Category Archives: Organization/Planning

Laundry Room Reset

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Laundry Room Reset

I chose to call this a Laundry Room Reset, because there really wasn’t that much to be done.   This month makes a year since we moved into this house, so I thought it would make sense to start working on those spaces that remained untouched.

Like most Moms  I spend a good amount of time in the laundry room, so I guess I thought I could trick my mind into enjoying it more, if  I used Spa Like Colors. ( I will have to get back to you on whether or not that worked.)  I chose my go to’s colors Grey and Teal.  I was able to find these curved Y-Weave XL baskets at Target.  And I used my growing Photo Shop Skills to  create chalkboard labels for the room.  If you like them, be sure to follow the Link Down Below, to get some of your own.

Laundry Baskets With Chalkboard Labels

The basket pictured in this picture and the one above was literally about the fourth basket I picked for this space.  Since I am vertically challenged and can’t actually reach the shelves without my Step Stool.  I wanted a little basket that was both decorative and could hold Laundry Detergent, OxiClean and Dryer Sheets, without showing what was inside.

Close Up On Laundry Room Baskets

My oldest daughter and I are the only ones that have hampers in the Laundry Room.  So I thought I would find some matching hampers to keep the room uniform.  I was able to grab these online from Bed Bath and Beyond.

Laundry Room - Matching Hampers

There’s so much out there these days in the form of Laundry Wall Art, especially if you are an “Etsy head” like me.  It was not an easy choice for me to make, especially because I kept gravitating to items that were outside of the budget that I had set up for myself.  I had a general idea of what I wanted but , I was willing to be pretty flexible and then I found this Fluff and Fold Piece at Target.  They had it in stock, quick shipping turn around and the Mr. was mounting it on the wall before I knew it.Laundry Room Reset Fluff and Fold Wall Art

After I had completed the room, I still felt like there was a lot of empty open space.  I wanted to do something to dress the room up without taking away from the open airy feel.  So after pouring over all the Pinterest Laundry Room Inspiration I could find, I decided to add clothespins.  I still had a few Half Gallon Mason Jars left from the Pantry, so I grabbed them and added the clothespins and Voila!!  There actually still is a lot of empty space in this room, but hubby told me to embrace it.  So the room is complete, FULL STOP, lol.

Laundry Room Reset - Clothespin Decor

Grab Your Free Laundry Room Chalkboard Labels Here.   Right – Click -Save- Print.

Happy June – Free iPhone iPad Desktop Wallpaper

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Free June 2020 Wallpapersgrab your Free iPhone iPad Desktop Wallpaper

It’s June!!  Need Some Good News, Or At Least Something Free To Start The Month.  Grab Your Free iPhone Ipad Desktop Wallpaper.

This month’s calendar and wallpapers feature beautiful floral prints in pink hues.   I don’t know about you but,  I am definitely ready for Summer to Officially Start, even if I am not sure what that looks like this year.

In the past,  I’ve shared free printable calendars and tech wallpapers, and I’ve been thinking about doing that again.  If you are interested,  make sure to subscribe to my mailing list to get free updates, delivered straight to your inbox!

I trust this month’s calendars will help you to stay on track.
 iPad Wallpaper

Click Here for Directions on How to Install Your iPhone Wallpaper.

And … Here’s To An Awesome June,  from your Stage Presents Family.

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Little Chores List

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GRAB YOUR FREE LITTLE CHORES PRINTABLE, TODAY!!Little Chores List

If you are like me and just starting to adjust to this New Normal, then you know that in the midst of the Coronavirus Pandemic life does not stand still.  There is still work to be done, children to be raised, a house to take care of, etc.  Today, marks the third week of me working  from home, and my girls having digital learning classes.  The adjustment was real for all of us.  And, even though I feel like we were a little more settled last week(week two), I also feel like a lot of things were left undone.  And, in the face of everything going on that just left me feeling more uneasy than I already was.  So, I vowed to start this week with a bit more direction, and being the list person that I am, I created this Free Printable Little Chores List to prevent things from being left behind, or at the very list to give me a jumping off point.

Now being part of the Planner Girl Community for as long as I have been, I know that I am not the only list person out there.  So, I thought I would share this for the other Moms that are struggling to keep it all together in the face of a very scary situation.  Grab Yours Be Clicking Here Today. Right Click – Save As And It’s Yours To Use.

I have been reading and watching everything I can get my hands on as it regards to the corona-virus, and well… I can’t tell you if I am more confused or less confused than when I started out, because there is so much conflicting information out there.  However, I have been very deliberate in what I share with my girls. I want them to understand the gravity of the situation, but I also do not want them living in the head space that their Mom is currently living in.  I found these two articles to be helpful and thought I would share them on how to  manage fears and anxiety and how to talk to our children about it.

Hope these help to ease your mind a bit.

A Thomas Family Christmas

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The saying goes better Late Than Never, and even though this is not a concept that I try to subscribe to, that is exactly how it shook out this year.  This holiday season was a particularly busy one.  But, it turned out just fine.  We hosted Christmas this year, so the pressure was definitely on.  Not only to make the house look particularly festive, but also to come up with a menu that suited everyone’s specific nutritional/dietary needs.  And yes, as my eight year old would say, that is “a thing”.

I found this idea for Stair Decor on Pinterest.  I thought it would be the perfect back drop to the kid’s tree.  mentioned it to hubby and it became a Daddy daughter project.  He found the Cardboard Top Hats at Joann Fabric and Crafts and they painted it.  For more info on how we pulled off this project check out the details on Our Instagram Page Link Here.

I try to add little Hints of Christmas, in ever little corner.  But over the years I have found that introducing the Colors of Christmas to be just as important as Traditional Christmas Decor.  For example for this Centerpiece in the Kitchen, I used Green Moss Balls, and Mini Apples as Vase Fillers coupled with an old wreath made of Red Bells and a Countdown to Christmas Nutcracker to complete the look.

The same look has pretty much flanked our Fireplace for the last couple of years.  However, this year we added in two outdoor mini trees on either side of the fireplace for more sparkle, especially at night.  And, a Poinsettia on STEROIDS that I scored at Sams for just $14.99.  It decorated my area at work for the whole month of December, before it made its way home.  We kind of grew tired of the letters that we had on our stockings during the previous years, so hubby found these wood letters at Hobby Lobby and gave them a Merry makeover with some red paint and some twine that he attached with hot glue.

This is our Second Year Using Buffalo Check for the Tree and the Formal Dining Room Table Decor.  I grabbed these napkins on sale from Pier 1 and Hubby Created the Centerpiece all on his own.  He found the Merry Christmas Wooden Box at Hobby Lobby, then he found Garland and Candles at Michael’s and lastly he added some battery operated lights, found at Kroger.  Honestly this year’s Christmas Decor was brought to you in large part by my better half.  This was my first year back at work full time and trying to pull everything together, and if it was not for him, I fear I would not have been able to do it.  So Shout Out to My Darling Hubby for being just as into the details as I am.

There is nothing quite like Christmas to me.  The joy I feel being surrounded by my Family and Friends that have become Family, well its indescribable. And, though it takes some effort pulling it all together, I wouldn’t change a thing. I hope and pray that you all have a Happy Holiday Season.

Here are few more glimpses of  Our Thomas Family Christmas.

‘THE BEST OF ALL GIFTS AROUND ANY CHRISTMAS TREE: THE PRESENCE OF A HAPPY FAMILY ALL WRAPPED UP IN EACH OTHER.’ – BURTON HILLS

Rejoining the Ranks of Working Moms

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After six years of being home with my babies, I am finally back to work full time.  As you can imagine, making this decision was not an easy one for me.  Aside from just knowing that I would miss the flexibility that being a stay at home mom afforded me.  I also worried about being able to balance home and work efficiently and with ease.  As a self proclaimed perfectionist, I like for things to go just so.  Something that is much harder to accomplish, when you work for someone else outside of the home.  I’d love to say that I immediately found the solutions to make things run smoothly, but if I am honest, it is still very much a work in progress.

Here are a few things that seem to be helping us keep all the balls in the air, or at the very least stop them from rolling under the couch.

ALONE WE CAN DO SO LITTLE; TOGETHER WE CAN DO SO MUCH. — HELEN KELLER

  1.  Enlisting Everyone In The Struggle.  I will be the first to admit that being at home gave me the luxury of being picky.  This allowed me  to create a “Mom Will Do It” culture, and Mom did. It’s not like I did not know that I would regret it.   I did and I do. But, now that I don’t have many free hours in the day.  I have had to solicit the help of everyone in the household.  And, as much as I hate to admit that in this case delegating seems to be working, and is taking a lot of pressure of me. Check Out This Fun Money Chore System we’ve implemented (originally found on The Chic Site Blog.  
  2. Putting Everyone on The Same “Calendar”.  Thankfully, my girls are not in a lot of after school extra curricular activities, so I am not running them too many places.  But, we do have doctors appointments, dentist appointments, hair and nail salon appointments that all must be worked into the schedule.  Not to mention weekends with the grandparents, etc.  The Family Calendar strategically placed on the fridge in the kitchen keeps everyone abreast of what is going on.   For things that absolutely can not be forgotten, hubby and I share a Google Calendar.
  3. Having An Interested Partner.  I say interested partner because unfortunately I am privy to way too many situations where even though you have a partner, they tend to not be interested.  What I mean by this is that, they need to be just as committed to the success of the systems you put in place, as you are.
  4. Technology Is Your Friend.  If you have been following the blog for a while you know I set my sail by technology.  I use it as much as I can to make my life easier.  Since I can’t just pop up at the school during the day anymore, I have to find a way to make my presence felt.  This is where all the new fun and useful teacher apps come into play.
  5. Planning Ahead.  I honestly think this is the key to success on pretty much every front.  Even though you can not anticipate exactly what is to come.  You can plan for things that remain the same.  I try to prep my meals, plan out my outfits and the kid’s outfits for the week and stick to a regular schedule, when it comes to Laundry and Other Housekeeping tasks.  This makes my life just a bit easier.

What do you do to strike a balance between home life and work life?  What are your fail safes, I would love to hear all about it in our comments section below.

Snackin’ It Up

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Snackin' It Up - A List of Snack Ideas

“I’m hungry.”

“You just ate.”

“But, I’m still hungry, what do we have to snack on?”

This was pretty much the narrative between me and my 8 year old through out the whole week of Spring Break.  Now, after having three kids I know that Winter Break, Spring Break and especially Summer Break means that my children will most likely take this opportunity to try to eat me out of house and home.  Especially since my oldest is a boy.  He literally set the standard.  I actually have to plan for these breaks by allotting for extra money to go towards my grocery budget.  If your kids are around the same age as mine are, I am sure that you will understand just what I am talking about.

After years of having the same experience, I finally decided to create a go to list of snack foods to keep on hand, especially during The Breaks.  (Fall, Spring, and Summer.)

FRUITS

  1.   Apples
  2.   Clementines
  3.  Blueberries and Strawberries
  4.   Pineapples
  5.   Bananas
  6.   Grapes
  7.   Watermelon
  8.   Canteloupe
  9.   Honeydew

SALTY SNACKS

  1.   Popcorn
  2.   Chips
  3.   Almonds
  4.   Cashews
  5.   Sunflower Seeds
  6.   String Cheese
  7.   Lunch Meat
  8.   Pretzels
  9.   Peanut Butter

VEGETABLES

  1.   Celery with Hummus, Almond Butter, Peanut Butter
  2.   Baby Carrots
  3.   Grilled Veggies
  4.   Roasted Broccoli
  5.   Guacamole
  6.   Grapefruit

OTHER

  1.   Lunch Meat
  2.   Tuna
  3.   Egg Salad
  4.   Yogurt
  5.   Crackers

TREATS

  1.   Ice Pops
  2.   Ice Cream
  3.   Jello Pudding
  4.   Applesauce

What are the snacks that you keep in stock for your own Mom Sanity?  Am I missing anything?  I’d love to hear what some of your Go To’s are in the comments below.

Planning It All Out

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Planning It Out - What To Track In Your Planner

Here’s something that you should know about me, absolutely everything in my life is always a work in progress.  I am very seldom satisfied with the way things are.  I realize that can be a bad thing, but in this case I think it’s OK.  Being part of the planner community has definitely taken me through stages.  What does that mean?  Well, it means that I probably spent way too much money and energy on stickers, stamps, stencils and other things that I thought would make my planner pretty and keep me more organized.  And it definitely made it lovely, but It did not actually make me more functional, which was the whole point.  Don’t get me wrong it was great for Instagram and Facebook posts, and I loved looking at it.  But, it was not helping me to actually achieve my goals or complete my tasks in a timely manner. In addition to that I went through several types of planners and styles, before I finally settled on one that worked for me.  That doesn’t mean that I don’t still get enticed by the planner section in Staples or Office Depot, but ultimately I think that I have found a system that works for me.

My planner has become my life line, as much as I wouldn’t exactly want to admit that at 41 I need little reminders, I do.  I guess I can’t still claim Mommy brain, since my oldest is 7 years old.  But, that is kinda what it feels like, when you have to keep track of what everyone has to do and where everyone has to be.  After lots of trial and error, these are the things that I track in my planner that keep me on top of things.

Health-Wise – I track my:

  • Water Intake
  • Exercise
  • Steps
  • Hours Slept
  • Headaches
  • Weight Loss
  • Weight Gain
  • Prescriptions Filled
  • Vitamins

Family-Wise – I track:

  • Dr’s Appointments
  • Salon Appointments
  • Nail Salon Appointments
  • School Field Trips
  • School Projects
  • Quizzes/Tests
  • Family Trips and Birthdays
  • Family Wish Lists (Things the kids and hubby have been asking for)

Household-Wise – I track:

  • Laundry Detergent/Fabric Softener/Bleach Purchases
  • Cleaning Schedule
  • Spring/Summer/Winter Cleaning
  • Decorating by the Season
  • Household Wish List (Things we want to purchase for the house)

Just Because I am ME – I track:

  • Prayer Lists
  • What I’m Reading
  • What I’m Wearing
  • Moods

“A DREAM WRITTEN DOWN WITH A DATE BECOMES A GOAL.  A GOAL BROKEN DOWN INTO STEPS, BECOMES A PLAN.  A PLAN BACKEd bY ACTION MAKES YOUR DREAMS COME TRUE.”

What is something you absolutely have to keep track in your planner or otherwise to be effective?  I’d love to hear all about it in the comments below.

Making Your Own Vision Board for 2018

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2017 is OVER.  Whether that hits you in the pit of your stomach like a ton of bricks, or you are overjoyed to see it go, it is done.  Around this time of year, most people seem to get into retrospective mode looking back over the year on what they mastered or what they wished they had done differently.  But, lets face it, the past is just that, the past.  There certainly isn’t much you can do to recover whatever stones you have thrown at this time, which means that it is time to look forward.  What are you expecting out of 2018?  What goals are you setting for yourself, your business, your family, your spiritual life?  Even more important than deciding what your intentions are, is laying the ground work for just how you are going to do that.  Only you can decide exactly what that means.  A vision board is a tool used to help clarify, concentrate and maintain focus on a specific life goal. Literally, a vision board is any sort of board on which you display images that represent whatever you want to be, do or have in your life.

A couple of years ago, one of my girlfriends hosted a Vision Board Party, and as much as I loved the company, the insight it gave me into that year was immeasurable.  Like everything else, only  you determine how much detail and how much fun this experience will be or how to combine them both. Here’s a How to on Completing Your First Vision Board in Just Four Steps.

Step One:  What are your Areas of Focus Going To Be For 2018? (For Example)

  • Health/Fitness
  • Family /Family Life
  • Financial Security/Stability
  • Spiritual Life
  • Career
  • Education
  • Home Ownership

Step Two:  How Can I Break My Areas of Focus Down Into Manageable Parts? (For Example)

  • Health/ Fitness (Take 10,000 + Steps Daily) (Drink 64 oz of Water Daily) (Get 7 Hours of Sleep)
  • Family/Family Life (Institute a Game Night) (Take Kids Out for One on One Dates)
  • Financial Security/Stability (Set A Dollar Amount to Go Into your Savings Account Monthly)  (Aggressively Pay Down Existing Credit Card Debt)
  • Spiritual Life (Attend Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting) (Make Time for Daily Devotion)
  • Career (Learn Something New Quarterly i.e. Continuing Education, or Software that can help you to advance in your field)
  • Education (Realistically Plan Out Your Courses)
  • Home Ownership (Take a First Time Home Buyer’s Class)  (Find Out What you would Need to do to Sell your existing Home)

Step Three: Use Pictures, Wording and Other Graphics to Visualize Your Goals

Things You Can Use to Help with This Step:

  • Magazines, Internet for Pictures, Quotes
  • Scissors
  • Glue Sticks
  • Tape
  • Embellishments of Any Type (Washi Tape, Stickers,Quote Bubbles)

Step Four (Final Step): Pulling Everything Together

You know that I like things to be in a certain order, so here I would say put all like items together. but, it is entirely up to you.

Grab your supplies, and put it together, however you like.  As a rule, I would say to put your Vision Board somewhere that you can see it and refer to it often.  Jump in and Get started!!

WHERE THERE IS NO VISION, THE PEOPLE PERISH. PROVERBS 29:18

Our Christmas Home Tour

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Our Christmas Home Tour 1 of 3

Our Christmas Home Tour 2 of 3

Our Christmas Home Tour 3 of 3

Come On In, and Welcome to this year’s Christmas Home Tour.  This year we stuck to the traditional Christmas Colors and just added some Buffalo Check and Gold, to our color scheme.

Things I purchased to make this year’s Christmas Look Complete:

  • A Christmas Wreath
  • New Christmas Stockings
  • 2 Yards of Buffalo Check Fabric
  • Buffalo Check Wrapping Paper

Simple DIY’s:  

  • I used the Buffalo Check Fabric to Cover Existing Ornaments that we already had to add a more rustic, yet defined, look to our  Real Tree.
  • I also used the same Buffalo Check Fabric to Complete my Table Setting, by just adding a Pop of Color that I used to marry both rooms (Living Room flows into the Dining Room)
  • Kitchen Centerpiece (1) was made from Mini Apple Vase Fillers that I already had at home and Green Moss balls to add a little More Red and Green to the space.
  • Kitchen Centerpiece (2) was made from Lemons and Little Mini Red Ornaments, for yet another Festive Look.
  • Outdoors/Front Porch.  I stained the (2) crates that we used in our Fall Display to sit our Outdoor Lighted Christmas Trees, and added Fire Wood to add some warmth.

Thanks for stopping by, and now I am off to enjoy the rest of my Holiday Season with my family.   Merry Christmas to all and to all a Good Night.

Christmas Greeting

Reclaiming My Time

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Reclaiming My Time - August 2017 - stage-presents.com

Unless you somehow managed to stay plugged out while the rest of us are constantly plugged in, then you’ve probably been hearing this phrase a lot lately.  Recently, Representative Maxine Waters said this phrase repeatedly during a House Financial Services Committee hearing when confronted by Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin.  Of course, my reason for using this phrase is no where as important or noble.  The kids are back in school and I am slowly but surely, reclaiming my time. Seemed like the perfect time to do a Currently Post …
Currently - Reclaiming My Time
Thinking … About Working on More Items for  the Fall Collection in Our Etsy Store and creating a newsletter for subscribers

Enjoying… Peace and Quiet — the kids are at school

Feeling …. Blah .. lazy and not all that productive today

Wearing…  My favorite PJ’s, a messy bun, and my not soo cute specs..

Needing…  A manicure and pedicure

Wanting…  Apple to hurry up with the iPhone 8Splus

Listening… to Scars by My Brothers and I

Making..  Savory Sweet Potato Mash my latest obsession

Eating… Zucchini and Squash Everything..

Drinking…  My Decaf Coffee with Half and Half.. Torani Salted Caramel Sugar Free Syrup and Stevia.

I always enjoy reading everyone’s Currently Posts.  Want to join in?  I’d love to know what you are currently up to?  Share your links in the comment section below.