as little … Continue reading →

How to Hang Outdoor Lights Safely

Celebrate and illuminate the night with your wonderful Christmas lights, but do it safely. Here are some tips that you can use to help make your annual hanging of the outdoor lights a mark of delight and not a trip to to the emergency room. First things first. Let us start with the electricity and how all of those lights are going to be powered. You want to make sure that the point where you are plugging the lights is in grounded (a ground fault) that also contains a circuit interrupter. This way, if there is too much current, the … Continue reading →

The Elf on the Shelf

Forget the magic snowball of my generation, Santa’s got a new game to help him keep track of who is naughty and who is nice. It is called the Elf on the Shelf, and it is quickly becoming a new tradition. The tradition (or marketing genius, really) goes something like this: Santa has a special corp of elves to help him keep track of all of his kids. The elves go into hibernation and start appearing on retail store shelves (also known as Elf Adoption Centers), waiting for families to adopt them by purchasing them. The Elf on the Shelf … Continue reading →

How Do You Get It All Done?

During this holiday season, how do you get it all done? There are so many activities and preparation, from baking cookies to chauffeuring kids to play and concert rehearsals, buying gifts to decorating the house. Today on the Families.com Facebook page, the question to answer was how do you get it all done? How can you fit in all of the things that you need to do during the holidays? There were a lot of great responses, such as to be more like our husbands and ignore it all to play video games without guilt (Gardens of Time, anyone?). But … Continue reading →

Do You Do “Stocking Stuffers?”

Every year, I have a little debate with myself about stocking stuffers. Do we continue to do stocking stuffers? Do we just have stockings for the kids or include the parents as well? Do I have to buy myself stocking stuffers, since, well, I’m the stocking stuffer lady and if I don’t do it no one else will. I learned this last one during one Christmas when the kids wanted to know why there was nothing in my stocking. Whoops. Then I always wonder what to put in the stockings. How much money do you spend on an individual stocking … Continue reading →

Christmas Tree Care

A real live tree can be a wonderful addition to your home during the Christmas holidays. There is nothing that can quite beat the smell of a fragrant evergreen. Whether you go out into the woods and chop your own, select one from a Christmas Tree farm, or pick one up at one of the numerous road side stands or home improvement stores, you’ll want to keep your tree looking and smelling as fresh as possible for the holidays. Is your tree precut? If so, make sure that you trim another half an inch off of the bottom of the … Continue reading →

Mario and Pokemon in the House

We have a new person “living” in our house. He goes by the name of Mario. Mario joins another roommate called Pokemon. Well, at least Mario is generally only one person, except when his friends Yoshi and the Princess visit. Pokemon on the other hand, is actually a whole tribe of friends, or actually several tribes, since, as I am learning, you have to have the right Pokemon series. Pokemon Silver is not the same as Pokemon Ruby. The thing that I like about Mario, is he is kind enough to confine himself to one spot, generally the living room, … Continue reading →

Frugal Month in Review: November 2008

November to be is the beginning of two things. The holiday season starts with Thanksgiving, and then there is winter. Despite the fact that winter doesn’t officially start until next month, the fall seems to give way to the winter in November anyway. We had a day of snow already. Here is looking ahead to December and the end of the year! November 1st Frugal Month in Review: October 2008 “Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns.” – George Eliot. November 2 … Continue reading →