Episode #28 – Back To School Labelling
I mentioned during the interview that I had to throw-out my Little Dude’s super cute denim jacket because th
e label I used on it melted in the dryer and ruined the jacket. I hate to waste! Karen from LoveToLabel.com joins me today to share ideas about labelling our kids stuff with labels that are dishwasher, washer, dryer and kid proof!
Karen also has a special giveaway and coupon code just for my talk show listeners so be sure to pay attention! Then visit LoveToLabel.com.
Episode #27 – Meal Planning How and Why
First, I share my thoughts on Alice.com – a new website to order household goods from.
Alice provides you a better way to manage all of your household essentials online. You tell Alice what you buy—choosing from great deals on 1000’s of products—and Alice goes to work. We organize all of your products, find coupons and deals for you, remind you when you might be running low, and help you order just the items you need so you can avoid that trip to the corner drugstore or the big-box store. And all this convenience comes direct to your door with free shipping included.
I LOVE ALICE! It cut my time in half in the grocery store! That alone is worth a try!
Next, I’m so super excited to be joined today by Laura from I’m An Organizing Junkie. I’ve wanted to talk with her for some time now about menu planning. After all she is the super fabulous hostess of Menu Plan Monday!
Not only does she tell us how and why she began meal planning, Laura provides such useful information on dealing with food allergies. This is a must for moms having a hard time planning menues around someone with food allergies. Bottom line – it’s not as hard as it seems!
You won’t believe how much fun the two of us had discussing meal planning! We talked, and talked, about:
- How we each meal plan
- Planning around food allergies
- Using themes in meal planning
- Getting the kids involved (and the hubby)
- Where we get our recipes
Both Laura and I hope that after this show, you’ll be convinced to start planning your family’s meals!
If you need help meal planning, I have a how-to guide just for busy moms. For less than the cost of a fast-food dinner, you can be on your way planning your menus. Click here for the Meal Planning Guide.
Episode #26 – How Busy Moms Can Incorporate Fitness and Diet Into Their Daily Lives
Today my MomMasterminds buddy Val Selby, the owner of busymommawellness.com and a certified personal trainer. She helps me out by sharing her expertise about fitness and diet. Val provides awesome tips on how we can EASILY incorporate healthy snacks and exercise in our busy schedules.
Some of my favorite tips include:
- Incorporate 20 minutes a day of exercise – and if we can’t make 20 minutes for ourselves, we have bigger issues!
- Make it fun – do stuff with the kids
- Keep healthy snacks such as cheese sticks or Honey Nut Cheerios
- Meal planning works great because you can plan healthy meals
A couple easy exercises moms can incorporate into their days:
- Push-ups – great because they use several different muscle groups
- Crunches and side crunches – to get rid of the mommy “pooch”
- Stretching – let’s keep limber and flexible ladies!
Thanks so much Val for the great tips!
I mentioned during the show that our fellow MMer Carrie Lauth did a show regarding how many moms are doing ab work totally wrong with her guest at NaturalMoms Talk Radio.
Episode 25: Mom’s Guide To Summer Survival and Frugal Family Outings
Whoo Hoo – it’s episode #25 of The Household Helper Talk Show!
How Does Mom Survive The Summer?
I have with me today Tashia Calhoun from www.thehouseholdplanner.com and we discuss her product “The Busy mom’s Guide To Summer Survival”. Being caregiver of 6 most days, this lady knows how to survive!
“In order to have a stress-free and fun filled summer, you have to have a plan!”
Tashia and I talk about keeping the kids in order:
- Make A Plan
- Use A Daily Schedule
- Create A Lunch Menu
We’re giving away a copy of The Busy Mom’s Guide To Summer Survival! Simply visit Tashia’s site then come back here and post a comment letting me know what you like about her site and how you could use her household planners. A random comment will be selected next Wednesday (July 8).
Frugal Family Outings For The Summer
Summer outings don’t have to be expensive. Here are a few ideas to keep your family busy this summer without breaking the bank.
- Go To The Movies: Some theaters offer reduced-price matinees during the day. Some even have free kid-oriented movies on weekend days.
- Play Miniature Golf. Admission is usually quite reasonable, and it provides the opportunity for relaxed yet engaging family competition.
- Visit A Local Zoo or Museum. Some offer cheap or free admission, while others cost more. But the larger and more expensive ones often sell season passes, so if you live close by, you can visit numerous times for one low price. Do a search online for local zoos, museums and attractions.
- Attend Events at a Nearby College. These may include plays, concerts, dance recitals and movie showings. Prices are low, and student discounts usually apply to kids, too.
- Enjoy The Great Outdoors. Parks are great for day trips. Those with playground equipment can keep youngsters entertained for hours on end. Hiking trails offer opportunities for exercise and exploration. Most parks have picnic facilities, so you can pack a lunch instead of eating out.
PS: Sorry – subscribing through iTunes is not available at this time. Somehow, my podcast feed isn’t getting through to Apple so my show isn’t currently available through the iTunes store. I’m trying to get this straightened out.
Talk Show Episode #24 – Where Do I Begin
How To Start Organizing
I always get asked the same question (in different forms) “Where Do I Begin?” “How Do I Get Started”. This episode is all about the tips and processes that helped me get my act together years ago – and remain organized!
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Do you frequently study articles about organizing and they have similar words for helping you get organized; only they are just rearranged? Or they give you organizing ideas & products, but don’t really motivate you to stick to it?
You need to formulate a plan. There is nothing that is more potent to achieving your goals than having a plan to start off. Here are the steps to formulating your plan, and getting yourself motivated to get your act together!
Set Goals.
In order for this plan to fly, you have to have understandable, precise goals that are well defined and written out. Very likely, you will find it most successful to set long and short term goals. For instance, your long term goal could be getting your home organized in a year’s time. Your short term goal could be getting one room in order within a month.
After you have your goals in mind, write them down on paper and put that paper in a place you can view it often. Knowing a target in your head is not enough; it needs to be in a place where you can view it often and constantly motivate you to achieve your goals.
What is your Why?
You need to determine why you want something. It’s not enough to simply want to get organized-you need to know why you have this desire. Without wanting something whole-heartedly, it will be nearly impossible to achieve it. Here are some good reasons to get organized:
• You’ll be able to relax more. By getting organized, your stress levels will go down, and you’ll be able to live a less chaotic, more relaxed life.
• You’ll have more time for yourself. By being more efficient, like getting your projects done quicker, being able to delegate, wasting less time looking for things and being able to make faster decisions, you’ll spend less time ‘working’ and will have more time for yourself and the things you love to do.
• You’ll have more time for your loved ones. An organized person is always able to fit in time for friends and family members.
• You’ll feel good about your surroundings. Being disorganized often results in embarrassment. You may feel anxious when visitors drop by your home or office and see clutter or stuff out of place. Get organized, and you’ll forever feel excellent about your surroundings–good enough to invite people in without worries.
• You’ll be healthier. Get organized and you’ll have more than enough time to exercise and cook healthy meals for yourself and your family.
• You’ll save more. Money, that is. When you’re organized, you’ll always know what you have, before you buy more.
Take Inventory.
Look at the all-over picture of your home. Go through every room and make your mind up what it is that you want to do with that room and write it down. While you’re evaluating your rooms and planning them, here are some things to think about:
• See if you can find any hidden storage areas in your room. Decide if you want to add another shelf in the closet, use the storage space on the inside of a door, maybe use under the bed storage.
• Think about organizing products you like and that make you feel good. Do you want to use Rubbermaid or are the items in a hidden area where a cardboard box will do. Using things that you like will give you a better feeling of a job-well-done.
• Consider daily activities and routines in your home. Place items where they are going to do you the most good. Something that you use on a daily basis should not be on a high shelf.
Focus on a little bit at a time.
Rather than thinking about the enormous job at the forefront, split that mission up into controllable tasks. For instance, if you want to organize the boxes in your attic, you may think about going through one box per day, until it’s all complete.
Ask someone to bug you.
Tell a close friend, relative or co-worker, what you plan to organize, and by what date. Then, merely request that person to bug you a small number of days before to see if you’ve completed it so far. A little outside inspiration is frequently an enormous help.
Bribe yourself.
Make something you love to do, dependant on the achievement of today’s chore – a reward. If you promise yourself that you will not watch your favorite television program tonight, unless you work for 15 minutes on organizing your paper piles, you’re sure to get that little task completed. No cheating permitted.
Appreciate your own approach.
Just as we are all different in other ways, we all have diverse organizational styles. Employ improved organizational skills to enhance your personal style, not change it. Getting organized should make you feel good, not burdened.
Stick to your plan.
The best-laid plans often fall victim to their makers. While spontaneity is important, there is a fine line between it and plain procrastination. Once you’ve come up with a good plan for tackling a task, stay with it. Only you can prevent yourself from wavering.
Talk Show Episode #23: Working From Home
This week I’m joined by Nicole Dean of ShowMomTheMoney.com. Many times I’ve been asked “How do you balance working from home, life and the tasks of the home management senerio?” . Nicole and I have a fun and informative chat about finding balance when you’re a work at home mom.
The key points we talked about are:
- Setting up office space
- Teaching your family to respect your time
- Planning ahead
- Remembering that you’re a word in progress
Listen in as the two of us discuss this all – and find out why I think Nicole’s husband is a keeper! This was a really fun interview for me – and you can tell by how much Nicole and I giggle and laugh!
I’d love to hear your thoughts on working at home. Any tips, ideas or more questions? Please leave them in the comments!
You can subscribe through iTunes – just click the icon over to the left!
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Talk Show Episode #22: Declutter Smarter
January 13, 2009 by Cara
Filed under Podcast, Tips/Short Cuts
The Household Helper Talk Show is Back!!!
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Cara discusses strategies and tips to Declutter Smarter. Anyone can declutter their home following these easy steps!
The first things to know: tackle one area at a time, don’t be afraid to throw stuff away, and seek tips and advice from others.
Once you get decluttering, here are Cara’s tips to help:
- Start decluttering 15 minutes a day.
- Pick one room or area to start with, and stick to it until it’s done.
- Declutter your storage areas first.
- Be ruthless when deciding what to keep and what to get rid of.
- Deal with paper on a daily basis and have a system in place to keep it under control.
- As soon as you bring something into the house, make room for it.
Cara also gives you the 3 habits you should start today to get you decluttering – and to keep on going!
This episode is part of the Mom’s Talk Radio Mom’s Smarter New Years ResolutionTour. Be sure tohead on over there for more information and inspiration!
Episode #21: Getting Out Of Debt
Kristine McKinley joins me again, this time to discuss getting out of debt. The first step is to “face the music” says Kristine. Because it can be overwhelming, and debt problems can bring up lots of negative feelings and emotions, people may try to ignore it. But to get out of debt, you have to get started. You have to have a plan – and stick to it!
Kristine also provides information on how to pay off debt while still saving some money (emergency fund), hot to pay off debt when money is tight, and how should paying off debt be prioritized.
Not only is Kristine is a CPA, she is an independent certified financial planner. Her site www.themoneywisecoach.com provides lots of information for planning your finances. She has also written an ebook Living Debt Free – a do it yourself guide to getting out of debt.
Other resources mentioned in this episode:
Episode #20: Keeping The Kids Busy
I chat this week with Lisa Braverman of EducationalToyFactory.com about keeping the kids entertained and educated this summer. Lisa, a former school teacher, has fantastic ideas for those of us wondering how to keep our children out of trouble during summer break!
Another site you want to check out is Surviving The Summer At Home. My pal Christina has put together an awesome, free course for you! Each week you’ll receive an email report with activity ideas and low-cost ways to entertain the children. All you have to do is sign-up – it’s free!
Using What You Have – Episode #19
June 9, 2008 by Cara
Filed under Podcast, Uncategorized
THE FILE HAS BEEN REPLACED – NO MORE GIBBERISH!
I’m joined by Carrie Lauth of Natural Moms Talk Radio. The plan was to talk about alternative uses for every day household products – but we went even further than that! Carrie shared with us some great “cheats” to save us money, like making your own coffee pods. We even talked about natural beauty products: honey, witch hazel and more!
You can grab your free special report from Carrie “Simply Beautiful: A Natural Mom’s No Fluff Non-Toxic Get Gorgeous Guide” – click here. Don’t forget to grab my quickie report “Alternative Uses for Common Household Products“.
And here is the cool magazine Carrie mentioned: Ready Made
Here’s the washing soda Carrie and I were talking about: A&H Washing Soda
When You Work Outside of the Home – Episode #18
When I started to get my act together, I was working outside of the home. Believe me it was hard to maintain my home and family responsibilities while I was ‘working for the man’. But I found balance – IT CAN BE DONE!
There are 5 things that every mom, whether working outside of the home or not, need to do. I think of them as my tools for home and family management. They are:
<ol>
<li>Develop daily routines – if you work outside the home, develop a before work, an after work, and a bedtime routine. (recommended reading: <a href=”http://thehouseholdhelper.com/25/how-to-succeed-at-becoming-organized/” target=”_blank”>How To Succeed at Becoming Organized</a>)</li>
<li>Keep a calendar – list everything on that calendar. Appointments, games, etc. Even include any work activities that will impact your home life. Having this info all in one place will help you better plan your week. Especially helpful for the next tool.</li>
<li>Check today what is going on tomorrow – know before what is up for the following day before going to bed. Start your day out right. Make lunch, get dinner out of the freezer, etc.</li>
<li>Develop a weekly routine. Assign a specific task for you to accomplish each day instead of trying to do it all. For example, dust and vacuum Monday; pay bills and handle paperwork Tuesday; etc. etc.</li>
<li>Meal Plan – one of our primary responsibilities as a wife and mother is to nourish our loved ones. Food is a very important part of our lives – heck, that’s why the Food Network exists. Planning the week’s meals ahead of time will accomplish 2 things: A) Only going to the grocery store once and always having what is needed in the fridge, freezer and pantry. B)You can plan quick and easy meals for the days that will be extra busy. (recommended resources: <a href=”http://thehouseholdhelper.com/ebooks/MealPlanning.html” target=”_self”>Meal Planning for Busy Moms ebook</a> or <a href=”http://www.dinewithoutwhine.com/amember/go.php?r=3790&i=l0″ target=”_blank”>Dine Without Whine – s family friendly weekly menu service</a>)</li>
</ol>
Once these routines are in place, and you have begun to effectively use these tools, you will find extra time on your hands. These pockets of time can be used to tackle organization projects. Use this time to organize your closet; sort and purge your kid’s clothing; maybe straighten out your holiday decorations.
For awesome tips FROM work-outside-the-home-moms, visit <a href=”http://flylady.net/pages/FlyBaby_PayRollshes.asp” target=”_blank”>FlyLady.net</a>
I expect to do more shows like this one – getting down to the nitty-gritty of each of the above tools.
Top 5 Partners:
<blockquote><a href=”http://orgjunkie.com”>OrgJunkie.com</a>
<a href=”http://mommycommunity.com”>MommyCommunity.com</a>
<a href=”http://thehouseholdhelper.com/mm”>MomMasterminds.com</a>
<a href=”http://www.blissfullydomestic.com”>BlissfullyDomestic.com</a>
<a href=”http://crysanthemoms.com”>crysanthemoms.com</a></blockquote>
Episode #17 Organizing Your Tax & Financial Paperwork
This episode I talk with Kristine McKinely from OnlineBizTaxTips.com about organizing our taxes NOW for next year. I really enjoyed this call with Kristine -
- Create a system NOW: a folder for 2008 taxes where you can easily insert paperwork related to your taxes.
- Rule of thumb: keep copies of anything you will be deducting, for 7 years. Keep the tax return as well as the back-up for that return.
- If you are NOT deducting things like utility bills or credit card bills, you DO NOT need to keep it.
- If you are deducting things for home office expenses, you must keep them. (Mortgage Interest, Internet, Utilities, Phone Charges, etc.)
- Kristine gave us some fantastic tips a inform and information on how to deal with our money in 2008 as well as some unknown deductions. She even surprised me with a deduction I missed this year!
PS: Sorry for the background noise: my son and dog just didn’t want to cooperate! But if you’re a WAHM, you understand!
Links Mentioned:
Kristine’s Site: OnlineBizTaxTips.com
Quick Books and Quicken Home & Business
Top 5 Partners for this week:
BlissfullyDomestic.com
YummyPLR.com
MommyCommunity.com
ParentingMyTeen.com
MomsLoveShopping.com
