Thank you for visiting The Well Tended Home!

You’ll find a wealth of valuable tips, creative ideas, and essential products designed to help you maintain a well-tended and organized home, as well as insightful and inspiring thoughts to nurture and strengthen your faith.
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Sunday, March 19, 2023

Creating Weekly Menus





Meal Planning can be the key to a successful family kitchen.

Create a weekly menu with your favorite meals. A weekly meal plan can not only free up time but create less stress, save you money, and help you create healthy meal options for your family. Since making meals is a big part of our everyday home life, it only makes sense to include meal planning as one of our organizational goals. This is one area I have never been good at and often find myself pulling something from the freezer a little too late only to find I also don’t have everything I need. I have started working on my menus and hope to have several weekly menus planned that I can rotate throughout the year.

Get started by getting yourself a plain notebook or a meal planner. and a recipe book. Start with some of your favorite family meals. Add in a new healthy meal to try each week. Swap recipes with friends for new things to try. As you create your weekly menu you can jot the ingredients down that you’ll need to purchase for each meal on your weekly shopping trip.

Be sure to include using your slow cooker in your meal plans for at least a couple of days each week. If something unexpected comes up that week you can rotate days and you won’t have to worry about getting dinner done. A home meal plan helps ease the stress of ‘what’s for dinner?’ by having meals pre-planned and ingredients ready ahead of time. One key to having a successful home meal plan is planning meals around recipes with similar ingredients, so it reduces the number of groceries needed per week. Meal planning also saves time, as you don’t have to constantly search for what to make for dinner every day - it’s already written down! I suggest creating a home meal plan at the start of the week so you know what’s for dinner for the rest of the week. As well as planning out dinners, breakfast, lunch, and snacks should also be included in the home meal plan.

Check out this simple meal planner with a tear-off grocery list and with 54 sheets enough to create a menu for each week of the year.

Wednesday, February 15, 2023

Waiting on God













It can be difficult to wait on God. We may feel like He is taking too long to answer our prayers or that He is not listening at all. But we need to remember that God's timing is perfect. He knows what we need and when we need it. Sometimes, the wait is for our own good. Maybe God is teaching us patience or there are lessons to be learned along the way. Whatever the reason for the wait, we need to be prayerful and trust that God will answer in His perfect time.

“ In their hearts, humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.” Proverbs 16:9

It can be easy to become anxious and frustrated while waiting on God. We may feel like we are not good enough or that we don't deserve His help. Remember that God will always be there for us. He knows what we are going through and He will help us through it. So, while we are waiting on God, we should be patient and trust that He will provide for us in His perfect time.

When we are facing difficulties in our lives, it can be hard to wait on God. Here are some Psalms you can reflect on to help you get through the waiting

“Wait on the Lord; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord.” Psalm 27:14

“I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, And in His word I do hope.” Psalm 130:5

“In the day of my trouble, I shall call upon You, For You will answer me.” Psalm 86:7

“The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears, And delivers them out of all their troubles.” Psalm 34:17

“I waited patiently for the Lord, And He inclined to me, And heard my cry.” Psalm 40:1

“My times are in your hands; deliver me from the hands of my enemies, from those who pursue me.” Psalm 31:15

Thursday, January 19, 2023

23 Things to Ditch in "23"

Upcycle
Photo by Julietta Watson on Unsplash







It’s 2023 and time to get organized. Below is a list of 23 things to ditch now and get started on your clutter-free journey. Get rid of the excess, unused, not needed, and broken items in your home.

Ditch = donate, recycle or upcycle and trash it if it’s not usable

  1. Pens, Pencils, Crayons

  2. Newspapers, Books, Magazines

  3. Clothing & Shoes that don’t fit, you don’t love and you can’t remember when they were worn last

  4. Craft Stuff

  5. Drinking Glasses, Cups & Plates that are chipped or mismatched pieces

  6. Socks with holes, mismatched or don’t fit

  7. Outdated food that you’ll never eat

  8. Old Makeup

  9. Toys & Stuffed Animals

  10. Old Ink Cartridges - Recycle

  11. Cleaning products that are old or full of chemicals - Switch to natural

  12. Old Paint - Many towns host a hazardous waste disposal day

  13. Keys that you don’t know what they go to

  14. Batteries

  15. Old chargers and wires

  16. Games and Puzzles

  17. Small Appliances

  18. School Artwork - Keep a few of your favorites

  19. Broken items laying around that you’ll never fix - this can be just about anything

  20. The Junk Drawer

  21. Linen- Most humane societies will take towels, sheets & blankets

  22. Extra Pieces of Furniture that are just taking up space

  23. Things you haven’t used in a year but are saving just encase

Sunday, January 1, 2023

Clutter Free in 2023

Photo by Samantha Gades on Unsplash







The way we live and the amount of stuff we own can have a big impact on our physical and mental health. When our living spaces are cluttered, it can lead to feelings of anxiety, depression, and stress.

The New Year is a time for new beginnings, and what better way to start afresh than by decluttering your home? A decluttered home is not only a happier and more organized space, but it can also lead to better health for your family. Here are some tips to help you get started in 2023.

1. Set a goal. Whether you want to declutter your entire house or just one room, it's important to have a plan and a goal in mind. Write it down. This will help you not get too overwhelmed and stay focused.

2. Start small. Tackle one area at a time, and don't try to do too much all at once. Set a Timer. This will help you avoid becoming overwhelmed and stressed.

3. Be ruthless. When in doubt, throw it out! If you haven't used something in a year or it no longer brings you joy, it's time to let it go. Most things we store away for another day can’t even be found in the clutter.

4. Donate, sell or recycle. Once you've decluttered your home, you'll likely have a lot of items that you no longer need or want. Instead of simply throwing them away, donate them to a local charity, sell them or give away free online or recycle them.

5. Get the whole family involved. Decluttering can be a great family activity. Involve your kids in the process and teach them the importance of living in a tidy and organized home.

By following these tips, you'll be well on your way to decluttering your home and living a healthier, peaceful life in 2023.

Check out our list of  23 Things to Ditch in 2023

Thursday, June 16, 2022

15 Minutes to A Tidy Room








 

If you're feeling overwhelmed by the mess in your room, have no fear! In just 15 minutes, you can achieve a tidy room. The key is to focus on quick cleaning, minimalism, and organization. With some simple tips and tricks, you can declutter your space and make it look neat and tidy. Read on to learn how to transform your room in 15 minutes or less.

Setting a timer was the best thing I ever did. When needing to get a room cleaned fast, stay focused, and not be so overwhelmed that I would quit the task, a timer was the perfect tool. Set it for 15 minutes and just get to work! Who can't do 15 minutes? Chances are you'll get so much done that you may even be energized enough to keep going.

Whether it's a pile of dishes and cluttered counters, laundry that needs to be folded and put away, or mail that needs to be sorted and shredded setting that timer works. Many times I'll start with one tough task only to keep moving to the next and before I know it my whole house is clean and organized. I love those days. I really think it's just about getting started and time management. When you don't do anything, then nothing is done.

It can seem overwhelming but when faced with any task remember you can break it down into smaller goals and take your time completing them one step at a time. For example, if your room is messy, tackle one area at a time like the desk, dresser, or shelves. Put things in piles like "keep", "toss" and "give away". Doing this will help bring some order to the chaos and make cleaning easier. As you go through each area of the room, sort out items that don’t belong there and move them to their proper places.

Vacuuming or sweeping the floor afterward is also recommended if it’s needed. Remember to set realistic goals for yourself during this process - no one expects you to have a perfect room within 15 minutes! Finally, give yourself a pat on the back for all your hard work!

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If you're looking for some extra help getting clutter-free fast - Click Here

Saturday, May 7, 2022

Five Easy Steps to a Healthier You




Making just a few changes to our daily routines can put us on a path to better health. Many people decide they want to make healthy lifestyle changes but very few seem to follow through. As with anything else you need to be consistent for a period of time before something will become a habit. If you mess up, it's okay and it doesn't mean you blew it just continue on and make healthier choices. 
Here are five easy steps to get you started on becoming a healthier you.

1. Drink plenty of water.  I put this one first because it's much more important than many people think. Since our bodies are made up mostly of water we need to drink plenty of it in order for our bodies to function at their best. A good rule to follow is to divide your weight in half and drink at least that much in ounces per day. Always start with a fresh glass of water upon waking and spread the remainder throughout the day.

2. Add more fresh foods to your diet.  Start by adding more vegetables to all of your meals. Try and include at least 50% vegetables with each meal. Grab a piece of fruit for a snack instead of cookies, candies, and cakes. Cut out as much white flour and sugar as possible from your diet and replace them with fresh fruit, veg, and whole grains. Try and buy fresh organic and locally grown produce as much as possible.

3. Exercise.  Since this is probably the hardest area to maintain you really need to start out small. Start by walking, even if it's just a few minutes each day. Grab a friend to make the time more enjoyable. A treadmill is great for those bad weather days when you can't get outside so, there will be no excuses. Before you know it you might be walking a few miles a day and feeling great.

4. Get Plenty of Rest.  It's very important that our bodies get the rest they need. As you get older you may find that you can function on much less sleep than when you were younger. Six hours may be enough for some while others may need a full eight. Either way a good night's rest is very important so try and get to bed a little earlier each night. The more sleep you get before midnight the more rested you should feel. Having the right bedding is also important. If you're getting plenty of sleep but still waking up with headaches and feeling tired it might be time for some new pillows or a new mattress.


5. Get Fresh Air & Sunshine. 
Getting outside for a little bit each day can do wonders for you.  Our homes are breeding grounds for all sorts of stuff which we breathe every day. This can be very unhealthy. Step outside for at least a few minutes a couple of times each day to get fresh air and sunshine. The sun provides some essential vitamins that our bodies need. Get a good air cleaner for your home so you can breathe fresher air while indoors. Breathing cleaner air while you sleep may also help you wake up feeling rested.