Home Maid Simple

Tag: home

1000 Bulbs to Welcome Home

Welcome everyone this winter with a walkway that lights the path. I received a rope light from 1000 Bulbs in exchange for my honest thoughts. All opinions are my own.

We woke up this morning to an ice storm. There was fair warning the last few days that it was coming, but after some time here in Indiana, I usually don’t believe the weathermen until it actually comes. Most storms seem to bypass us, but the rare few. I love a good storm, as long as we don’t have to go out in it.

Today I was just grateful I had gotten our lights out. We may still leaves all over the backyard, but our walkway is ready to welcome guests all winter long with the new rope lighting I got from 1000 Bulbs. We haven’t done a lot with lighting our outdoor space over the years. It’s been on my to-do list since we moved in, but until now just hasn’t gotten done. And it got done just in time too!

When I first got the lights I wasn’t sure where we would put them. I tried a few different idea, but after talking it over with Mark, we decided we really wanted to light the walkway. Our neighborhood is pretty dark without street lights, and with a long walk from the drive to the door, we wanted any guests to feel more welcome by lighting their way.

So I laid out the lights and then had to get creative on how to attach them to the ground. 1000 Bulbs sends zip ties and house hooks, but nothing to work on the ground. Our tent broke this summer, but it is still sitting in the garage, so I pulled out the stakes. These I used to hold down the lights. So far they’re working like a charm.

Once I added the snowmen to the end of the walkway, I knew for sure the rope lights were the perfect solution for our outdoor lighting conundrum. They really help welcome us home after a long day out. They will also ease my mind as our friends and family come and go over the holidays – and beyond – knowing they aren’t walking through the dark to get to their cars.

Aren’t my snowmen just adorable? See how to make the wooden snowmen.

Don’t forget to head to 1000 Bulbs to get lights that can welcome you home! Right now you can save 10% off your order with code SAVELED2018. Check out their Christmas lights, and other home lighting solutions.

November 15, 2018
Word of the Year for 2016: Tidy

This years one word motto is to create a more Tidy life for myself and those in my home. Tidy house. Tidy clothes. Tidy schedules. If I can tidy it up, I will make an effort to this year. I want to enjoy doing things this year that I feel we can’t because of the chaos we surround ourselves with.

Every year we move, and each time I get rid of more stuff. In fact I get rid of so much, that my husband probably wonders how we even have stuff in our house these days! I wonder myself frequently how we can get rid of so much but still have so. much. stuff. The cleaning and purging is followed up with trying to make a home work out of a modge podge of stuff that really doesn’t go together. So the result is a house filled with chaos, that doesn’t entice any of us to want to keep it tidy.

I want to go to bed knowing this feeling. Truth be told I have before, but I’d like it to not take all my energy to make it that way every night. I want to wake up in the morning with a Tidy house, because nothing energizes you more than knowing there aren’t leftover chores from yesterday, or the day before, or even the week before!

Shortly before Christmas I was gifted the book (affiliate link) The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo. I haven’t actually read it yet, but I knew as soon as I read the introduction my word for 2016 would be Tidy. Shortly after Christmas I rejoined the Mess to Success facebook group, and then a friend shared a Konmari Challenge group (based of The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up) with me. If you’d like to join any of these groups, just let me know!

My plan for the year is to not purge, or minimalize what we have. This year, it’s about tidying up. Finding systems that truly work for our home and lifestyle. I’ll share my progress with you, and invite you to share any tips and/or progress with me!

Looking for more inspiration on your word of the year? Read about last years word Marriage, and my first word of the year Joy.

January 7, 2016
3 tips for a Perfect Date Night at Home
I received product for review. All opinions are my own.

When you are short on time, money, or just looking to mix things up a bit – having a date night at home is the perfect way to go! Recently I made our night a little extra special instead of our normal couch cuddling with a movie. Here are 3 steps to take to ensure you have a perfect date night at home.

Dress Up

Just because you’re not going out on the town, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t look nice for your partner. I tossed on my custom fit dress from eshakti (affiliate) for this date, and really felt like I was on the town!

Fancy Dinner

Who says gourmet can only be found at high end expensive restaurants? I whipped up these Bacon Wrapped Filet Mignons over a bed of pan fried potatoes in 30 minutes! When you have kids at home, and try to have a home date night, quick meals are key, but you don’t want to skimp on taste or presentation either.
Bacon Wrapped Filet Mignon

2015-12-30 09:02:15

Write a review

Save Recipe

Print
Ingredients

2 Filet Mignons

2 thick slices bacon

2 red potatoes

1-2 TBS Butter

Instructions

Peel and dice the potatoes.

Toss them in a frying pan with a little butter over medium heat.

Next prep your filets. Pat them dry, then wrap each with a slice of bacon.

Add to a frying pan over medium/low heat.

Cook for about 10minutes per side, or until done through.

By Home Maid Simple

Home Maid Simple https://www.homemaidsimple.com/
Do Something Fun

We picked up this Dance Lessons Starter Kit from Amazon (affiliate). I personally love to dance, and Mark will go along with me. We both took ballroom in high school, so it was a way we could reconnect to our past, and share it with each other. Men – ladies want you to dance with them at home! If dancing isn’t either of your thing though, find something that is. It could be a movie one or both have been wanting to watch, or a book read out loud. Maybe your husband wants to teach you how to play Zelda or Mario. Pick something that one or the other enjoys, and get to know them better doing it with them!
May 4, 2015
Seeking Joy

On Monday I shared with you what I’m calling my word of the year – Joy. I’ve been giving it a lot of thought since hanging my Joy display about what in my life gives me Joy. So I want to share those things with you, and then pose the thought to you to consider finding more Joy in your life.

My Joys

1. Family. We all have a family. Husbands, wives, children, Sister, Brother, Mother, Father. We all have one or more of these titles. I am lucky to enjoy so many of these aspects in my life, but to also have a close bond with them. My parents, my in laws – I truly feel I’ve found and been blessed with some of the best people to call family. But my kids and husband bring me the utmost Joy day in and day out.
Tip: Connect with your family – close or distant and allow being a member of a family to bring some joy into your life. You are part of something bigger.

2. Food. I didn’t mean for it to happen, but I found myself posting more about food here than other topics. I enjoy what I eat. The way flavors and textures meld together is magical to me. So when I prepare food for my family and friends, it does bring me great joy. I’ve always loved reading but have never considered writing a book until I thought about a cookbook. Having a dream that you can see happening, that is also cause for joy.
Tip: Look past calories, carbs, and weight. Sit down for a meal and really enjoy your food. Taste the flavors in what you’re eating, and take the time to truly enjoy it.

3. Shelter. This is something I think many of take for granted. We’ve moved so many times both in my childhood and married life. That I’ve begun to really understand the Joy that comes in having a roof over my head, and a place to call home. The whole reason I began Home Maid Simple, was to convey the joy that can be found no matter where your roof is.
Tip: is there a tip for this? No matter what enjoy the place you live, and when you move somewhere else, love it there too. Find joy in your surroundings.

4. Reading. There is a simple joy that comes in reading a good book. You can transport yourself to another place, another time when reading. It is a simple pleasure that my parents gave to me as a child, and I hope I am giving to my children. I believe there is no such thing as too many books…as the numerous boxes solely filled with books would attest to.
Tip: Make time for reading. Just do it. You will enjoy life more.

5. Optimism. I’m not sure if this is just another word for Joy, but I live my life with optimism. There is always the could have beens, the would have beens, and the should have beens – but I try to see past those. Instead focusing on the here the now and making the best of what I do have. I wish it was easy for more people to live an optimistic life, but I know it’s not that easy for most. So I find Joy and gratitude that I have this optimism.
Tip: Whatever may be going on in your life, try and find one small thing to be optimistic about. Slowly it will grow and you’ll find more and more to be optimistic about.

Are you actively seeking JOY in your life?

Will you start now?

March 27, 2014
A trip to Ikea

*This post may contain affiliate links. Thanks for supporting Home Maid Simple!*

Last Saturday I decided to head to Ikea. Mark had to work like every Saturday, so I invited my sister to tag along. It was their BYOF – bring your own friend – day after all. I was really looking forward to some workshops with other bloggers, and getting some much-needed items for the kids bedroom.

Specifically, on my list was a new laundry basket. I finally had enough of their little 1 ft by 1 1/2 ft basket overflowing after one day. Before going to Ikea, I checked out some hampers on Wayfair, but I just wasn’t sure without seeing them in person.

Plus any hamper that has a price tag like this one had better wash and dry my clothes as well!

It took us way too long to get out of the house, but we finally made it to Ikea around lunch time. So we started by grabbing some absolutely delicious lunch. The kids enjoyed some chicken strips and fries, my sister ordered beef ribs that looked amazing, and I had the Atlantic Saithe.

We were hoping to make it to the cooking demo after lunch but it took us a little longer to eat than we planned, and then we got distracted trying to find the workshops.

I seriously loved this room set up…but definitely not with all the white and small kids.

OK so we finally made it to the workshops in time to see Melanie and Steffany from Find It, Make It, Love It. From the papers description I wasn’t expecting the craft to be something I would necessarily want – birthday calendar and candle plate picture frames. BUT I was seriously wrong.

Just look at those picture frames! This turned out to be exactly what I was looking for for a photo project I’m working on – post on that sometime next week. These gals are so cute, and are full of so much creativity I wish I had!

After we finished up these super simple craft tutorials, we headed over to the next workshop with Autumn from It’s Always Autumn. I didn’t get a great picture during this one, but I did learn some great tips from her. Especially on the props part. I was easily able to translate a lot of what she was saying for photo’s of people to my food photography. I just don’t need quite as much space when I’m working with food. In fact, if you saw the Oscar Eggs Benedict yesterday, the plate that’s on I bought while at Ikea…and it’s actually a candle dish!

Finally we made it out of the workshops and displays – does anyone else get lost in Ikea? – and headed downstairs to the purchasing area. We picked up a number of things, including the candle dishes for the pictures and a new bath mat, before finding the laundry baskets. YAY for awesome laundry baskets!

Don’t act so surprised, I get excited over weird things like laundry baskets. Things that make my life simpler, my families life simpler, and our house more manageable are cause for joy and excitement. I mean just look at the difference between these two.

Now normally I will not spend money on something for the home that I can get at a fraction of the cost if I sacrifice look. This time I decided to sacrifice cost and get something a bit nicer. Not only did it make a difference in the dirty clothes being an eye sore, but it set the tone for the rest of the girls closet.

The kids have been playing with their toys, and PUTTING THEM AWAY ever since I got the laundry basket and reorganized their closet. They can reach their toys to get them out and put them away. It’s been 5 days, and their room has taken a total of 5 minutes each night to clean up. A huge difference from our normal hour of whining and hiding messes under the bed.

Like my new laundry hamper? Ikea’s BRANAS Laundry Basket for $39.99.

Don’t live near an Ikea? I found a very similar Wicker Basket on Wayfair. It’s a set of 2 and only $51.99.

March 13, 2014
Dreaming of Laundry Rooms

I was catching up on laundry the other day, thinking and dreaming of what it would be like to have a room dedicated to cleaning our clothes. If you have/are living in an apartment, you’ll understand how hard it is to get laundry done when it’s in your kitchen, or in a hall closet, or even in your bathroom. Most older homes also are not set up with a nice place for laundry.
Before our last move, we were actually turning some wasted space in our basement into a laundry room. We even had it piped for the washing machine before we had to leave. That was going to be an amazing space, let me tell you.

There’s nothing I can do about that now, except wish, and work to make my current laundry room more user friendly. With a quick stroke of brilliance I reused an old Ikea shelf that was on it’s way to the trash and some twist ties to add an extra shelf above my dryer. Check it out!

I’m still feeling pretty brilliant with that quick fix. Mark I do believe is laughing at my twist ties, but I made sure there were plenty on and spaced out enough to really hold and distribute the weight evenly. I wish I could tell you what shelf this is at Ikea, but I can’t seem to find it anywhere. Sorry.

So then I got thinking, what would my perfect laundry room look like? How can I make my current hallway laundry room work more efficiently. I of course came up with this fun little board of things I want, and could use now, and in future rooms.

*The following are affiliate links. Thanks for supporting Home Maid Simple.*

A. Lime Laundry Drying Rack from One Kings Lane. I just wish it came in blue. Many clothing items you want to hang up, but have no good place to hang them, so you toss them in the dryer and cross your fingers…or maybe I’m the only one. Too many clothes have been ruined this way.

B. Blomus Intro Pushboy Trash Can from Wayfair. Every laundry room needs a small trash can. I use it mostly for emptying the dryer lint.

C. Lost and Found Sign from Zulily. This is the cutest sign! I don’t know anyone who doesn’t find random items while doing laundry. Having a place to quickly toss them lets you continue sorting, washing, drying and folding.

D. 3 Sprouts Deer Laundry Hamper from Layla and Grace. Don’t like the deer, they have other cute animal print hampers as well. Or find something else to fit your tastes, but a hamper, even small is essential to any laundry room.

I love pinterest for all things home design and tips. These are just a couple of pins from my laundry room board.

I love this DIY Drying Rack from Centsational Girl

Brilliant!!

Source

My dream laundry room would have a sink like this to take care of any handwashing I need to do.

This is just brilliant! A quilted ironing mat for your dryer. Definitely friendly for small spaces. I want one.

This laundry room from 11 Magnolia Lane is so chic. The chandelier would make me feel I was relaxing instead of doing a chore. Don’t you think?

Just from browsing pinterest, I’ve decided to make a laundry room feel less like a chore, it needs some bright colors. Too bad I can’t paint here. One day. One day. Maybe I’ll see if I can make over my mom’s laundry room.

January 8, 2014
Healthy Child Healthy World with Seventh Generation
*Last week I had the opportunity to speak with representatives from Seventh Generation, Healthy Child Healthy World, and The Motherhood. Compensation was given. All opinions are 100% my own*

I just have to share this video with you all. It brought back a lot of memories of my childhood before making me realize just how different the world has become for our children.
Staggering, isn’t it? I remember going out and running through our wooded backyard without a care in the world. I often went outside without shoes on, and it was OK!

What really got me thinking, though, and really re-evaluating the everyday products I buy and use in our home was this next stat –

In the European Union 1,328 chemicals have been banned from use in personal care items. Only 11 have been banned OR restricted in the US.

Isn’t that crazy? At first you might think, those Europeans just like to restrict things, they’re overly cautious. But really let’s think about it. Surely with a 1,317 difference, there’s got to be some more substance to it.

I know I’ve shared multiple “green” cleaning products with you in the past, but truth be told, my absolute favorite cleaner is Hot Soapy water. I find it just does the best job, and it truly is the safest to use around the kids.

I found a few more of these studies to be quite interesting and thought you’d like to look over them yourselves –
- In a study of 10 minority newborns, more than 232 chemicals were found in the umbilical cords! Did you get that? Our babies are being exposed to hundreds of chemicals before they’re even out of the womb. Scary
- In a study of 10 children’s face paints, all 10 tested positive for lead. Hello! You have to sign forms when buying an old house to make sure you’re aware that lead could be in the walls, but hey, let’s go paint some lead on our kids face. Sounds about right to me.
- Studies have found flame retardant, Bisphenol-A, and other environmental chemicals in breast milk Great, breast is best right? but how much are we losing that with the addition of chemicals into our lives.
- Consumer Product Safety Commission has recalled children’s toys and jewelry for high lead content. Shouldn’t we test this before we buy it? Before we expose our family to potentially dangerous chemicals?
Knowledge is power right? I hope that this knowledge will inspire you to take action as well.

These are some great things you can do in your home, but if you’d like to get involved on a larger scale, I encourage you to reach out to your local Senators and urge them to pass the Chemical Safety Improvement Act.

Did you know that the law regulating chemical use in our everyday products has not been updated in over 35 years?! Seriously, I think that’s a bit long. We live in a constantly changing, and growing world, not to look at something so crucial as the way we use chemicals.

You can follow this link for more information on this Act and how to contact your state Senator.
November 12, 2013
Spring Cleaning Challenge {Giveaway}

It’s that time of year – birds singing, flowers blooming, snow melting (hopefully), and sun shining!

The time of year we dust out our homes and open up the windows for some fresh, non-freezing air.

I love this time of year. Spring is easily my favorite season (autumn is a close second). You may call me odd for this next tidbit I’m going to tell you, but here goes – I love spring cleaning. I truly do. In fact I have some very fond memories of spring cleaning as a kid. My mom always made it fun. I hope I can do the same with my kids.

What are the benefits of Spring Cleaning?

Well first of all, after being cooped up in the house all winter, spring cleaning allows you to bring the sunshine and joy back inside. Spring cleaning gives you the opportunity to deep clean on a level you normally wouldn’t, which really can be rewarding at the end.

If you’re a normal family, you’ve probably been dealing with a lot of sicknesses that seem to accompany winter – colds and flu specifically. With the end of winter, you don’t want to carry those germs into the rest of the year, so spring cleaning helps get them out!

For me, and maybe some others, the satisfaction of a good deep down cleaning, is enough of a mental boost to have something so seemingly daunting be accomplished. As mothers it seems most of our chores are never truly done. Spring cleaning can be! (perhaps this is why I enjoy shoveling snow).

I put together a fun little printable Checklist for you. Print it off, hang it up, and get to work!

Each ladybug represent a new day of cleaning. I do not suggest trying to spring clean all in one day – there’s just too much to do it efficiently. The idea of spring cleaning, is to get down in the places you don’t normally clean (think – behind the refrigerator), to de-clutter and get rid of un-needed items, and to deep clean areas that usually only receive a surface cleaning.

Every day this week I’ll share a list specific to that day’s cleaning. Before we jump into it though – pick a reward. Right now, decide, what are you working towards? Or perhaps, what are your kids going to work for? That’s how my mom always did it at least. We got to pick a special treat, if we really worked hard with her all week long. It was a great motivator.

Will you be joining us for Spring Cleaning?

WIN IT!
A big thanks to our sponsor, Affresh. They are offering one lucky reader the entire line of Affresh Cleaners.

+ Dishwasher Cleaner

+ Washer Cleaner

+ Stainless Steel Cleaner

+ Stainless Steel Wipes

+ Kitchen and Appliance Cleaner

+ Cooktop Cleaner

Come back each day for a new Spring Cleaning checklist, and gain more entries into the giveaway!

*Giveaway open to US and Canada residents only. Enter using the Rafflecopter form. All entries will be verified. Winner must respond to email within 48 hours or forfeit prize.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

March 18, 2013
5 Awesome Reasons to own a Walk-In Bath

I love baths. There’s something about sitting in a tub of hot water that just completely relaxes me. So when we bought a house with only a walk-in tub, I did a little complaining. Then I decided I needed a more positive outlook – until we remodel – so I decided to try out the walk-in. As I sat there soaking, I realized there were 5 pretty good reasons everyone should own a walk-in tub.

Reason #1
The very obvious, is if you are elderly, these tubs are safe and easy for you to get in and out of. No attempting to step over the edge and catching your foot. No more broken hips because you slip in the tub. A walk-in tub has high sides, a water sealed door, and half of it is taken up with a seat.

Reason #2
Hello pedicures! Have you ever owned those small foot soakers with the little jets, that splash water all over your house? Get rid of them, and go with a walk-in tub – with jets of course. Sit down, relax, and soak those tired mama feet. Then save money and give yourself a pedicure in the comfort of your own home, splash free!

Reason #3
Have you ever tried to shower a 2 year old? Or maybe you’re just sick of the tsunamis made while the kids bathe. My solution is a simple one – walk in bath tub! At first I was a little skeptical of this option. Hey that’s pretty deep, and there’s the whole drowning fear with little kids. But if you get a handheld shower head to go with your walk in tub, then you can easily shower them. Sure you might be taking the simple joys of childhood away, but you won’t leave the bathroom soaking wet, and your toddler literally can not escape getting cleaned.

Reason #4
Pet baths. I have not (and will never) give our new dog Tank a bath. That is Mark’s job. From what I can tell though, bathing the dog in the walk-in tub has it’s benefits just like the children. The water will stay in the tub, and there is no escaping in there.

Reason #5
And the last and probably best reason why you should go out and buy a walk-in bathtub is for the sole purpose of playing Hide and Go Seek. See, no worries, you can still keep those childhood joys alive. Don’t lie to me, you know you’ve hidden behind that shower curtain, or curled up in a ball in the bottom of the tub as you try to hide from your kids. Maybe it’s during an innocent game, and maybe it’s to eat your chocolate in peace, either way – a walk-in tub makes this task so much more comfortable. And you’d better believe I need a place to hide after making Chocolate No Bakes.

February 6, 2013
Social Media Effects the Home {Think About It}

Twitter
Facebook
Pinterest
Google Plus
Instagram
StumbleUpon
LinkedIn

Just a few of the many social media sites out there. What started as a way to connect with long lost friends, and family has grown into something bigger. We now connect with our favorite brands, companies, political parties, television shows and more. We even “like” people/pages we don’t know for the sake of a giveaway, or to help a friend win something

Have we taken it too far? Has life online become more important than real life with real interactions? What effect is this having on our families – in our homes?

Many of you asked for this topic to be discussed. You wanted to know what effects social media has on the home, if there’s anything we can do to make it stay positive without overtaking our lives or our kids.

I tell you it can. Social media can be used for so much good, and used right can be a tool for bringing families closer together. Now, granted I don’t have teens, or kids old enough to use social media yet, so my thoughts are based on what I’ve seen others do.

How can we use Social Media for Good?

First off, we can use sites like facebook to connect with family. We don’t live very close to any of our family, so it’s nice to take a few minutes each day to see how our siblings are doing. If they’re sick, or having fun family vacations. We connect in a way, that otherwise we probably wouldn’t. Especially with Mark’s family scattered across the nation, I find I have a relationship and can help my kids know their cousins better through online interaction.

Secondly – charities. There are so many ways to get involved online with charities. It used to be you’d get a phone call, or letter asking for a donation. We only heard of the groups that already had immense amounts of money because they could reach the farthest. With social media we can spread awareness for every charity, every sickness world issue. While speaking of it, let me tell you about the charity I support – National Alopecia Areata Foundation. You can read why I support this foundation on my sponsor page. Social Media has created an online community of support and awareness I otherwise wouldn’t have had.

When does it become too much?

So we know Social Media can be used for good. It’s not evil. But when does it become too much? I remember a few years ago, when I was deep in the thralls of facebook games….farmville anyone….. I heard stories of mothers shaking their kids, allowing anger to overcome them because a child disrupted their game.

I mean really? It seems crazy to me that anyone could let something overtake their life so much like that. But then I started evaluated my life. I was letting the house go so I could play a game. I was checking into facebook every few minutes, putting things off until the last minute. I may not have outwardly shown it in my personality, but I was letting social media take over my life. That’s about when I started this blog. Something had to be done.

Maybe you take your kids to the park, and sit on a bench checking facebook on your phone. Or your missing the interaction with a live person as you check out with your groceries while tweeting about the crazy “Walmart fashions” you just saw. Where is Social Media effecting you?

Are you finding yourself sucked into social media? Neglecting your house? your kids? real relationships?

I find setting aside a specific time each day to leave the internet behind is the best way to bring the family back together in the home. For me, it’s dinner time. We ignore our phones, the ipads are kept out, and we sit at the table. Every night, we eat our dinner at the table. Sometimes we’ll have a picnic with a movie, but it is a very rare treat. At the dinner table we can talk, get to know our children better, and hear about their days.

I want to hear from you. Where do you draw the line with Social Media? How is it effecting your home?

January 31, 2013