Free Homemaking Book (an Old One)

If you enjoy old, free homemaking books, you might want to see this one.  In past years, there have been several books published about keeping the home. I have not read this one, so I cannot say whether it is good or not.  I will leave that up to you.

This book was first published in 1915 and is entitled Household Engineering; Scientific Management in the Home, and its purpose was to help women run their households more efficiently.  Of course, some things won't apply to us--such as servants (smile), but it may still be an interesting read.


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Christian Living and Good Housekeeping

Guest post by Sally

For each one of us, home is the place where we feel comfortable and secure. Women, as the traditional homemakers, work hard to provide an environment that is loving and pleasant. Proverbs 31:27 indicates the role of a woman: “She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.” As keeper of the home, you offer a safe sanctuary for loved ones and visitors. It is up to you as the wife to nurture a home that serves as a refuge for your husband, children, family members and friends.

Keep Your Homes Neat

The bible makes several references to keeping your homes neat. Luke 11:25 states, “When it arrives, it finds the house swept clean and put in order.” 1 Corinthians 14:40 say, “But all things should be done decently and in order.” A house that is neat is pleasant to live in and will provide its residents with calm, peace and relaxation.

Clean Living Spaces

As a homemaker, keeping your abode tidy is not the only important thing to do. It is also essential to clean living spaces. Matthew 12:44 sums it up, "I will return to my house from which I came. And when it comes, it finds the house empty, swept, and put in order.”

Note that cleaning a home properly means that you do not expose your loved ones to harmful and toxic substances that can affect their health. There are many deadly chemicals released in the air by household cleaning products. You might want to think of natural ways to disinfect and sanitize homes without the use of chemical-based cleaning products. Homemade remedies are easy to prepare, inexpensive, effective and safe. The Bible does not want us to use poisonous things. Psalm 104:14 attests to this, “He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man: that he may bring forth food out of the earth.”

Organize Your House

Not only does a home need to be neat and clean, it has also to be well-organized. It is easy to find things in a house if it is well-arranged. Habakkuk 2:2 summarizes it, “Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so he may run who reads it.” Organizing things reduces stress, saves you time and money, increases productivity and enhances the beauty of homes.

As a great homemaker, you can transform your dwelling into a lovely and cozy place where you can raise a happy and healthy family. In so doing, your calling as the light of the home is explained perfectly in Proverbs 31:10-31: “An excellent wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels. The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain. She does him good, and not harm, all the days of her life. She seeks wool and flax, and works with willing hands.”

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Planning Meals for Your Family

If you are not already planning meals for your family, it is a wonderful thing to do and will help you to be organized when you go shopping.  It will also help you to save money, and keep down stress since you have a meal plan for each day at home.  No more meal times where you don't know what you're going to serve your family!  Today at Raising Homemakers, I am sharing with you how I plan our family's meals.

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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Disclosure: In order for me to support my blogging activities, I may receive monetary compensation or other types of remuneration for my endorsement, recommendation, testimonial and/or link to any products or services from this blog. Please note, I only endorse products that are in alignment with Blessed Homemaking's ideals and I believe would be of value to my readers. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Motivated Moms Planner Giveaway!

It's a brand new year, and that means it's a great time to get organized in the home and get on a cleaning schedule if you don't already have one.  How good the Lord is to give us a brand new year, and each new day is a gift from Him.  We should recognize this and give Him thanks for this every new day.

If you want an easy way to manage and keep track of your home duties, there's a wonderful planner available that comes ready-made with all your cleaning tasks already made up for you.  Please visit me on Raising Homemakers today to learn more about this helpful tool and also enter our giveaway!

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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Disclosure: In order for me to support my blogging activities, I may receive monetary compensation or other types of remuneration for my endorsement, recommendation, testimonial and/or link to any products or services from this blog. Please note, I only endorse products that are in alignment with Blessed Homemaking's ideals and I believe would be of value to my readers. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Cyber Monday Deals for Homemakers

Jane.com often has some cute, modest clothing and other nice finds.  They are having some Cyber Monday deals you can find here:



Southern Magnolia Minerals has natural mineral makeup and skincare.  I've used their products for several years, and they just changed their mineral foundation to a titanium dioxide free formula.  Today they are offering 50% off everything site wide.  Just use coupon code CMWISH50 
at checkout.

Bulk Herb Store is offering 15% off almost their entire store.  They have wonderful teas, herbs, and more!

Calendars.com is having a great sale, and it's a perfect time to get calendars for the new year.  I got the most beautiful calendar from them last year.  Cyber Monday Sale - Up to 70% off everything + 30% off $50 + Free Shipping with Coupon Code CYBER

I will update this list throughout the day as I find more deals you may be interested in.


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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Disclosure: In order for me to support my blogging activities, I may receive monetary compensation or other types of remuneration for my endorsement, recommendation, testimonial and/or link to any products or services from this blog. Please note, I only endorse products that are in alignment with Blessed Homemaking's ideals and I believe would be of value to my readers. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

How to Make a Chedworth-Style Shoe Locker

Guest Post by Ella
 
If you have a need for a good shoe locker for your many shoes, then this project will really work out for you. To avoid the need for excessive clearance of your shoes, you will need to work hard to make sure you keep them organized. As some of us have a whole army of shoes, we need to work on keeping them under control by doing some decluttering and clearance every once in a while. To make the finished shoe rack you will need the following materials:

• 2 wooden 1x4x8’s for the legs
• 6 wooden 1x3x8’s for the shelves 
• 1 wooden 2x2x8 for the shelf supports 
• A good number of screws, specifically 1-5/8” ones

You can use general purpose lumber, whether pine or something else doesn’t really matter. The sizes are meant to be commonly available in most lumber yards, so you won’t have to worry about it.

• Preparation work

The fastest and best ways you can do this type of project is to pre-cut the materials in a good size and sorting them accordingly. The following sizes are what you need to cut:

• 4 pieces at sizes 1x4x28”
• 12 pieces at 1x3x36” 
• 6 pieces at 2x2x12”

The next step is assembly, which is the most important one of course. Start at the ends and work your way toward tying it all together with the shelves. You would do well to keep the tolerances small to ensure you make the final project as square as you can.

• Legs

Gather all pieces for one of the ends, and then set them on the ground in the right assembly, having the 2x2 on the bottom and the 1x4s on top. Then you need to position the bottom side of the 2x2 to the edge of a 1x4. This should help keep it in a horizontal alignment. Set the bottom side of the 1x4 to the top of a 2x2 and you will have things ready. Once you measure the length of the other side of the 1x4 you can have a good alignment to place a screw on the outer end. This will help keep it in place, then check the alignment and put in the second screw. You need to do the same for the other leg, and then install the top 2x2 measuring from the top of the 1x4 to the top of the 2x2. Make sure the alignment is right before you deal with inserting the screws. Install the middle 2x2, making sure the top of the middle 2x2 is centered on the upper and lower parts. Keep the distance between 11-1/2”. Repeat the other side and you will be done.

• Shelving

This will be much easier for you if you hold a leg when you install the shelving pieces. While you have a leg up, position the shelf on either the front or the back and make sure it is tight against the leg before you insert the screws into the 2x2. Repeat those on each end, then install the opposing slat in the same manner, making sure you have flushness and ends that are butted up. Install the middle slats and ensure even placement, then repeat for the middle and top shelves and you’re done.

In the end, if you don’t think you have the patience or experience to deal with this, you can always hire a handyman to get the job done. Look for local handymen either online or through someone you know, as they can deal with furniture assembly, craftsman jobs and any other odd-jobs such as this project. Make use of the chance to do some house clearance as well to make maximized use of your shelving space. If your home has way too much, then you will need to get some professional help for clearance purposes.

For more helpful tips, visit: Rubbish Clearance Ilford Ltd.

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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Disclosure: In order for me to support my blogging activities, I may receive monetary compensation or other types of remuneration for my endorsement, recommendation, testimonial and/or link to any products or services from this blog. Please note, I only endorse products that are in alignment with Blessed Homemaking's ideals and I believe would be of value to my readers. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

How to Make Over Your Evenings (with Special Discounts, Today Only)

I have always found that the next day always starts better when I have made a good end to the previous day.  The evening before the next day can help us prepare for the new day tomorrow.  I am learning lots of ways to make better use of my evenings in Crystal Paine's new course, Make Over Your Evenings.

This 14-day online course is designed to help you end your day calm and relaxed, streamline your routines, invest your time in things that truly matter, and find more joy and peace in the process.

That is definitely something we homemakers could all use, isn't it?


This downloadable course offers daily video lessons from Crystal, a downloadable workbook with a daily motivational chapter, and also daily projects. And since our time is valuable and limited, Crystal and her team worked hard to keep things very simple and inspirational -- with the goal that each day's lesson would take only about 15 minutes from start to finish.

The course — including all the videos, the workbook, and the projects — will regularly retail for just $17. However, because Crystal wanted to do something really special on launch day, she's launching this course with the following special prices —some of these are the lowest prices you will ever see on this course, ever. So get the best price while you can!

The Crazy-Can’t-Miss-Low-Low-Low Launch Sale Prices (for Thursday, April 21, 2016):
7 a.m. to 12 p.m. ET – just $7-- that's $10 off!!
12 p.m. to 5 p.m. ET – only $10!
5 p.m. – 12 a.m. ET – only $13!

P.S. Crystal says:  this course is not about following a one-size-fits-all system (because every woman and family is different). Instead, it's about creating an evening that is in line with your life, your strengths, your family’s needs, and your unique situation. 

If you purchase it and find it's not what you expected or doesn't live up to your expectations in any way, Crystal is offering a 15-day money-back guarantee, no questions asked!

This course is proving to be very helpful to me, and I'm sure it will be for you too!

Go get the course here (the sooner the better for your pocketbook).
Bonus:  My family and I are very much in need of financial help right now.  If you purchase through my link, you will help us a little bit.  Thank you ♥


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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Disclosure: In order for me to support my blogging activities, I may receive monetary compensation or other types of remuneration for my endorsement, recommendation, testimonial and/or link to any products or services from this blog. Please note, I only endorse products that are in alignment with Blessed Homemaking's ideals and I believe would be of value to my readers. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Attic Organizing Guidelines

 

 

Guest post by Ella

Owning a home that has an attic means you can take advantage of the space to keep your home as well-organized as you can. The following examples will let you know a bit more a more about the way you can do this, making a difference as you go forward and organizing your space as best as you can:

Finding help to deal with organizing

If you think the current setup of your home doesn’t quite work, then you will need to look for a better way to solve the issues that need doing. This will let you approach your storage needs with ease and without having to worry about the little things. Getting some help to make this easier will be a thing you can really take advantage of. Grab some family or friends and have them work on things together with you for excellent results.

De-cluttering the attic

Once you have decided you can figure out what the next move will be, you should get on with the rest of it. Focus on removing the junk and clutter in the area and get the place as organized as you can. You can do this by working on cleaning as well, dealing with floor cleaning and other potential solutions. You will need to also consider why hiring a cleaning company may be an excellent choice in making this work as well. Whatever plan you decide to make use of, you should consider all options before moving on with the execution of said plan.





Categorizing and labeling

This will be a thing that needs to be done in case you want to have to avoid the buildup of clutter in the most creative and useful way you can find. This will let you deal with the issues ahead without having to worry about the chaos you would face otherwise. Just label your boxes, do your best to keep an inventory list of what you have around the attic so you can easily find what you need and to work out the details.

Making zones around the attic

This is another step you can take to work things out, since designating some areas around the attic will allow you to get the newly labeled boxes better organized and set up. A small floor plan can take your ideas even further, making it easier to move items as you place them up there. Group them together by sizes and type of items and you will have a far easier time keeping it all organized and ready.

The Last Touches

At the end of the day you will have to understand that the organization of a whole attic will take a good bit of work and you will need to work hard on making it so and on a regular basis. Involving the friends and family of your home will allow you to handle the task with greater success and without getting mired in the details and work that needs doing.

More tips about cleaning and organizing find at: carpetcleaningcroydon.org.uk

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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Disclosure: In order for me to support my blogging activities, I may receive monetary compensation or other types of remuneration for my endorsement, recommendation, testimonial and/or link to any products or services from this blog. Please note, I only endorse products that are in alignment with Blessed Homemaking's ideals and I believe would be of value to my readers. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

De-Cluttering and Organising Your Home

 

Guest post by Ella

‘Keep thy home clean’ might not be a commandment, but it is good advice. Every now and then you might take a look at your home and figure you have too many things lying about, and all of them much too disorganized. What you should do then is bring some order in your home during house cleaning, and do it soon so that you can contribute to its tranquility as soon as possible. It does not require too much effort, only dedication and some creativity in keeping a house clean. And here is some advice on how to do it.

If you have gotten to the point where you barely have any space, you should be aware that you have way too much possessions. Time to be humble and clear some of them up. There are a couple of ways of doing this, but none of them should be throwing them out. Some of the things you own have been in your home for years, they have been a part of it, and carry a piece of it within themselves. Consider donating them to a charity – it is a humane thing to do, and apart from freeing space in your house, it will show your goodness to others; it even might inspire them to do the same thing. Otherwise, give them away to a friend, a relative, or even to the good neighbourhood children. You should not sell them for the same reasons as throwing them away – unless you really need the money.

Next, go around your humble home and try finding a place for everything else. There are so many ways of storing things nowadays that as long as you have the proper containers, you should not have any problems finding a place for everything. The kitchen, for example, contains so many racks, shelves, drawers, cabinets, and counters that you can easily arrange your cutlery, utensils, pots, and pans. You can get some stands as well to mount your spices, tea, and herbs – this will both serve you well in finding them when you need them later, and it will look pleasing to the eye. The bathroom can use some etageres which can take all your cleaning products, and soaps and shampoos, freeing up space everywhere else. Now enter the bedroom and look at your wardrobe. It might need some organising as well. Always build from the start – take everything up, fold, organize, and only then put the clothes back to have some proper order. Your living room might be the most daunting place to organize, but nothing is impossible if you have enough dedication to your work. Donate the extra decorations, have a focus point of the room – whether it be the dining table where your family gathers, or the fireplace – and arrange the rest of the furniture around it. Now you will know where to stand when you need your family’s attention as well.

De-cluttering the home is not the intimidating process you might think it to be. Simply have faith in yourself, roll up the sleeves and start thinking of ways to make the home more appealing.

More basic cleaning and organizing tips find at: highburycarpetcleaners.org.uk

Homemaking from Scratch~LAST Day for Bonuses & $5 Off!

Have you signed up to polish your homemaking skills in a Titus 2 setting yet?  Today is the last day to get $5 off the price of the Homemaking from Scratch Conference and receive over $200 in bonus resources!  I didn't want to let you forget.  This is such an exciting opportunity!
Here is the original information on this conference in case you missed it:
 
Do you want to improve your homemaking skills and grow with other women in a Titus 2 setting? 

Oh wow, I am SO excited about this--it looks great!!!  I wish this had been around when I first became a homemaker.  Keep reading to see how you can save $5 and get a bunch of free bonuses...

The first annual Homemaking From Scratch online conference is comprehensive guide to more efficient and effective homemaking! Join us October 7 - 9th, 2014 for the homemaking event of the year. 12 amazing homemaking bloggers and authors have come together to offer you a conference packed with Biblical homemaking advice, wisdom, tips, and resources on topics ranging from homemaking routines to Biblical motherhood to natural cleaning and more!


One of the beautiful things about this conference is that all the sessions are pre-recorded so that you can listen at your own pace! You can start a session when YOU have the time, pause it, or come back to it later - anytime, anywhere! The conference is "live" from October 7 - 9th with live Facebook discussions with the speakers and other attendees going on. But the sessions are yours to keep - forever! Once the session is posted according to it's schedule, you can watch it however and whenever you like.

Start the process to transform your homemaking today! Here's what you get:

• 13 video sessions on various aspects of Biblical Homemaking (See the schedule and all sessions)
• A Conference Notebook with session outlines, further resources, and more
• Access to a private Facebook group to connect with other women and grow together

And when you pre-register for the conference (Between September 29th and October 6th) you will get: 

• Over $200 in homemaking bonus resources (see the full list here)
• $5 OFF the ticket price!

The Speakers all came together and decided that in order to give you the most transformational conference ever, we needed to give you some resources to get you going.

Pre-Register Between 9/29 - 10/6 to get these Bonus resources for FREE:

• A printable daily disciplines check off list for the busy homemaker
• The Accidentally Green Guide to Cleaning Without Chemicals eBook
• A Wife’s Guide to Understanding Biblical Submission eBook
• A Gentle Answer eBook: Showering Your Children With Words of Grace & Cleaning Schedule
• 10 Steps to Organized Paper eBook: Helping You Organize Your Home
• Real Food Appetizers for Easy Entertaining ~ Printable Recipe Cards
• Teaching Kids to Clean eBook: Teach Your Kids Basic Cleaning Skills
• Homeschooling Day by Day eBook: A Thriving Guide for Mothers
• Grain Free Goodies: Grain-Free and Sugar-Free Treats from our Family to Yours
• See all $217.14 worth of the bonus items you will get FREE with your ticket HERE!

Titus 2 Mentoring

While online relationships in no way replaces real-life interaction, it is still possible to form real, Titus 2 relationships online. I have been so blessed by the online ministry of these ladies and I am so excited to share the line up of speakers for the conference! Find out more about the conference speakers here!

• Trisha from Intoxicated on Life
• Dana from A Slob Comes Clean
• Jolene from The Alabaster Jar
• Lisa from Organize 365
• Kristy from Little Natural Cottage
• Marci from The Thankful Homemaker
• Hilary from Accidentally Green
• Marlene from A Diligent Heart
• Christin from Joyful Mothering
• Katie from Embracing a Simpler Life
• Jami from Young Wife's Guide

Don’t Miss Out on the Homemaking Event of the Year!

Receive Blessed Homemaking in your inbox. Subscribe here.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Disclosure: In order for me to support my blogging activities, I may receive monetary compensation or other types of remuneration for my endorsement, recommendation, testimonial and/or link to any products or services from this blog. Please note, I only endorse products that are in alignment with Blessed Homemaking's ideals and I believe would be of value to my readers. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Improve Your Homemaking Skills in a Titus 2 Setting

 
Do you want to improve your homemaking skills and grow with other women in a Titus 2 setting? 

Oh wow, I am SO excited about this--it looks great!!!  I wish this had been around when I first became a homemaker.  Keep reading to see how you can save $5 and get a bunch of free bonuses...

The first annual Homemaking From Scratch online conference is comprehensive guide to more efficient and effective homemaking! Join us October 7 - 9th, 2014 for the homemaking event of the year. 12 amazing homemaking bloggers and authors have come together to offer you a conference packed with Biblical homemaking advice, wisdom, tips, and resources on topics ranging from homemaking routines to Biblical motherhood to natural cleaning and more!


One of the beautiful things about this conference is that all the sessions are pre-recorded so that you can listen at your own pace! You can start a session when YOU have the time, pause it, or come back to it later - anytime, anywhere! The conference is "live" from October 7 - 9th with live Facebook discussions with the speakers and other attendees going on. But the sessions are yours to keep - forever! Once the session is posted according to it's schedule, you can watch it however and whenever you like.

Start the process to transform your homemaking today! Here's what you get:

• 13 video sessions on various aspects of Biblical Homemaking (See the schedule and all sessions)
• A Conference Notebook with session outlines, further resources, and more
• Access to a private Facebook group to connect with other women and grow together

And when you pre-register for the conference (Between September 29th and October 6th) you will get: 

• Over $200 in homemaking bonus resources (see the full list here)
• $5 OFF the ticket price!

The Speakers all came together and decided that in order to give you the most transformational conference ever, we needed to give you some resources to get you going.

Pre-Register Between 9/29 - 10/6 to get these Bonus resources for FREE:

• A printable daily disciplines check off list for the busy homemaker
• The Accidentally Green Guide to Cleaning Without Chemicals eBook
• A Wife’s Guide to Understanding Biblical Submission eBook
• A Gentle Answer eBook: Showering Your Children With Words of Grace & Cleaning Schedule
• 10 Steps to Organized Paper eBook: Helping You Organize Your Home
• Real Food Appetizers for Easy Entertaining ~ Printable Recipe Cards
• Teaching Kids to Clean eBook: Teach Your Kids Basic Cleaning Skills
• Homeschooling Day by Day eBook: A Thriving Guide for Mothers
• Grain Free Goodies: Grain-Free and Sugar-Free Treats from our Family to Yours
• See all $217.14 worth of the bonus items you will get FREE with your ticket HERE!

Titus 2 Mentoring

While online relationships in no way replaces real-life interaction, it is still possible to form real, Titus 2 relationships online. I have been so blessed by the online ministry of these ladies and I am so excited to share the line up of speakers for the conference! Find out more about the conference speakers here!

• Trisha from Intoxicated on Life
• Dana from A Slob Comes Clean
• Jolene from The Alabaster Jar
• Lisa from Organize 365
• Kristy from Little Natural Cottage
• Marci from The Thankful Homemaker
• Hilary from Accidentally Green
• Marlene from A Diligent Heart
• Christin from Joyful Mothering
• Katie from Embracing a Simpler Life
• Jami from Young Wife's Guide

Don’t Miss Out on the Homemaking Event of the Year!

Receive Blessed Homemaking in your inbox. Subscribe here. 

Linked to:

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Disclosure: In order for me to support my blogging activities, I may receive monetary compensation or other types of remuneration for my endorsement, recommendation, testimonial and/or link to any products or services from this blog. Please note, I only endorse products that are in alignment with Blessed Homemaking's ideals and I believe would be of value to my readers. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Spring Sightings

Tiger Swallowtail butterflies

My children and I have been enjoying seeing spring unfurl outside, and we've been enjoying God's creation.  We had some unusually hot weather in the beginning, and then recently we've had some quite chilly days.  Honestly, I'd prefer a little chilly than too hot.  When summertime comes, we will all feel pretty hot, and the scorpions and black widows will be out.  So right now, it's time to enjoy the beautiful spring!

I've been doing some spring cleaning and have gotten rid of lots of clutter.  That is always great to do.  It is fun to clear out a room and get rid of unnecessary things.  I sell the things I can and then giveaway the rest.  I've put away almost all of the winter clothes in neatly labeled boxes and have brought out the clothes for warmer weather.  That is a lot of work to do with several children!

In the yard, a few weeks ago, our lilac bushes were blooming (but only a few blooms this year for some reason).  Now there are no blooms at all.  One of my daughters spotted a pair of Tiger Swallowtail butterflies mating.  She was able to identify what kind of butterfly it is from her homeschool learning.  It's exciting to see my children learning and remembering more than I did in school, all the while getting an education that teaches them about the Lord instead of excluding Him.

Some blooms on our lilac bushes

Praising God for His blessings...


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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Disclosure: In order for me to support my blogging activities, I may receive monetary compensation or other types of remuneration for my endorsement, recommendation, testimonial and/or link to any products or services from this blog. Please note, I only endorse products that are in alignment with Blessed Homemaking's ideals and I believe would be of value to my readers. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Professional Homemaking for Only $7

I am always on the lookout for tools to help me be a better homemaker.  Managing a home is a full-time job, and one that often calls for a higher level of commitment and dedication than any career. This week's bundle offers the resources that every homemaker needs to get things done. Discover tools for simplifying your life, organizing your day, showing hospitality to those around you and more. Whether you're looking to climb Mount Laundry, declutter the toy room or organize your storage area, this bundle is for you!

This week only, get all five of the ebooks below plus a bonus app for more than 85% off their regular price:

Professional Homemaking

GTD for Homemakers by Mystie Winckler
GTD is an acronym referring to David Allen’s books and system, Getting Things Done. And if anybody needs to get things done, it’s mothers managing a home. GTD for Homemakers shows home managers how to streamline routines, alleviate stress, and increase productivity. GTD for Homemakers is all about putting into place effective habits so that the routine administrative details of life do not cause undo stress and we, as mothers, can peacefully and intentionally make good choices about what to do without feeling like we have a million details pulling us in a million directions at once. GTD for Homemakers will help you reclaim calm self-control and self-possession, so that you can fulfill your roles and responsibilities to the best of your ability.

31 Days to a Heart of Hospitality by Edie Wadsworth
In her hospitality manifesto, Edie shares the role that her faith plays in hospitality and leads you into more meaningful relationships with all the people in your life, not just your occasional guests! She shares the secrets she's learned about welcoming people into her life, after many years and much trial and error, as well as a few of her favorite recipes and loads of photos. This is hospitality, on purpose. On the practical side, this ebook explores everything from how to set up a baking center in your kitchen to how to set up your guest spaces, and even some tips on what to wear to be a well-appointed hostess.

Sweet Life Organizer by Laura Smith
This is not your mother’s organizer. Forget drab and boring! Part of having a sweet life is feeling inspired, motivated, and excited for the challenges ahead. Why expect anything less from the one thing designed to keep you on track? The Sweet Life Organizer is your all-in-one, everything-in-its-place planner to help you plan ahead, identify your top goals, develop rock-solid habits and have more fun!

{The Busy Mom's Guide} Taming the Laundry Monster by Angi Schneider
If you are regularly overwhelmed and frustrated with laundry, there's hope. Maybe your family has changed and your system needs to change with it. Or maybe you are looking at too many online photos of magazine quality laundry rooms and you have a skewed sense of what "laundry" is all about. Whatever the reason for your frustration, this book will help you think through your schedule and systems and develop a plan that is unique for your unique family.

101 Ways to Simplify Your Life by Laura Aridgides
In 101 Ways to Simplify Your Life, Laura shares 101 of her best tips for simplifying your home, family and work life, starting today. These strategies range from practical tips that can be used immediately to thought-provoking strategies that can lead to lifelong change. In this book, you will learn: ▪ How to use technology for your advantage, and not be sucked into wasting time
▪ One simple step that can save you hundreds of hours
▪ A quick and easy way to start simplifying your life
▪ The most important question to ask yourself about simplifying
▪ How to simplify your finances
▪ Why decluttering your home is important, and what you can do today to start
▪ The number one reason why our complicated lives need simplification, and an easy solution
▪ And MUCH MORE!

Bonus: BinZ Organizing App (iOS)
The first 100 customers to purchase this bundle this week will also receive the BinZ app as a FREE bonus! This app makes it easy keep track of the items you put in storage -- things like seasonal clothing, holiday decorations, family mementos and more -- and where the storage bins are located. Easily capture bin contents via text and/or photos, search and sort your lists to easily locate items, and email and print your lists for backup.

BinZ is compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch devices. Because of iTunes store limitations, this bonus offer is available to U.S. customers only. To claim your app, please look for the instructions in Part 6 of your download links. Limited to the first 100 requests.

Get this week's bundle here!


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Save $2 on Motivated Moms Planner

Starting today, December 31, through January 2, 2014, you can save $2 on the Motivated Moms planners.  These are planners that have each day planned out with the chores you need to do.  If you need help with knowing what chores to do each day or just want something to keep you on track, this is a great tool!  With this coupon code, you will get $2 off.  The Motivated Moms planner is also available for the iOS app and Android.  Motivated Moms is lowering the iOS app price from $1.99 to $0.99, and they are lowering the year subscription to $5.99.  That way, if you have already purchased the app at the full price of $1.99 you can add on a year and still take advantage of the discount.  If you purchase both the app and the year subscription during the sale, you will get 14 months of tasks and server access.

Here are the details broken down by product:

• ebooks: $2 off with code MM2014 making them $6 (regularly $8)

• Android 2014 app: price will be reduced to $5.99 (regularly $7.99)

• iOS: app price will be reduced to 99¢ (regularly $1.99) and a year subscription will be $5.99 (regularly $7.99)

Here are the details on the new iOS app:

It's different this time around - instead of a new app every year, they are moving to a subscription model. They have made the initial app a lower price ($1.99) and it includes two months of tasks and server access. They made it a lower initial price so you could try the full app without the higher price. This also allows you to start using the app any time and the two months start when they buy the app. Then if you like it, you can add additional months as an in-app purchase. One month for 99¢ and a full year for $7.99 (a year is the same price as before). The year adds on an additional 12 months so if you buy the app, then the year, you will have 14 months of tasks and server access.

New features: The server access means if the you create an account, you can install the app on their other iOS devices and share their data with their household. They have also added a print/email feature allowing you to print or email a days' tasks. Last, they have added a new sorting option - user sort, which allows the user to drag the tasks around in their preferred order.

Order your Motivated Moms planner of your choice, here--just use coupon code MM2014 at checkout to get $2 off.  And don't forget about our 2014 Daily Planner giveaway!

This post contains affiliate links.

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Start Your Year Off Right With This Planner (Review & Giveaway)

As a homemaker you may try to keep some sort of schedule, but have you noticed that it changes day to day a lot of the time?  I know I have.  As much as I would like our days to be perfectly laid out and predictable, that doesn't happen all that often.  For that reason (among others), I find it really helpful to have a planner.  A planner is a place to plan your day--what things you need to clean, phone calls you need to make, what you need to teach your children, and whatever other tasks you need to remind yourself of.

That is why I was so grateful when Sue Hooley of Homemaker's Friend invited me to review her 2014 Daily planner and host a giveaway.  Sue is a mother of six and understands how a homemaker's plans can change day to day and also understands how important it is to have a plan.  This planner is really practical, and beautiful, as I'm sure you can tell by the front cover.  It is also designed for homemakers!  The inside pages are a pretty lavender color.  You can have a look at some of the pages here.  The planner is spiral bound with a laminated cover for ease of use and durability.  It could easily fit into a roomy purse at 6 X 8 1/2".  I really love these features because they make the planner extremely portable.

The planner includes several different sections which are all tabbed for convenience.  It has a weekly lay-out with a two-page spread with lines for making entries on each day.  There is also space for menu planning and a to-do list.  Also included are monthly calendars which have a two page per month view.  It includes both 2014 and 2015 calendars with space for notes.  There are perforated shopping lists which make it easy to write and then tear out when you go shopping.  There are also task list and project and events sections.  These have untitled pages for you to customize for your own duties and ideas.  I especially love that this planner comes with instructions in the front about how to use it!  There are many planners out there with no instructions, but this one gives you several ideas on how to best use it.

Sue is generously giving one 2014 Daily Planner to a Blessed Homemaking reader (thank you, Sue)!  To enter to win, just fill out the Rafflecopter form below. Of course if you don't want to wait, you can purchase the planner here!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Black Friday Deals-Well Planned Day, GAPS & Grain Free Meals, More

 Everyone knows that Black Friday is about the best day of the year for deals, and it is especially great for Christmas present shopping.  But no way, no how, will I be braving the crazy crowds to go shopping on Black Friday!  I prefer shopping from home, thank you very much!  I wanted to let you know about a few sales that you may be interested in--and the best part is, you don't have to leave the house to get the bargains!  There are some great deals for organizational bundles, pretty hair accessories, cookbooks, and more!

Black Friday Bundle from HEDUA

NEW! HEDUA has created the Gift Organized Bundle - the perfect gift for the busy homeschool mom! Available exclusively now through Saturday 11/30/13.

Gift Bundle Includes:

• a Well Planned Day Family Homeschool Planner,

• an On The Go Planner,

• a Well Planned Day Wall Calendar

• a Gift Subscription to Home Educating Family Magazine (US Only)

All For Just $24.99!

I have used the Well Planned Day Family Homeschool Planner for years and absolutely love it.

Lilla Rose Black Friday Deals:

The beautiful winter wonder Flexi

Customers: Nov 29th and 30th beginning 12AM PST -

• Get 20% off All Items, including a limited selection of 2013 Flexi's of the Month for two days only!
• Get 25%-50% off select items, and Free Shipping over $50
• A special holiday Flexi will be released and the Winter Wonder, the December Flexi Of The Month will be available for limited back order (no guaranteed delivery before Christmas, expected arrival Dec 18th). Sale ends Nov 30th at midnight. 

Order from Lilla Rose here.


Black Friday sale for those on GAPS or those who would like grain-free recipes:

• ***BAKING WITH COCONUT FLOUR (regular price $18.95 on sale $9.66)***
  ----
  Black Friday sale!  Wishing you could have your family holiday
  favorites but you've gone grain-free and aren't sure where to start?
  My affiliate partner Starlene from GAPS Diet Journey has Baking with
  Coconut Flour on sale for only $9.66 - this extremely helpful guide
  will teach you how to work with this unique flour, how to convert your
  favorite baked goods + recipes for Coconut Flour Sandwich Bread and
  Faux Cornbread.  Use coupon code BLACKFRIDAY49. This is my affiliate
  link - click here

• ***EVERYONE LOVES PUDDING (regular price $9.95 on sale $5.07)***
  -----Do you love pudding? Everyone Loves Pudding contains dairy-free,
  egg-free and grain-free pudding recipes created by my affiliate
  partner Starlene from GAPS Diet Journey. This e-book (+ her other 2)
  on sale for a 4 day Black Friday/Cyber Monday special - you can get
  this e-book for just $5.07. Use coupon code BLACKFRIDAY49. This is my
  affiliate link - click here

• ***BEYOND GRAIN & DAIRY (regular price $16.97 on sale $8.65)***                                       Yes, there is plenty to eat - even - if you can't have grain or dairy and you'll find that for yourself in my affiliate partner Starlene's e-book Beyond Grain & Dairy. Use coupon code BLACKFRIDAY49 to get it for just $8.65. Get it now while it's on sale! This is my affiliate link: click here

Even More Specials for GAPS or those who are grain/gluten free!

Meal plans are essential in a real foods kitchen- they make sure the fridge and cupboards are stocked with the ingredients you need to prepare food, they keep the recipes you need on hand for easy access, and they remind you to prepare things ahead of time (like ferments) so you keep the kitchen running smoothly without fuss.

See links below for a list of grain and gluten free (GAPS Friendly) meal plans to help your family, whether you need every meal and snack planned out, or just a few to get started!

Click here to buy Health Home & Happiness' Grain Free Meal Plans - 7 days a week, 3 meals a day, simple family friendly GAPS legal recipes. Comes with recipe index, grocery list, and easy-to-read weekly overview! Dairy optional, grain and gluten free. Regularly $160.00, sale price $80 for the whole year - every meal planned out! This weekend only! I have these and they are very thorough and soooo helpful to have on hand!  Coupon Code BLACKFRIDAY, ends Monday evening! Click here!

Click here to buy Health Home and Happiness' best selling 30 Days on the GAPS Intro e-book that walks you through 30 days of the insanely powerful GAPS Intro diet! This essential handbook is regularly $20, sale price $10 This weekend only! I don't know how I could have done GAPS Intro for my family without this awesome guide!  Coupon Code BLACKFRIDAY, ends Monday evening! Click here!

 

Some of these links are my affiliate links, which means I will receive a small commission from your purchase (thank you so much!)  This does not change your cost.

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Today I'm at Raising Homemakers: Adjusting to a Growing Family Size

If you've trusted the Lord to decide the size of your family and how many children to give you, He may very well give you an increase in this area.  If so, there are some things that will help you in preparation and ideas to help you adjust to a growing family size.  I am guest-posting at Raising Homemakers today, so come visit for the rest of the post!


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Consequences of Disorganization

If we are disorganized as homemakers, all kinds of things can happen...

With no schedule or routine, we do not accomplish as much during the day--we lose the time as it slips away because we didn't plan for our day.

When we look for a coupon to use because we didn't file it properly, we find it has "already" expired.

When we go shopping, we are rushed to make a shopping list and aren't as careful in our planning if we didn't plan it out ahead of time.  We forget to get things that we needed to buy.  We also don't have time to check the store ads to see what is on sale and what we can get for a cheaper price.

If we are in charge of bill-paying, we may forget to send the bills in on time and maybe even forget to balance the checkbook.

If we are disorganized, we don't have a plan for cleaning our homes or teaching our children.

These are only some of the consequences of being disorganized at home.  We, as homemakers, have a big responsibility.  Don't things run more smoothly when you are organized?

What kinds of things do you do to be organized at home and keep things running smoothly?

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Kids Room Home Organizing Tips

One of the most difficult things to deal with at times is organizing the home of your children. In many events such as birthdays or other holidays you could encounter truly terrible messes around that particular room. It could be difficult to establish order and harmony in that room due to the chaotic nature of kids and their love of breaking the rules. On the bright side, you can always use small touches to make a point as we will provide them in this article. So how does one help their child become more organized with their room and its nooks, crannies and toys? Let's begin with the first tip on our list:

Look at things as a child would

The easiest thing to approach that situation is to think about what your child could and should reach as they inhabit their room. Look at their storage space, possessions and furniture pieces and think about ways you can improve that to make it easier for them to put things back in order depending on their height. The thing about adult furniture is that its not exactly working very well with children and their specific needs. For example folding doors may hurt your kids as they close or even fall if pulled too fast as they jump from their railing. Regular hanging rods in closets are too high for kids to store their clothes while typical adult hangers simply never fit their smaller clothing. In most cases toy boxes promote greater chaos as kids have to literally dig through everything they own to find that one piece they need to play with.

If you want to help with the organization of their room you should first find solutions that befit the situation and their needs. When you're dealing with younger kids you should lower the hanging rods and replace your adult hangers with kid-sized ones instead. Use open containers on floor level to hold their toys, especially ones that have compartments so you can help them get used to being organized. You can make a small checklist of things your kids can do to adapt to a lifestyle decision of that sort. Just remember their age and character also play a good part in how adaptive they would be to such an approach.

Focusing on the children

You should avoid going through their things by yourself and making decisions for them if you can. There is no point in forcing the issue with such behavior, but you should focus on helping them understand the need for organization instead. Look at it as a chance to teach rather than enforce and do your best to stay that course to see consistent results. Working toward a solution together with your child will not only make things faster, but will also spark a more smooth transition between their natural penchant for chaos and your (possibly) more organized vision of their room. If kids are involved in what they need to do they will do a whole lot better as they will begin to grasp the logic behind their actions as time goes by.

Sorting and similar actions

The thing about kid's rooms is that they are usually smaller than most other rooms and they generally have less than ideal storage space if any. These rooms will have to adapt to their growth, changes in clothing as well as other issues such as excess toys or even other items around your home. The best way to deal with that is to simplify what they own by sorting things out and storing off-season clothing as well as donating clothes that don't fit anymore. The same goes for toys that they'll never use unless you want to keep them as a memento of the past for them to keep around of course.

Read more tips on organizing and cleaning at http://www.endoftenancycleaning.org.uk/one-off-cleaning/W2-one-off-cleaners-paddington.html

Guest post by Izzy Smith

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