Guest Blog by: Midge

It is amazing the flurry of activity which occurs just before you host some house guests. You begin to look, REALLY look, around at your house and notice the trouble areas right away. It is as if you have been living your life in an airplane with a bird’s eye view of your surroundings but then you start to clean before a friend visits and KAPOW! How did I not notice all of this accumulated dirt and disorganization?

Before Pic ~ A small peek into my crazy cupboard!

One of our main issues has been our pantry. We actually are blessed with a very large pantry but this pantry has also become a “catch-all” for the appliances we don’t use on a regular basis, odds and ends from the kitchen, craft supplies, and even storage (on the floor) for my little one’s Play-Doh toys. I went to double check our food storage for my friend’s visit and all of a sudden noticed how incredibly disorganized this area had become!

Everything came out of the pantry so the shelves could be thoroughly scrubbed…

So, this is the first BIG project of the summer/spring . . . Pantry Organization! First, everything came out of the pantry and the shelves were given a thorough washing. Next, I had to decide what went back in the pantry out of the “mishmash” of oddities which had made their way into the hallowed halls of my food storage. Many things were re-sorted and placed into our craft closet, which is next on the list of organizing! Finally, I organized the items based on loosely thought-out categories and made a thorough list (in my head!) for the grocery store.

And where would you store the candy eyeballs? LOL

It ended up taking a lot longer than I thought and I also sought out help from those who happened to be online when I mentioned my cleaning frenzy on MOLLY GREEN FACEBOOK.

Here were three main ideas I followed while sorting and cleaning the pantry:

1. If it doesn’t belong there, remove it!
   (Exception to my rule: the Play-Doh toys.  This is because it is actually the best place for them!)
2. Canned food, boxed items, etc.  need to be in organized rows.
   Seriously, maybe this is obvious to you but usually mine just get shoved into a great mosh pit of unorganized cans with labels   facing whatever and whichever ways. My goal is to have all of my cans and other boxes face to the front so I can REALLY see what I have in my pantry!
3. If you start it, keep it.
   My method of organization is not perfect, but the most important thing I have found is that no matter what method I select, keeping it consistent is the key to making it work. So, if all of my spaghetti products go into a clever little box, I should keep them there!

After organizing the pantry, I went out and bought all of the necessary groceries and odds and ends to serve to my upcoming house guests. Before I started, I had no idea where I was going to put anything! But then when I was done, I had plenty of room for those groceries plus more. I also cleaned out my refrigerator on the same day. It feels good to have relieved some stress which disorganization causes and not to have to deal with the mess while trying to prepare meals.

Next on my list, I need to conquer the freezers. Oh, and I did mention my crazily disorganized craft closet, didn’t I? Oh no . . .

What do you need to organize this summer? Any tips for our readers about your hints on organizing your household and cupboards?

Have you ever gotten lost in your pantry . . . not able to find what you need right now?  Maybe it was on the wrong shelf, or worse, it wasn’t there at all! You want to try a new recipe and a basic ingredient that you thought you replenished but didn’t is blocking your plans for a surprise dinner menu. Ever discover an expired canned good or boxed staple? Is the problem disorganization, a tight budget, or lack of creative ideas for making your pantry fun and purposeful? If this is you, check out this MOLLY GREEN MAGAZINE ~ The Well Prepped Pantry

Have you ever wondered what to keep stocked in your pantry?  Check out this past Molly Green blog:  WELL STOCKED PANTRY

This back issue is FULL of handy tips to help you along. Making a Frugal Fresh Start is on sale NOW for only $2.50 (this price will be good until Sunday night 6/23). Have you ever seen inside one of my magazines? Take a SNEAK PEEK HERE to see some of the frugal goodness we packed into this issue!

Here’s a little more of what’s inside:

Don’t you love a good yard sale? Learn to shop yard sales like a pro! The goal of this month’s feature is to suggest ideas to use in three major areas—cleaning, organizing, and food (feeding your family). Start taking incremental steps toward lasting change . . .

Organize without Spending: You could spend a lot of money on organizational stuff—but you don’t have to!

• Don’t throw it away! What can you do with oatmeal containers? Cylinder-shaped chip containers? Cereal boxes? Coffee cans? Caps from aerosol spray cans? An unused photo album? And there’s more . . . organize!
• How are you using those plastic milk jugs?
• Great ways to upcycle those 2-liter plastic soda bottles!
• Kimberly, from Kimberly’s Cup, shows you how she repurposes glass jars for pantry storage. You may never throw out another jar!

Beyond Coupons—Seven Ways to Save Money While Eating Well: You’ll find practical suggestions to re-think ways of getting food on the table and enjoy healthy, creative meals without over-spending.

• Watch your waist, and your waste! Re-think portion control!
• Are you menu planning yet? Get a free E-Book download link that’ll make it so easy to get started!
• Practice recipe substitutions. Get this handy chart to help!
• Plan a cooking party or start a brunch club!
• Consider bartering and gleaning. You’ll want to hear what Molly has to say about it.

Over 35 pages of information & support for an incredibly low price! A small price to pay compared to the great benefits you’ll receive and the money you’ll be saving once you dig into this E-Book! Buy this E-Magazine today for ONLY $2.50!

Molly members already have this magazine in your member page! Simply click the “Molly Members” tab above, log in, and search out April 2009.

If you’re not a Molly member, check out everything you receive and sign up now on our SUBSCRIPTION PAGE!

It’s time for happy hearts, big smiles, and my Making Money from Home magazine! This edition of Molly’s Money-Saving Digest is full of creative ways to provide for your family’s needs while remaining within your budget! In this issue you’ll find lots of fresh inspiration and information, so don’t miss it!

This 2009 back issue is on sale only this week for $2.50. Have you ever seen inside one of my magazines? Take a SNEAK PEEK HERE to see some of the frugal goodness we packed into this issue! Over 35 pages of information & support for an incredibly low price! A small price to pay compared to the great benefits you’ll receive and the money you’ll be saving once you dig into this E-Book! Buy this E-Book today for ONLY $2.50!

Molly members already have this magazine in your member page! Simply click the “Molly Members” tab above, log in, and search out March 2009.

If you’re not a Molly member, check out everything you receive and sign up now on our SUBSCRIPTION PAGE!

Below are cheap and simple daily routines for keeping the bathroom clean, as well as several ways to organize using recycled containers and items you may already have on hand. Here are just a few more tips and ideas that work in my home. I’ll admit right up front that I’m a mom and writer, not a beautician; here’s what works for me.

After years of buying one skin care product after another and having all manner of tubes and jars and bottles to juggle, I now use two simple, healthy, and relatively inexpensive products. My “day moisturizer” is 99% pure aloe vera gel. (It comes in a tube.) My “night moisturizer” is coconut oil. (It comes in a jar.) Guess what—it works just as well on my face as it does on my heels and elbows. Two products, both simple and without long, unpronounceable ingredient lists, handle all my skin care needs. Oh, and I use healthy homemade soap from a friend for everything—no separate specialty facial cleanser.

My point is this: Save time, money, and space by simplifying and buying fewer products! Here’s an storage idea we’ve recently implemented for bathroom products: look for  shoe storage racks at yard sales—they can be used so many places! Another thing we’ve been doing is rolling our towels for storage instead of folding them. It really works—takes much less room in the closet, and stays neater longer.

Install inexpensive hooks at the kids’ level, so they can hang their own towels. Teaching them how to clean up after themselves and take responsibility in the early years really pays off down the road. Make it easy for them to succeed. Hanging their towels on low hooks is much easier than trying to drape them neatly over a high towel rod—and much better than leaving them in damp piles on the floor!

Keep things off the counter, or at least put them all in one basket that can be easily lifted to wipe the counter down. You’re much more likely to keep the counter clean if you don’t have to move a dozen objects first!

One last thing—the typical bathroom under sink cabinet could really benefit from an extra shelf or two. See what you have on hand. Sometimes making an extra shelf is as easy as setting a plastic container or crate on its side, so things can be stored inside and on top.

Organized bathrooms works for me! How about you? What are your tips/tricks to keeping an organized bathroom?

For more organizing tips, find my E-Book Molly Gets Organized All in One Place HERE. Better yet, get it as part of the package deal when you become a Molly member. See membership details HERE!

Getting organized doesn’t have to be overwhelming or hard. . . take a sneak peek into my LET’S GET ORGANIZED FOR FISCAL FITNESS magazine today! For THIS WEEK ONLY we will be offering this back issue for HALF THE NORMAL PRICE (price adjustment will be reflected upon checkout)!

Is your attic or basement cluttered with items that you don’t use, but just can’t quite part with? How about your garage, closets or kitchen cupboards? Maybe you spent a lot of money on something and think you must find a way to use it sometime. Or maybe it came from dear Aunt Mary and you just can’t toss or donate it with a good conscience. We all have them – the dopey looking lamps, random serving bowls, no-longer-the-right-color curtains. . . there’s no end to the variety of “stuff” we hang on to for a rainy day. Well, take heart and get your umbrella out – that rainy day is here. We’re going to take on those oddball objects and see what we can do with them.

As the saying goes, “Everything old is new again” and that includes the “make do” mentality of our grandparents. We call it something different now. The buzzwords of this generation are “repurposing” and “upcycling.” Repurposing means to use an item in a new and different way, maybe changing or adapting it to better suit your purposes. Up cycling refers to using an item that would have been destined for the trash, or maybe was already there, to make a new object that can be used and appreciated.

This exciting trend is taking our culture by storm, and I think it’s fantastic! Once you get used to this kind of thinking you’ll see potential in just about everything. But don’t say we didn’t warn you – it can be addicting! So, how about some inspiration? You may be familiar with www.Etsy.com, the giant online store for handmade items. Try typing “repurposed” or “up cycled” as a search criteria here. You’ll be amazed by the gorgeous variety of results. From vintage spoons to Scrabble tiles, old bedspreads to broken bottles, creative minds and hands are producing treasures!

For more of this article on making something new out of something old, CLICK HERE to purchase Let’s Get Organized for Fiscal fitness as a single issue (this week is HALF PRICE).

Molly members already have this magazine in your member page! Simply click the “Molly Members” tab above, log in, and search out January 2009.

If you’re not a Molly member, check out everything you receive and sign up now on our SUBSCRIPTION PAGE! 

Tis the season for vacation planning. . . take a sneak peek into my FRUGAL FAMILY VACATIONS magazine today!

Keeping it All Together: Budget Your Vacation

This magazine’s theme is frugal family vacations, and we’ll be looking at a lot of different ways to save money and still enjoy relaxing time together as a family. This column will help to organize your vacation budget and finances (be sure to check the forms at the end of the magazine)!

Vacations do not have to be expensive, especially if you plan ahead. The most important step is to consider where you will need to spend your money—transportation, food, lodging, etc. I have included a worksheet at the end of this Digest for you to print out and use to help you plan the financial aspect of your vacation. First, you need to set a budget based on the cash you have on hand and whatever you will be willing to put on your credit card. If you are going to pay for part of your vacation with credit, be sure that you have a plan in place to pay off that balance as soon as possible.

One of the best ways to save money is to look for vacation packages that include lodging and entertainment in one price. Usually you have to book a room for a certain number of nights, but you’ll save money on tickets to theme parks and other local attractions. Often it is worth it to use a local travel agent, as they have access to deals that you cannot get on your own. You might want to call a couple of local agents to see if they have any specials available. You can also save money by staying at a campground.

Before you get in the car or plane to travel to your vacation destination, plan activities that will keep the kids busy. If they are busy, you might not hear, “Are we there yet?” as often! Head to the local dollar store, and buy some items for a travel “goody bag” like coloring books and crayons, search-a-words, handheld games, stickers and paper, Mad Libs™, etc. Wrap each item and have a schedule set so that the kids know when they can open up a new “present.” This could include times when you cross state lines, stop for a gas refill, see a certain roadside sign, etc. Make it a fun travel “treasure hunt.” Don’t forget to include some snacks and times to eat them. Hungry children do not make for a good trip!

If you are able to afford to travel this year, here are some more tips for saving money when planning for your vacation. At the end of this magazine, you will also find a vacation checklist to remind you of all of the steps to take to plan the perfect vacation.

For more of this article on planning a frugal vacation, CLICK HERE to purchase Frugal Family Vacations as a single issue.

Molly members already have this magazine in your member page! Simply click the “Molly Members” tab above, log in, and search out June 2009.

If you’re not a Molly member, check out everything you receive and sign up now on our SUBSCRIPTION PAGE! 

Today’s guest post is brought to you by : Annabelle Smyth, www.dailypencil.com

Over time, it’s common for children to simply have too many toys and some that they do not play with anymore. When they outgrow a toy, whether it is because they are past the recommended age range or are simply bored with it, there are several things that you can opt to do with the toys so that they do not get thrown away or go to waste. Toys for indoor play, outdoor play, large rocking horses, bean bag chairs, stuffed animals and kitchen sets are just some of what you may have that you do not know what to do with. Take advantage of these options to get those toys out of your house and into the hands of someone who can use them.

1. Storage

If you are unsure if you will need the toys that your child have outgrown at a future time, putting them into storage is a great option. This is ideal for those who are thinking about having more children in the future or those who are expecting grandchildren and would like to pass down the toys that their children played with. Tampa FL storage facilities, Mesa self storage units and other storage buildings are available for rent all around the country.

2. Donations

Donating your child’s old toys is one way that you can give back to the community while cleaning up the things that your kids do not play with anymore. There are many different causes that accept toy donations such as the American Red Cross, Salvation Army and Goodwill. Toys can be dropped off at these facilities or can be picked up by some on select days right on your doorstep, making it easy to donate.

3. Garage Sales

Gain some money back from all of your outgrown toys by selling them at a garage sale. First, you will want to clean up all of the toys that you plan to sell and test with batteries to ensure that they are still in good working condition. Mark them at low prices to draw customers in, getting them to buy multiple toys that their children will enjoy. To price competitively, look up current prices for the toys that you are selling online before marking them at your garage sale.

4. Consignment Stores

Consignment stores and shops that buy and sell gently used children’s clothes and toys are ideal for selling your used children’s toys. These toys must be in good condition. By bringing them to these stores you will either receive an upfront price for your goods that will then be re-sold for a profit or will earn a percentage of the sale price after they have been sold.

By taking advantage of these options, you will make room in your house while getting rid of the toys that your children have outgrew. Whether you opt to donate, put them into storage or sell for a profit, there are plenty of things to do with your old children’s toys that still have life left in them.

Annabelle is currently a loving and caring mother of two children. She lives outside of Milwaukee, WI and loves cheering for the Bucks and Badgers. She is a blog enthusiast and loves writing, if she is not writing she is cleaning up after her two lovely angels.

Take a sneak peek into my THE COUPON CRAZE: Chaos or Common Cents magazine today!

Do you have a small space, small budget and desire a BIG stockpile? No problem! Alayna Cann tells you how in this comprehensive yet captivating article.

“If you are anything like me, you have just a teensy bit of envy for those moms who seem to have it all together and have all the space in the world to store all the stockpile they could ever dream possible! But hey, let’s face it: Most of us are not like “those” moms! We don’t have it all together and we have a small to  average-size home, lacking all of that extra storage space for that dream stockpile.

I always wanted to make it possible, so one day I decided to turn that possibility into a reality. I realized that, no, I may not have a garage, attic, or basement for storage, so I would have to get creative! I needed to turn a space into my stockpile storage area without taking up any precious living space, all the while making it both functional and creative.

In the kitchen, you may not have a ton of extra space, but don’t forget to use your cabinet space to its full capacity, especially when storing canned goods. I always stack mine by size and according to how many can be stacked per shelf. By doing so, you will be amazed not only how much space you will save, but how many canned goods you can store in just one cabinet! You can also use this method with boxed foods. In organizing your food items, if you plan to store them for a long time, you may want to write the date on them somewhere with a Sharpie so that down the road you will know how long you have had them. If you don’t think you will use something relatively soon, consider taking a donation box to a food pantry or sharing with family and friends. This is a great idea when you have limited space, so that you can rotate items and nothing is wasted.

Now let’s move on to the seemingly endless cycle in the laundry room. Many of us don’t think of it as storage space for stockpiling, but it is an area where, even with limited space, functional storage can be created. When I moved to my house out West a few years ago, I faced the problem of absolutely no storage space in my laundry room. It was actually a mud room at one of the entries into the house that became the dumping ground for everyone’s shoes. So between the shoes, a stacked washer and dryer, an extra refrigerator, and a folding table, there was little room for anything else. I decided to get creative. . .”

To get the rest of this article and more stockpiling tips, CLICK HERE to purchase THE COUPON CRAZE: Chaos or Common Centsas a single issue.

Molly members already have this magazine in your member page! Simply click the “Molly Members” tab above, log in, and search out April 2012.

If you’re not a Molly member, take advantage of our TAX SPECIAL! You’ll find all the details over on our SUBSCRIPTION PAGE, this special ends TOMORROW!

I don’t think there’s one among us that enjoys weeds in our gardens or flower beds.  Weeds seem to be the topic of discussion and how to get rid of them.  Mulching is a super simple way to not only keep your plants healthy but cut down on weeding time as well.  Mulching benefits your gardens by:

• inhibiting the grown of weeds from the very beginning.  Not only do weeds look bad, they steal nutrients away from the plants.
• holding moisture in the soil.  The hot sun wont’ dry out your plants as quickly.
• keeping your plants cooler.
• protecting the plant from harsh winter weather.  Fall mulching is important to protect the plant’s roots from extreme frost.
• possibly adding a little nutrition back into the soil (depending on the type of mulch you use).

There are many types of mulches, see which kind works for you and works well in your geographic location.  A little research goes a long way.  Some are free, some are more costly. Some are colorful, others are nature friendly.  Whatever mulch you decide to use, your plants will thank you!

Here’s a list of possible mulching options:

• grass clippings
• wood/bark chips
• decaying leaves
• compost
• peat moss
• straw
• hay
• pebbles, gravel or stone
• landscape fabric
• coffee bean shell

Mulching works for me! What kinds of mulch work for you, do you have a favorite?

Mulching flowerbeds works for me! For more Works For Me tips, visit: WE ARE THAT FAMILY.

Take a sneak peek into my Making Money From Home magazine today!