The year 2016 was one of renewal and rootedness. After so many exciting changes in 2015 (new baby, new job, new home, new church, new blog design, new book...whew!) we were ready to enjoy some sameness and routine!Well, we did have one major change--our move to our first full-sized home! We're now just five minutes from my husband's school, which will simplify life immensely. We're reveling in the extra breathing room that this home provides, and enjoying the pleasant challenge of gradually decorating and arranging our space. Craigslist and the local thrift stores are our go-to sources for home furnishings! It's entirely possible to have ... Continue Reading
An INFJ vs. the 21st Century: 4 Modern-Day Trends You Don’t Need to Subscribe To
I used to wonder if I was born in the wrong century.More than wonder, I wished I was born in another time!I felt at home in 19th-century London drawing rooms with Dickensian personalities, in the Regency manor homes populated by Jane Austen's heroines, and on the beautiful Prince Edward Island described by L.M. Montgomery.While I still love immersing myself in other eras via story, maturity has taught me that God places us exactly where he wants us on Earth's timeline; he makes no mistakes.I was born in 1988, and I live in the 21st century.But that doesn't mean I have to agree with everything about my era. In fact, there's ... Continue Reading
17 Gift Ideas for the Homemaker Who Wants to Get Organized
Ready to get organized? The right tools and storage solutions can have a huge daily influence on your home's functioning and productivity!This organization-themed gift list is for any homemaker who wants to streamline her daily life and conquer clutter in her home. Put a few of these items on your wish list, or gift them to someone who shares your interest in home management! Books about organization and home management Sometimes the right books are the best gift of all, because if you read them--and implement them--you can effect change that impacts your home for decades down the road. These are my favourite books on home management ... Continue Reading
How to Use Psychology to Manage Your Home
"This woman is inside my head!" I said this to myself about a dozen times while pouring over my advance copy of How to Manage Your Home Without Losing Your Mind. As someone who studies the art of homemaking and decluttering, I couldn't wait to get my hands on Dana White's brand new book. (You might know this author from the popular blog A Slob Comes Clean.)Dana has years of trial-and-error housekeeping and organizing advice, and she's put her best content into this humorous, super practical book that will change the way you think about home management.She's says she's writing to slobs and people for whom normal housekeeping advice ... Continue Reading
A One-Week Frugal, Real Food Meal Plan (that we actually use)
I love experimenting in the kitchen with new recipes, but I also rely on tried-and-true meals that I can make with minimal effort. I do meal plan, so generally I mark down a couple of new recipes I'd like to try that month, and then fill the rest of the meal slots with my repertoire.Today I'm giving you a one-week meal plan that's pretty typical for us. It will be a great fit for you if:You eat (or want to eat) a real food diet You don't mind a few meatless meals You don't have common food allergies You like eating frugally and simplyThis meal plan might work for you even if you don't fit all of the bullet points ... Continue Reading
How to Make More Time for the Things You Love
Ever since I wrote my post on finding time to read as a mom, I've been thinking about other ways to incorporate and re-discover the things I love.It's important to create space for the things that make you come alive, isn't it? Don't you find that you flourish better when your roots are watered?I'm not saying that you can't find enjoyment and refreshment in duties and to-dos, but I don't see any reason why our lives can't be full of those extra things, unique to each of us, that make us feel rested and energized.If you miss doing all the things you love, I have suggestions for you that will help. But first, identify what you ... Continue Reading
The Reusable Kitchen
There's a lot of waste that goes on in kitchens, but intentional homemakers don't have to follow the norm.You can choose to invest in reusable kitchenwares, and as you use them day in and day out you'll not only keep junk out of landfills, but you'll get your money's worth (many times over!).Here are some ways you can switch to reusable alternatives in your kitchen. I want to raise my son to be familiar with all of these! Glass or stainless steel food storage containers Your food will taste fresher if it's not stored in plastic, and glass or stainless steel don't absorb food odours and stains the way that plastic does. Stainless ... Continue Reading
11 House Resolutions for Intentional Homemakers
What do you resolve for your home? Make "House Resolutions" and remind yourself of them often, whether you plan to live in your current home for one year or twenty.You don't have to go to the woods to live deliberately.Traveling the world or living off-grid à la Thoreau have a certain glamorous appeal, but how you show up for the mundane is the real test of intentional living.Hopefully, life will afford you many opportunities to experience adventures outside your door, but I believe that the rhythms of an intentional life are mastered day in and day out in your commonplace surroundings. As George Washington Carver said, "Live ... Continue Reading
How to Get Your Family on Board with Simple Living
Please welcome my friend Bobbi to the blog today! I love Bobbi's instructional, motivational writing. Read her blog and you'll find yourself thinking deeply about sustainable fashion, homesteading, seasonal rhythms, and all sorts of other stewardship topics. I hope you'll be inspired by her guest post today on getting your family on board with a simplified lifestyle! Guest post by Bobbi of Living Life GreenA simpler life is often a happier one, especially with a family. Getting kids and a significant other into the same mindset, however, can be a bit of a challenge! That doesn’t make it an impossible task, however. With a bit of ... Continue Reading
8 Superfoods and Supplements to Add to Your Real Food Pantry
You hear about dozens--maybe hundreds!--of different supplements and superfoods from books, blogs, health websites, and magazines. Have you ever wondered: what does one family actually take?Today, instead of giving you a catalogue of all the supplements and superfoods you could take (because God and man have made many!), I'm just going to give you the details of eight things my own family actually uses and loves.Our everyday diet includes what you might expect from anyone with a simple, balanced approach to healthy eating. Over the five years since our marriage, we've added a few things to our real food pantry that pack an extra ... Continue Reading
