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Marie Kondo konmari method closet organization before and after pictures.

Closet Before and After Watching Marie Kondo

Posted on January 13, 2019January 25, 2020 by Mandy

I watched Tidying Up with Marie Kondo and it made me clean out my closet. I’m not really one to get into TV shows, but I read Marie’s book The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up last year and it really left an impression on me. I am a highly organized person and I hate clutter. Over the holidays I let my closet get a liiiiiittle out of control. Naturally, this made getting ready for work in the mornings tough. If I didn’t like what I put on, it was gently placed (HA!) in the bottom of the closet. I had great intentions to hang it up later. Later never seemed to be happening, and it had reached the point of frustration.

Can Marie Kondo Help Us?

My husband and I started watching Tidying Up with Marie Kondo on Netflix about a week ago. I couldn’t believe he was on board, but he loved the show! We have vowed to start incorporating some of Marie’s tidying tips into our own home life. What I love about Marie is that she doesn’t force people to get rid of their possessions. She teaches people how to part with things on their own terms with an attitude of gratitude and to use her KonMari Method™ to organize. I also feel 100% better when my house is nice and tidy and not all cluttered up. Less clutter to me means less time cleaning and organizing.

Using the KonMari Method to Organize

So, with my closet glaring at me this weekend, I decided to channel my inner Marie Kondo and to finally tackle the problem. This was the state of my closet before I started (bottom and top):

OK, so not too horrendous, but certainly not serving me in a way to help me get dressed quickly and efficiently each morning. Random Christmas packaging and boxes in the floor aren’t helping a THING! On Marie’s show, she helps people clean out their closets by first telling them to pull out EVERYTHING from their closet. Yes, EVERYTHING. So I did.

Next, I had to pick each and every item up and ask myself did wearing the particular piece spark joy. This is where I learned so much about the state of my closet and my clothing choices. I held each piece and thought about what I loved or didn’t love about wearing it. Had I worn it in a while? How many times do we buy something or keep something for “just in case” and “just in case” never seems to happen?

Sorting Through It All

It helped to make a small pile for items I wasn’t sure about. For instance, I haven’t worn my jeans in over a year or more, so I wasn’t sure if they would still fit. Those would need to be tried on. However, if it was a piece that had stains or I hadn’t worn in a while, it went to the trash or donation pile.

There was no trouble parting with uncomfortable shirts or pants.

A decision was made to keep only the hangers that matched and made a point to clear out the random colored ones and cheap plastic hangers that come with clothes when you buy them. Quality clothes hangers can make a world of difference.

The Results

I didn’t really arrange strictly according to the KonMari Method™ because I just like my clothes hanging in certain places in my closet and just tried to order like items together.

It took me about an hour to completely clean out and tidy up my closet, but the end results were worth it:

What I Learned From Tidying Up

51 pieces of clothing (not counting what’s in drawers, like pajamas and undergarments) remained, and I’d eventually like to whittle that down to even more. Going through each item piece by piece helped me to understand some truths:

Purchases need to stop without trying them on. I had quite a few items that still had price tags left on them and after trying them on, realized that I wouldn’t be wearing them. Those will be listed for auction on Ebay since they are still new.

Dark colors rule my closet.There is a ton of blue and black and very little color in my wardrobe. I’m OK with this, but a pop of color every now and then won’t hurt.

Fast fashion doesn’t add up. I noticed that the cheaper the piece of clothing was, the faster it wore out. I was constantly replacing things bought from less expensive stores because the shirts started pilling. Now, this is not to say I think everyone should buy expensive clothing. Not at all! I just believe that being more intentional with my money and purchases is the way to go for me. I’ll have to work on this.

Besides learning these things about my clothing habits, the end result just left me feeling accomplished and organized. I am excited now for the work week to roll around because I know what I have and exactly where it is in my closet! I also definitely recommend watching Tidying Up With Marie Kondo on Netflix for some motivation.

If you are wondering how to increase blog traffic, i tried blogging every day for a month. My results might surprise you.

Increase Blog Traffic by Blogging Every Day- Does It Work?

Posted on January 7, 2019November 4, 2019 by Mandy

Will blogging every day increase blog traffic? I’ve always read that it would, but never pushed myself to see if this was true. What I did experience was a great deal of frustration because it seemed like nothing would increase blog traffic for me. Of course, almost every blogger wants to see their readership grow and their traffic rise. Posting every single day is tough to do. I work full time, I’m a mom and wife, and have an Ebay side hustle as well. Finding time to blog is sometimes difficult, much less blogging every day. It was going to take something serious to motivate me to give this a try.

Challenge Accepted!

This past October I participated in a blogging challenge along with a group of bloggers I’ve learned from for years. The challenge was to post every weekday (and weekends if we wanted) to our blogs. We made sure we paid close attention to SEO, creating Pinterest pins for each post, and linking to affiliate content.

I wondered what I had gotten into when I really sat back and thought about what I would blog about. Writer’s block is a real thing for me most of the time. Coming up with content ideas is not easy for me.

Blogging Every Week Day to Increase Blog Traffic

I decided that blogging every week day would be more doable for me. I could work on my posts for the week on the weekends. Juggling this while catching up on laundry and household duties was tough. However, I was determined I wasn’t going to quit. I’d jot down a few post ideas, make some notes, and try to blog on weekends. I’m not even going to sugar coat this part…it was tough. I had to allow myself many breaks because sitting all day and coming up with posts back to back is difficult.

Getting Into the Groove

Gradually, the ideas started coming and I was pounding out content for each and every weekday. I scheduled my posts and would share them to social media and through Tailwind once I got home from work. To make it even sweeter, all of the bloggers participating were required to share our posts each day as accountability. If we wanted, we shared the content of others. It was fun to visit so many other blogs. It reminded me of when I first started blogging ten years ago. Back then, there was a real sense of community among bloggers and people actually left comments. That can sometimes be a rare thing these days.

Did It Increase Blog Traffic?

So what happened when I blogged every weekday for a month? You guessed it…I definitely saw an increase in blog traffic. Here are my blog stats…

Now, compared to September, October was quite an increase! Almost 10,000 more visitors! All from blogging every weekday that month and sharing my posts on social media. Of course, I tried my best to post more often in November, but fell a little short. However, with the holidays approaching and so much going on there, I didn’t beat myself up about it.

The Rewards

Once the challenge was complete, everyone who participated in the challenge and saw it through had their names added in for a gift card giveaway. I didn’t win, but I feel like I still won big in the end. I felt extremely accomplished and amazed that I could actually produce a blog post each workday if I put in the work and focused. That’s something that I whined about before, because I tried several blogging courses to increase blog traffic and spent a good deal of money and just wasn’t seeing the results. However, I never tried increasing the frequency of posting (like soooo many successful bloggers suggest), but apparently for my little blog it makes all the difference. Posting each day definitely leaves me with an increase in blog traffic.

So, will I continue to blog every weekday? Obviously since this challenge took place, I haven’t met that goal and probably won’t until summer when I am off work, if I decide to give this a shot again. Realistically, it’s just not a good fit for me right now. I have some other things going on that I want to devote my attention to, as well as the fact that I just don’t want that added pressure right now. I’m still glad I did it because now I know what’s possible for my little blog and how to increase blog traffic.

Ebay Sales Totals and Income Report for 2018

Posted on January 2, 2019June 3, 2019 by Mandy

Some of my favorite blog posts from Ebayers include Ebay sales totals. Perhaps it may encourage some of you who may be wondering if selling on Ebay is worth it. Mercari, another online sales site, is where I sometimes also list items for sale. However, Ebay is where the majority of my items for sale are listed. I’ll just be sharing my Ebay sales totals in this post.

I am selling on Ebay again to see if this could possibly be a profitable side hustle. Last year I made a conscious decision to back away from my blogging. I spent the first part of 2018 just taking a big blogging break. After blogging for a little over ten years and was just burned out. In May of 2018 I started listing some items I was getting rid of around the home. I loved it so much I began to really put in more and more time listing and selling on Ebay.

What I Earned Selling on Ebay

My Ebay income was $1200.82 this year. Of course, there are expenses. There are store subscription fees, taxes, selling fees and final value fees. This hasn’t been calculated yet, but it will take a nice chunk out of that profit. Compared to the big time sellers, what I made is absolute peanuts. However, for just getting started back to selling this year, it’s a nice little extra bonus. The little extra money I did earn was helpful. I didn’t list as much as I should have or could have, but I did the best I could as I was getting back into the swing of selling online.

What I Learned While Selling on Ebay

Selling on Ebay has taught me several things. Mainly, what I like to sell and what I don’t like to sell. As with any learning curve, I’ve invested in some bad buys that haven’t resulted in sales, and sold things I wish I had more of. I’ve learned that listing well in advance of special holidays is smart. Free shipping entices buyers. Really, I have learned so much in these past few months. I continue to learn daily from my own experiences and connecting with other sellers. Perhaps the most important thing I have learned through it all is patience is key and hard work (listing, listing, listing!) pays off.

All in all, for the few months I listed and sold on Ebay last year, I am pretty pleased at my progress. Selling on Ebay as a side hustle is working out and I plan to continue. I’m excited for this new year and plan to work even harder at this now that I know what the possibilities for sales are. I’ll be sharing my progress in monthly posts so you can follow along.

Photo: Kalhh

How to Simplify the Holidays by Making Small Changes

Posted on December 4, 2018August 20, 2022 by Mandy

How to simplify the holidays is something I have wrestled with in the past couple of years. I grew up in a home where my mom went all out during the Christmas holidays. Our home was always decorated throughout several rooms. My mom and dad played host to BOTH sides of the family for Christmas Eve breakfast (eeek! Can you even imagine?!). We hit multiple houses Christmas Eve night and Christmas Day to be with family.

I have such fond memories when I look back on it all, but man, were we exhausted by the time it was all over with! My husband and I kept up this pace as well, but this year will be different. Our extended family is larger now and we will be holding Christmas with one side of our family before Christmas Day, so our house hopping ways on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day will come to a halt. And honestly, after 44 years of doing it that way, I’m OK with it.

Why? Because I’m older. I’ve had heart surgery. While I feel fine, keeping up an exhausting pace is tougher now. I’ve learned my body needs to rest and I feel better when I don’t over-do things. I’ve suddenly switched holiday gears and have implemented some easy ways to simplify the holidays and it’s actually working for me. I thought I’d share some of these ways here.

How to Simplify the Holidays

Minimal Decorating– I don’t have a ton of Christmas decorations, but I do have a few. I am guilty of having several Rubbermaid tubs full of ornaments and other decorations. This year we put up our Christmas tree and set out the Christmas placemats. I realized after putting up the tree that we had left some of the decor out in the storage room. I told my husband we could get it the next day, but we didn’t. So far, we still haven’t. Maybe next year I’ll remember the rest.

Giving the Gift of Experiences– We have many little kids in our family. These kids also have many toys and don’t really lack for anything. This year we have decided that we will not be giving toys as gifts. Instead, we plan to gift them experiences. As a parent, I know I would certainly appreciate this. If you live in a larger town, tickets to museums, movies, or a zoo would be amazing experiences for a child. Most of the time, the costs for these are very comparable to what you might spend on a toy. We plan to give this a try this year and see how it goes!

Unscheduling– Some people like to jam-pack the days leading up to the holidays with lots of social events and shopping. We won’t be doing this. Our town puts on an amazing display of everything during the holidays….lights, extended shopping hours, open houses, movies are shown downtown (outside), carriage rides, etc. Seriously, there is something scheduled every night. Instead, we will take in the beautiful Christmas lights with a walk around our downtown area, but that may be the extent of our holiday socializing. We will thoughtfully choose holiday activities outside the home.

No More House Shuffling– I mentioned before that one side of our family will be doing our Christmas meal and gift-swapping on another day this year instead of on Christmas Day. This will leave Christmas Day open for us to stay home until supper for the first time ever. While it’s a little sad we had to do it this way to accommodate different work schedules, it will be nice to wake up Christmas morning and not be in such a rush.

Christmas Cards

I’m personally still undecided on Christmas cards. We may shoot for that next year and just send out a few to our out-of-town relatives and friends we won’t see during the holidays. However, there will be no family photo card this year. Maybe next year. And not that social media takes the place of an actual greeting, but I have noticed so many people just posting a family photo on Facebook, wishing everyone a Merry Christmas, and calling it good.

Keeping It Simple

Of course, I realize that these ideas for how to simplify the holidays may not work for everyone, but these are a few things we will be trying this year to see if it eases some of the usual holiday stress. So far, so good!

Photo: Steve Benedict and Jill Smith

Easy Christmas Wreath Cookies for Decorating Fun

Posted on December 3, 2018June 9, 2019 by Mandy

These easy Christmas wreath cookies make for a whole bunch of cookie decorating fun during the holidays! If you’re looking for a fun holiday activity to share in with the kids or your students, this is a great way to do that with minimal prep and ingredients. You don’t have to make these Christmas wreath cookies! In fact, they are store-bought. There’s a huge time saver right there! You basically just dip them in candy melts, add some sprinkles to decorate, and enjoy!

The beauty of this quick recipe is the fact that these cookies don’t have to be pre-made. I don’t know about you, but no-bake and no hassle sounds fantastic to me during the holidays! You can literally use any round cookie you wish and they’re guaranteed good!

Easy Christmas Wreath Cookies

Ingredients:

Instructions:

Lay a piece of parchment paper over the counter workspace.

Melt the green candy melts according to package instructions. Dip a cookie into the green candy melts. For example, I used the Keebler Whoopsy Cookies, but any round cookie will work!

Before it has a chance to harden, sprinkle with Christmas sprinkles. We used a mix of green sugar crystals for some texture and small red and green balls to resemble ornaments. However, there are literally tons of sprinkles option! Make these as unique as you wish!

Place cookies on the parchment paper to set.

Melt the red candy melts according to package instructions. Move to a piping bag or a Ziploc bag. If using a Ziploc bag, cut a small hole in the corner.

Pipe a small bow on the wreath. Allow to set.

Looking for more great Christmas recipes and ideas? Check out these Christmas posts!

Creole Seasoned Oyster Crackers Recipe

Posted on November 29, 2018June 9, 2019 by Mandy

The first time I ever tasted Creole Seasoned Oyster Crackers I was visiting family that lives on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Technically, the family friend who made these crackers used saltine crackers, but either way these taste so amazing and you can’t eat just a small handful. Nope. You will find yourself returning to the container over and over until you FINALLY just flat-out have to ask whoever made them to pleaseeeee share their oyster crackers recipe. You might even write it down on a napkin because you didn’t care what it took to get that recipe. Ahem.

Not only is this oyster crackers recipe so delicious, it only calls for 4 ingredients. FOUR INGREDIENTS!! That’s basically foolproof for people like me who hate a complicated recipe. Just think….you can be the star of the Christmas get-together…the talk of the New Year’s Eve bash… why, even The Queen of All Super Bowl Snacks with this simple little recipe. Or you could also just make some for when you just want to sit at home snacking while you binge watch Netflix. No judgement here, I promise.

Creole Seasoned Oysters Crackers

Ingredients:

¼ cup Smart Balance oil (can use vegetable or canola oil)
1 bag of oyster crackers (10 ounces)
1 tbs creole seasoning
salt (optional)

How to Make:

Preheat oven to 275 degrees. In a small bowl combine the oil and the creole seasoning. Mix it up.

Once mixed pour in your oyster crackers and gently stir them around until the crackers are coated.

Once coated, pour into a pan. You can use a cake pan or a cookie sheet that has edges. After I get them spread out evenly, I lightly sprinkle the crackers with salt. This is optional.

Bake for 15 minutes, and then when done allow to cool and then store in an air tight container.

Need another fantastic holiday party food recipe? Check out this Peppermint Oreo Fudge. Mmm hmm…..you’re welcome!

Christmas Roll A Cube Game- Free Printable

Posted on November 28, 2018September 29, 2022 by Mandy

This printable Christmas Roll a Cube Game is the perfect way to get your younger kids or students engaged and having fun. It teaches them the basics of playing board games and taking turns. I love to use games in my library centers at work. Often times it’s hard to find a board-style game that younger kids can play. There’s an abundance of matching games. Board games are tough to come by.

Roll-a-cube games are fun

Roll cube games are perfect for introducing kids to the basics of board games. They can learn and have fun at the same time. This Christmas Roll a Cube Game is free to use. Just print the board and cube out, assemble, and watch the fun unfold!

Library Center Games

I can’t wait to add this to one of my younger students’ library centers in the coming week! They are going to be so excited! Centers have been a huge game-changer in the library this year. The kids love working together in groups. Surprisingly, this has even helped classroom behavior. Additionally, they are so engaged that they don’t have time to get off task. Winner winner!! Can’t beat that!

This is also a great little activity for the days leading up to Christmas when your kids are at home and beginning to get a little antsy!

Click here or on the picture above to get your free printable Christmas Roll a Cube Game. Not really into assembling your own games? Here are some great Christmas-themed games to get you and your kids into the holiday spirit!

Christmas Charades Board Game NECA Christmas Story The Party Game Board Game Monopoly Elf | Based on Christmas Comedy Film Elf | Collectible Monopoly Game Featuring Familiar Locations and Iconic Moments | Officially Licensed Monopoly Frosty The Snowman – Follow The Leader – Christmas Card Game Zobmondo!! The Santa Claus Game, Great Christmas Board Game For Boys and Girls, Award-Winning Educational Game, Kids’ Game for Ages 3 and Up Anton The Original and Classic Christmas Bingo Game – Have a Very Merry Christmas with Our Popular Christmas Bingo Game, Complete with Bingo Game Cards, Bingo Chips and a Bingo Spinner!Tis The Season Christmas Trivia Game – The Classic and Original – Featuring Christmas Trivia Cards & Questions That Make For Great Holiday Games For The Entire Family (1 Pack)Christmas Carols & Songs Game – Includes the best and and most popular Christmas carols and songs in one great board game. Add it to your collection of Christmas party games!

Know what else kids love at Christmas? Books! Check out these great roundups of Christmas books! As a matter of fact, reading is so important. What better way to enjoy the holidays than a good book?

Peppermint Candy Cane Wax Melts DIY Project

Posted on November 27, 2018June 9, 2019 by Mandy

Peppermint candy cane wax melts are my absolute favorite to use during the holiday season! Next to the scent of a balsam fir, nothing says Christmas to me like peppermint! I just love the smell, and it’s so easy to make your own at home. I have several wax warmers placed all throughout our home and peppermint is THE scent for the holiday season!

Additionally, if you’re looking for a great handmade Christmas gift, these wax melts are great for those candle lovers on your list! You could substitute the scented oils to make this completely your own as well. There’s no end to the many possible scented wax melts you could create for each different season.

Peppermint Candy Cane Wax Melts

Ingredients:

1 cup soy wax melts
¼ cup coconut oil
8 drops ylang ylang Essential Oil
24 Drops peppermint Essential Oil
Wax container

Instructions:

In a candle double broiler, pour 1 cup soy wax melts.

Add ¼ cup coconut oil. Stir. Heat, stirring continuously until melted.

In a small dish, mix your essential oils. Add to the wax mixture.

Pour the wax into the container. Allow to sit until hardened.

Add a label to the front. Here are five below that you are welcome to download and print to use. I’ve found that using sticker paper for your printer is a perfect way to make these look really great! You just print them out on this paper and cut them down to the size of the front of the plastic container you put the wax melts in. Of course, if you’re really creative, you might even come up with your own sticker design.

These make a great gift alone, but if you wanted to add in a wax melt warmer, the recipient would probably love that!

Need some sweet treats to whip up for the holidays? Check out these No-Bake Butterscotch Corn Flakes Crunchies.