Editorial note: As the last snowfalls of this winter season fall to the ground, I can imagine you chomping at the bit. You can’t wait for the last bit of chill to be gone so you can start your annual spring cleaning. If you’ve never used a checklist to clean by, you are going to love this idea. You’ll probably find that you’ll get a lot more done in less time. Why? Because a checklist keeps you focused and on task with your cleaning. So as we wait for the first signs of spring, print out this checklist to keep handy…

Spring Cleaning Checklist

by Rachel Paxton

Spring is in the air!  It’s still chilly outside, but the glimpses of sunshine and warmer days are inspiring me to get out my cleaning supplies and begin my spring cleaning.

Every time I am in the middle of cleaning I think of other things I need to get around to doing and then forget about them later.  I decided to sit down and make an exhaustive spring cleaning checklist.  My list details every cleaning task I could think of, everything I hope to get around to taking care of this spring. 

By no means, don’t think that you have to complete everything on this list.  If you are a stay-at-home mom, you can probably comfortably accomplish at least two to three of these tasks a week.  Get your kids involved and have them help!

Some days I won’t do any cleaning, and other days I might accomplish two or three of my spring cleaning tasks.  If you work outside the home, it’s easy to let some of the cleaning go, but if you try to work in one or two small cleaning jobs on the weekend, you will be proud of your accomplishments.  It’s amazing
how cleaning just one small area of your house can make your whole day and make you feel like you got something done.

SPRING CLEANING CHECKLIST

KITCHEN

___  CLEAN OUT AND ORGANIZE REFRIGERATOR
___  CLEAN INSIDE OF AND UNDER STOVE
___  CLEAN MICROWAVE
___  CLEAN TOASTER OVEN
___  CLEAN AND ORGANIZE PANTRY
___  CLEAN AND ORGANIZE FREEZER
___  WIPE DOWN INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF KITCHEN CUPBOARDS

BEDROOMS

___  WASH OR DRYCLEAN BEDSPREADS
___  ORGANIZE/PURGE MASTER BEDROOM CLOSET
___  ORGANIZE/PURGE CHILDREN’S CLOSETS
___  ORGANIZE/PURGE CHILDREN’S TOYS

GENERAL

___  WIPE DOWN ALL DOORS; CLEAN DOOR HANDLES & MOLDINGS
___  WIPE OFF WINDOW SILLS
___  CLEAN INSIDE OF WINDOWS
___  WASH OR DRYCLEAN CURTAINS
___  DUST MINI-BLINDS
___  CLEAN SLIDING GLASS DOORS INSIDE AND OUT
___  REMOVE MARKS FROM WALLS; APPLY TOUCH UP PAINT
___  CLEAN WALL MOLDINGS
___  DUST CEILING FANS
___  DUST PICTURE FRAMES
___  DUST LAMP SHADES
___  STEAM CLEAN CARPETS
___  STEAM CLEAN FURNITURE
___  WASH OUT WASTEBASKETS
___  DUST ARTIFICIAL PLANTS
___  CHANGE BATTERIES IN SMOKE DETECTORS
___  ORGANIZE LINEN CLOSET
___  WIPE DOWN AND CLEAN UNDER WASHING MACHINE AND DRYER

OUTSIDE

___  CLEAN UP FLOWER BEDS
___  FINISH RAKING LEAVES
___  PREPARE PLANTERS FOR PLANTING
___  CLEAN AND FILL WATER FOUNTAINS
___  STRAIGHTEN STORAGE SHED
___  HOSE DOWN PATIO
___  CLEAN PATIO FURNITURE
___  CLEAN WINDOWS ON OUTSIDE
___  INSPECT AND REPAIR WINDOW SCREENS
___  WASH OUT GARBAGE CANS
___  CLEAN BARBECUE

About the author

Rachel Paxton is a freelance writer and mom who is the author of What’s for Dinner?, an e-cookbook containing more than 250 quick easy dinner ideas. For more recipes, gardening, organizing tips, home decorating, holiday hints, and more, visit Creative Homemaking at http://www.creativehomemaking.com.

Article Source: http://www.wahm-articles.com

by Linda Hampton

We live in a very fast-paced world. As such, it’s easy to be stressed out. However, oftentimes, stress is a result of not being able to correctly balance everything that’s on our plate. Following is a quick rundown of things that you can do to ensure that you live a well-balanced life.

Cut out unnecessary activities. For about a week, list down everything that you’re doing; don’t leave out any detail. After the week, look at how you’ve been living the past 7 days and see which ones were either complete time-wasters or things that you really didn’t need to do anyway. Also, ask yourself what your motivation and/or purpose is for each task.

For instance, is a certain activity necessary for your well-being? Would it be better if you gave up this or that activity and spent the time with your family instead?

Take out anything that is not contributing to a better life for you and start focusing on people and activities that do!

Establish a central family calendar.

One big cause of stress is appointments that need to be rushed to like a forgotten dentist appointment. To prevent situations (stressors) like this, establish a central family calendar where everybody must write down the said appointment, it’s time and location and preferred way of getting there.

This way nothing is forgotten, everybody knows where everyone is, and should a date already be ‘filled’ it’s easy for others to re-schedule. See? A little date and time planning goes a long way!

Set a daily routine.

Although there’s nothing wrong with being a little spontaneous, it helps if major tasks are scheduled into a routine. Without such schedules, it’s easy to do something else and put off something that needs to be done. For instance, say you have a delivery for someone by Friday. Since it’s only Monday you tend to put off preparations for the delivery. Before you know it, it’s Thursday and you’re stressing out on how to meet your deadline!

For every commitment, try to make a ‘back schedule’, which is a list of things that need to be done prior to the commitment and stick to it.

Write down what you want to achieve.

Goals are important. Objectives give each waking day a purpose. However, a lot of people tend to be vague with that they want out of life and wake up one day wondering what happened to them all this time. Don’t be one of them. Ask yourself what you really want to achieve in life and make a list. Following are some ideas.

•    Lose excess weight.
•    Be your own boss.
•    Buy a new car.
•    Set up a work-at-home business.
•    Learn a new language.
•    Travel 3x a year.

Write down a starter wish list of about 5-8 items. Now, mark each one in order of importance or priority. Now, focus on your very first goal and break down the steps you need to take to meet that goal.

To be happy in life you need to know what you want and be consistent and persistent with those goals. Don’t dilute it with activities that will derail your from your goals and imbalance your life. Good luck!

About the author

Linda Hampton RN, MSN a Wellness and Stress Management Life Coach is the publisher of Transition Your Life, a free 5-part ecourse full of revealing information to help you deal with the stressful changes in your life.  For your free subscription and a complimentary newsletter, drop by http://www.transitionyourlife.com

Article Source: http://www.wahm-articles.com

Editor’s Note: I love cooking with my crockpot, don’t you? For busy Mommas on the go, crockpots are a girl’s best friend. There are so many quick and easy recipes you can create, just by throwing a few ingredients in the crock and setting it on low. By evening, VOILA! A yummy, homemade meal for your family. These three recipes are no exception to the rule of simplicity of crockpot cooking. Although Audrey’s recipes are truly fuss-free, they are delicious and sure to be a family hit.

By Audrey Okaneko

My crockpot gets quite a bit of use. In the winter, it’s wonderful to have a hot meal ready after we all get home in the evening. And in the summer, it’s great to not have the oven going during the hot days. I’d like to share some of our favorite chicken crockpot recipes with you:

Chicken and Veggies in the Crockpot

4-6 pieces of chicken
16 ounces of frozen veggies
1 can cream of celery soup
8 ounces of shredded cheese

There are many combinations for this recipe. If you’re using chicken breasts, use 3-4 of them. If you use thighs, use 4-6 of them. When I buy the frozen veggies, I look for the combination pack of broccoli, cauliflower and carrots. You can also use artichoke hearts or asparagus. It really depends on the flavors you want. If you prefer fresh veggies, chop up celery, carrots, onion, broccoli, cauliflower and even onions.

I’m not a mushroom fan, so I don’t use cream of mushroom. Play around with the many cream soups. Try cream of celery or cream of broccoli or any other family favorite. When it comes to the cheese, I try to use a combination of cheddar and Monterey jack. I think this provides a wonderful taste. Other people really like the taste of swiss cheese or Italian blend cheese.

Place the chicken in the crockpot. Mix together the remaining ingredients and pour over chicken. Cook on low five to six hours. For a great finish, place a bit more cheese on top ten minutes before serving.

Chicken and Stuffing

Our other favorite crockpot chicken recipe is chicken and stuffing:

1 box of stuffing mix
4 -6 pieces of chicken
2 cans cream of chicken soup

Follow the package directions on the stuffing mix to moisten. Instead of putting the stuffing into a casserole dish, spread it into your crockpot. Place the chicken on top of the stuffing. Now pour the soup on top. Depending on the size of your crockpot, one can of soup might be enough. If you do use two cans of soup, consider using one can cream of chicken soup and one can cream of broccoli soup.

Cook six to eight hours on low.

Chicken and Fruit

The last recipe I’d like to share with you is chicken and fruit. I call it chicken and fruit because you can use whatever fruits you like:

4-6 pieces of chicken
1 can of fruit
1 onion, quartered
Plain chicken broth (optional)

We have tried this with peaches, with apricots and with pineapple. Each recipe came out great. Place the chicken in the bottom of the crockpot. Put the onions around the chicken. Place the fruit on top along with the liquid from the fruit. If you do not have enough liquid from the fruit add in plain chicken broth until you have the correct amount of liquid. Cook on low six to eight hours. I hope your family enjoys these dishes as much as my family does.

About the author

Audrey’s mom always entertained when she was growing up. Audrey learned to prepare for large groups and has often entertained 15-30 people in her home at a time. You can find more great recipes at http://www.recipe-barn.com. [Article source]

By Hope Wilbanks

If you are a parent considering homeschool as a viable option for your child, you probably have many questions on your mind. One of the most serious questions is most likely if homeschooling is something you can reasonably handle. Let’s take a look at some of the basics of homeschooling, which will help you make an educated decision.

Do I have the time needed to devote to homeschooling?

The first thing you need to understand is that homeschooling your child does not simply give you a free ride to sleep as late as you want and leisure tend to educating your child in a lazy manner. You should be responsible with managing your time, because it is easy for your child to fall behind in their studies.

Do I have access to resources that will promote my child’s homeschool education?

Another important point to consider is that when you homeschool, you are solely responsible for providing all the resources your child needs to learn. You will have to learn to rely on outside resources, like the public library and city museums, in addition to the curriculum you use to teach your child.

Do I have the finances to support homeschooling my child?

Likewise, you need to take into consideration the fact that homeschooling is not free or cheap. While there are some reasonably priced curriculums available today, you still need to ensure that you can actually afford the supplies needed to homeschool your child.

Do I have the patience to homeschool?

This is probably one of the most overlooked things parents fail to consider when they choose to homeschool their child. Not all adults have the same levels of patience. You should have lots of patience and a love for learning yourself, if you intend to become your child’s educator. This isn’t something to be taken lightly.

Am I willing to give up my "free time" to homeschooling?

If your child is already in a public or private school setting and you are considering making the switch to homeschooling, you need to take this question into deep consideration. Once you are accustomed to having your days to yourself while your child is at school, it can be extremely challenging to suddenly be with your child all the time. Can you honestly commit to giving up your time in order to have your child at home with you all the time and be in a homeschool environment?

About the author

Hope Wilbanks is author of 37 Tips For Successful Homeschooling: A Beginner’s Guide To Making Homeschooling Fun And Easy For The Entire Family. 37 Tips For Successful Homeschooling provides encouragement and support for new homeschooling parents, or those who are considering homeschooling. CLICK HERE to order your copy today.

By Karen Berg

Have you ever met the Uber Organized Mom who seemingly has it all together? Of course you have!  And we all know the Totally Disorganized Overwhelmed Mom.  In fact, you may be one of these types of moms.  But most of us are somewhere in between.  We really have our stuff together on some things, while other things keep getting pushed to that back burner where they eventually take up permanent residence.

So what’s the answer?  Well, let’s start with some simple suggestions that
might help out a bit.  First and foremost:  USE LISTS!!!  (And no, it
doesn’t count if you make lists and never look at them!  You actually have
to USE them.)

1.    First, make a list of EVERYTHING that needs to get done, from the huge to the mundane.  Then prioritize.  What belongs on the "I MUST do or my world will come crashing down" list?  What items need to get done, but in no huge hurry?  And which ones are in the "Wow, one day I dream of being able to do that but the odds are slim because I know myself too well" category?

2.    Once you prioritize your list, begin setting small and realistic
goals.  For example, tell yourself that you will work 15 minutes every day
on the A list, and maybe 30 minutes per week on the B list.  And you still
want to see some C list things get done, so maybe 15 minutes per week for
them.  When you break it down like that, it actually seems manageable,
doesn’t it?

3.    Set your larger, or longer-term goals.  Perhaps you could pick out two things on your A list and have a goal of completing them within a month.  Or two months.  Whatever makes sense for you.

4.    And lastly, reward yourself when you finish a goal.  Even if it’s one of the small goals.  We do this with our kids, don’t we?  Why not do it for ourselves?  Maybe you’ll let yourself get that latte after meeting all your time goals during a particular week.

One area where I was really disorganized was keeping all the information
about my kids in one place.  For me, for my husband, for my nanny, even for
the teenager down the street who babysat every so often.  Every time I left
my twins with somebody else (and yes, that includes my husband), I would
write notes upon notes.  I found a friend, Melissa, was having the same
problem, so she came up with the idea of making a binder for it all.  In
fact, her idea was so great, we designed a workbook and went into business
together.

By The Book: Caring For My Kids was born! We got so much input from other moms, that we are convinced we’ve covered everything.  Who fills out the book?  An expert on your kids, that’s who.  YOU!!!  We have outlined all the information you’d want somebody else to know, including information you hope they’ll never have to use.  From your kids’ likes and dislikes, allergies, to acceptable punishment techniques,
all the way to emergency instructions and contacts.

So really, why did we come up with this?  Well, honestly, it wasn’t only to
become more organized for our children’s sake, and it wasn’t only about
saving time whenever we needed to leave our kids with somebody else.  We
wrote By The Book so we could actually go out to dinner with our husbands
and be relaxed that the sitter had all the information she might need.  We
wrote it so we could possibly go shopping or (gasp!) get a massage without
the worry of "What did I forget to tell the sitter?"  So I guess you could
say that we wrote By The Book for peace of mind for ourselves and for every
mom out there who deserves to have some quality time alone!

So start working on your To Do List and visit our website and get that massage.  Why?  Because you deserve it!

About the author

I live in St. Louis, Missouri with my husband, 8 year old twin boys,
dog, cat and fish (how’s that for a food chain?).  Until recently, I have
worked outside the home in sales positions, but now I work full time on my
new business and spend much more time with my family.  And love it!  Who
knew that getting "downsized" could be so much fun? My book is available
at www.bythebookkids.com and my blog is
http://macaroniandchickenfingers.blogspot.com.

Motherhood requires an unlimited amount of hours each day. When you have a larger family, your time is filled with wiping runny noses, kissing boo-boo’s and talking to imaginary friends. You adore all the cute little things your children come up with and fun moments spent together, but do you capture those moments for posterity?

Keeping a journal is an easy to way record the treasured moments so they’ll last forever. It’s a quick way of jotting down the things you hope you’ll never forget. Although many moms think they don’t have time to journal, or don’t even enjoy writing, it is super easy and quick. Anybody can do it.

Maybe you wouldn’t mind journaling about your family but you don’t really know how to start or what to write about. Or maybe you just think you aren’t capable of writing down anything important that needs to be recorded. Don’t be consumed in the process so much so that you lose the joy of keeping a family journal. It can be simple and painless. Here are some pointers to help you get started with your family journal:

• Write about something funny your child said/did today.
• Jot down some dreams you have for your children/family.
• Write an entry that lists all the things you love about your family.
• Record family trips.

Also, don’t forget to include snapshots or memorabilia in your family journal. Journaling about your family doesn’t only have to be a book full of writing.

Are you finding it difficult to fit back into your pre-baby clothes? Do you feel fat and think you’ll never get your figure back? You’re not alone. These are common thoughts among new moms. It is normal to feel like this, but don’t become so worried about how your body looks right now that you harm your health.

For many new moms, the fight to fit back into regular jeans begins as soon as baby is born. This struggle is one that has gone on for centuries, and will continue to do so. Many new mothers do not understand that just because you have your baby, that doesn’t mean your body will immediately shrink in size and you’ll return to your previous weight/size overnight. It just doesn’t happen that way.

While some women do tend to lose the weight quicker, the majority of new moms find that it can take up to a few months to get back to their pre-baby weight or size. In fact, some new moms don’t even lose all their baby weight, but find that they feel healthy and content to be one or two sizes larger.

The most important thing to remember is that these things take time. You didn’t gain 30-50 pounds in a week or two. It was a nine-month process. So you shouldn’t expect to lose all the extra weight in a couple of weeks either. Give yourself some time. Set some healthy weight loss goals, but make sure you are getting proper nutrition. You’ll be back to a normal size in no time at all.

Motherhood is far from easy. In fact, most times, it’s downright difficult. One of the worst things moms face is loss of sleep. The first few months for new mothers can become incredibly frustrating, especially if your baby isn’t sleeping through the night. If you are a sleep-deprived Momma, here are some tips that might help you.

Tip #1: Nap when you can.

Some mothers understandably feel guilty for napping during the day. It seems like working mothers are especially prone to this guilt, because you are accustomed to going all day long. Even at-home moms feel guilty for getting some shut-eye while the baby’s asleep…but DON’T! If you are losing those precious hours of sleep at night, take a nap when you can. You need plenty of rest, too.

Tip #2: Tag team.

If you have gone without sleep for a few days, you are not operating at 100%. It’s okay to ask for help when you need it. Just because you are a mom now, that doesn’t mean you have to try to be a Super Mom. Tag team with your significant other, or ask a trusted friend to come over and help you out for a day or two. Even if it’s just for a few hours so you can get that nap, having someone over to help will take some of the stress off your mind for a little while so you can rest.

Tip #3: Take care of yourself.

Have you noticed as you’ve lost sleep that you are ignoring yourself as well? This is quite common, especially among new mothers. When you lose sleep, your mind becomes overwhelmed and tired, and you don’t think as clearly as you should. You have to remember to eat properly and attend to your own needs, in addition to your baby.

Tip #4: Call a friend to vent.

The more sleep you lose, the more overwhelmed you will begin to feel. Keeping emotions and thoughts pent-up inside will only serve to create a depressive mood within you. Call a friend and vent for a few minutes. Don’t hold it all inside.

Tip #5: Be encouraged.

Sometimes it can become extremely taxing and overwhelming when you feel like you’ll never get a full night of sleep again. Although it might feel that way right now, these days will be over soon enough and you’ll be back to a normal sleeping pattern. So hang in there and keep up the good job you’re doing!

As a mother, you have the incredible job of nurturing your toddler. Providing a safe, warm, loving environment creates a nurturing atmosphere essential to their well-being. First-time Mommas sometimes feel inadequate when it comes to this topic, afraid they’ll do something “wrong” as a mother. This is a very common fear among all new moms. If you’re unsure about how to provide a nurturing space for your toddler, here are some ideas for you to use.

1. Read to your toddler.

Reading opens up the world of imagination. Unlike television, which provides very little stimulation for the brain, books build pretend worlds and characters in your child’s mind. Reading teaches your child how to imagine a world inside their mind. As you read, your toddler’s mind will sprout.

2. Sing to your toddler.

Singing is calming and soothing for your toddler. You might not have the loveliest voice in the world, but your toddler will appreciate every note you belt out for them. Singing is a natural and simple way to nurture and connect with your child. Don’t forget that toddlers like silly, funny songs, too. You can purchase fun music to learn new songs to sing with your toddler if you don’t know any already.

3. Talk to your toddler.

Carry on simple conversations with your toddler. Often times, moms who find themselves frustrated with motherhood commonly do so because they don’t feel connected to their toddler in any way. So talk to your toddler. Now is the time to start building that bridge of communication with your child that will carry you into your future relationship.

4. Do fun things together.

Do you get so wrapped up in being a mother—doing all the right things—that you forget to just have fun with your toddler? As your child becomes more mobile and starts talking and becoming more active, you probably feel more tension building. So get out of the house and do something fun with your toddler. Create some fun memories you’ll both have later in life to reflect upon.

Question: If I give my children candy or sugary treats every now and then, does that make me a bad mother?

Answer: This is a question often raised by mothers all over the country. Moms who are especially vigilant in providing a healthy lifestyle for their children might feel as though they are committing a cardinal sin by giving their children a sweet treat every now and then.

The major key in such a situation as this, is moderation. It is normal for children to want a sweet treat sometimes. Even if you provide meals and snacks for your children that are natural and healthy, your children will eventually go out into the world and be socialized with children who may not eat as healthy as yours. They will likely want to try new things they see, too. If you can teach your children to intake all things in moderation, they will be much less likely to overindulge when such a time arrives.

The second point to consider is that there are healthy alternatives to sugar-laden treats. If you have been consistent in offering your children delicious fruit and sugar-free snacks, they will probably not enjoy one that is packed with sugar, simply because their taste buds have not developed to such intensive sweet flavors.

The most important thing to remember is to allow your children to try new things, but offering them similar alternatives.