The Well Tended Home

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.

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

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

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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