Archives for April 2013

How to Make and Use Digital Flash Cards (No Paper, No Printer, No Ink Needed!)

April 30, 2013 By Anne Simpson

This post contains affiliate links. I recently had an epiphany - you know, the slap-yourself-upside-the-head-why-didn’t-I-think-of-this-sooner kind of epiphany? Yep, that kind. As part of the Ultimate Homemaking Bundle, I had received quite a few digital educational materials that included flash cards, and was trying to figure out how in the world to print them (our printer situation at the moment is tenuous at best and involves hardwiring a laptop to the internet and then the printer to the laptop… in an electrical closet… ha!) when it dawned on me that there was actually no need whatsoever to print them.

Say what?

Yup, no need for a printer, no need for paper, no need for ink.

All I had to do was send the flash card .pdfs to my Kindle reading app, and then display them on my tablet. Presto, change-o, DONE!

This flash card is from the ABCs for Godly Boys curriculum kit.

How to Make and Use Digital Flash Cards

1. Acquire Flash Cards in .PDF Format

If you’re crafty and tech-savvy, you can make your own flash cards by using a word processing or publishing software program, and then saving the files in the .pdf format (rather than .doc or .jpg). Mac users can simply save their file as .pdf, while PC users (me!) will have to download some sort of .pdf conversion software like Cute PDF. (Or if you happen to have a graphics designer hubby and have Adobe Acrobat, that’ll work, too.)
If you’re not so crafty, you can purchase flash cards made by people who are (nice of them to share with the rest of us, yes?)! The flash cards you see pictured in this post are from the ABCs for Godly Boys (they also have a set for girls), and Confessions of a Homeschooler’s K4 Curriculum. The Handmade Home (whose eBook, Handmade Walls, is also available in the Homemaking Bundle) has tons of great adorable printable freebies, including the alphabet and numbers. Another great site is Baby Sign Language - they have the perfect size of downloadable flash cards for 600 words in sign language! Mr Printables also has lots of free flash card printables. Homeschool Creations has a lot of great printable options that would work as flash cards, but I particularly love the Bible verses. What great visuals to help the children memorize! One more resource: a friend recently told me about Little Learning Lovies, a great online store with absolutely adorable educational products, including different kinds of flash cards and posters that would be perfect for our purposes here.
Note: The best size for flash cards on a digital device is a full page (letter size, or 8.5×11). In other words, ideally, each individual flash card should take up the equivalent space of one whole 8.5×11 page. If you’re looking for flash cards online, a lot of them are made to save paper and ink, and so 2-4 individual flash cards are placed on each page. I’ve discovered that the larger ones - which work better as digital flash cards - are identified as “letter size”, or are sometimes called “posters” instead of flash cards.

Are you an educator? The resources pictured below, valued at almost $100, are available in the Ultimate Homemaking Bundle, a collection of over 97 eBooks and resources (PLUS BONUSES!) for a mere $29.97! Click here to read more and for purchasing information.

These blend ladder flash cards are from Confessions of a Homeschooler's K4 Curriculum.

2. Upload Your Flash Cards to Your Kindle Reader Account

There is more than one way to do this.

If you have an actual Kindle reader, you can simply transfer the files from your hard drive to your Kindle device via a USB cable. Plug the cable into your computer and into your Kindle and bring up the reader’s file. Bring up the file on your hard drive where your downloads are stored, and drag and drop them into the reader file. Easy peasy!
You can also send the .PDF files via email to your Kindle account and they will show up within minutes on your actual device (or app, if you’re not using the Kindle reader). Log in to your Kindle account on Amazon, and click on “Personal Document Settings” from the sidebar on the left. Your settings will show you what your Kindle email address is (it’s usually a variation of your user name with @kindle.com on the end). Simply compose an email and address it to your Kindle address. Attach the .PDF files of your flash cards to the email (I think you’re allowed to send up to 5 files at a time), and hit Send! The files will appear on your Kindle or in your app in just a few minutes (or the next time you sync). There’s no need to type in a subject line or anything in the message area; just be sure you add the attachments and that’s all you need. This option is perfect for those who don’t have an actual reader, but instead use the Kindle Reader App on a different digital device.

These flash cards are from Confessions of a Homeschooler's K4 Curriculum.

3. Use Your Digital Flash Cards

This is the easy part! Once you’ve uploaded the flash cards to your Kindle account, simply open up your Kindle or your Kindle app. Download the file onto your device and you’ll see the images appear! Swipe the pages to “flip” through the flash cards just as if you were holding them. The great thing is, you can use the cards vertically or horizontally, depending on what works best for the design.

Flash cards will work best on the following types of devices (as long as it has the Kindle Reader App):

Kindle Fire
iPad
Tablet (any kind)
Smart Phone (ideally one with a large screen like the Samsung Galaxy)

I don’t recommend a regular Kindle for this purpose because it’s black and white and would be difficult to utilize as a visual aid. I also don’t think a Nook reader would work because as far as I understand, you can’t download .PDF files to Nooks (but I don’t actually have a Nook so I could be wrong about that).

This week’s Ultimate Homemaking Bundle is chock full of some awesome educational resources, including an entire K4 curriculum, and a K5 alphabet/phonics curriculum. Besides that, you’ll find eBooks on home-schooling and child-rearing, as well as several different types of organizers, planners, and other household helps! Altogether, there is more than $700 worth of products (including the bonus items) that will benefit every homemaker, and the cost is just $29.97. (But only until May 4!) Click here to get more details and purchase.

2 Comments Filed Under: Home

4 Books I’ve Been Reading (That I Highly Recommend)

April 25, 2013 By Anne Simpson

First of all, can I just say that I love my Kindle? (Actually… what I really love is my Kindle app on my tablet… but my Kindle makes it possible to enjoy my Kindle app… so I love my Kindle!) I’ve been thoroughly enjoying my Kindle in the last few days, and have actually devoured quite a few brand-spankin-new eBooks in the past 24 hours. I’ve been toting my Kindle everywhere - to the living room, to the dining room, to the kitchen, to the bedroom, and, of course to the bathroom (where else does a busy mom find time to read?!).

Whether or not you have Kindle, too (my friend Erin wrote a very helpful post about reading digital books without an e-reader), you can benefit from the ever-growing digital library of wisdom out there that is far more accessible (and takes up a lot less space) than its old-fashioned hard-covered, paper-backed ancestor. In particular, there are 4 recently published digital books that I have been perusing the past couple days and highly recommend to you!

1. Confessions of a Cloth-Diaper Convert

Whether you’ve been cloth-diapering (or CD-ing, as the lingo goes) since before it was popular or are pregnant with your first little one and curious about the possibility, you will learn something in The Humbled Homemaker’s brand new eBook, published just a few weeks ago. I promise. Erin leaves absolutely no stone un-turned and shares every little shred of knowledge she has learned in her years of researching (and using!) cloth diapers. I totally wish I had access to this book when I was researching cloth diapers, because I would have avoided some mistakes along the way that led to the demise of my first set of CD’s. Confessions of a Cloth Diaper Convert is currently available right here via PDF for $9.95 (But the price is going up soon, so get it while you can!).

2. Accidentally Green

Accidentally Green is a memoir of one woman’s journey from “normal” to “green“… almost by accident! Wherever you are on your journey to improve your health and your environment, you will identify with the questions, obstacles, and issues that provoked Hillary to discover “new” and better ways to eat, clean, shop, heal, and just plain live! I found myself empathizing with Hilary at times, and admiring her at others. Her determination to research the best for her family is inspiring to me and encouraging as I continue on my own journey to simplify our family life without sacrificing what is authentic and real. As someone who strives to make EVERY decision in life based on the Word of God, I also really appreciated her Biblical perspective. This quick read is available for just $2.99 via PDF, Kindle, and Nook.

3. Intentional Blogger

Can you believe that when I first started my own blog, I had never actually read one before? I had only heard of them. It makes me laugh to think about the earliest beginnings of my blog when pretty much me, myself, and I were the only ones who ever visited it. And then when I started it up again - in earnest and for reals - I still had absolutely no earthly idea what the heck I was doing. I didn’t even know for the first year that I could actually monetize it beyond Google Adsense. Crazy, right? Too bad I didn’t have LeighAnn and Nikki’s new (as of yesterday!) eBook, Intentional Blogger, then! I would have started out right instead of making a zillion mistakes along the way and falling flat on my face more than once. Huh! If I had read their book first, I might even be a mega-blogger today (Haha!)!!

Clearly, I’m in the place where I’m supposed to be… but if you’re a blogger at any stage, I really think you need to read this eBook. Packed - and I mean PACKED - with resources, you’ll have everything you need to take your blog to the next level (whatever that is). And I love their emphasis on focusing on God and what HE wants from your blog. You won’t be a success without that determination as your guiding focus. And since it’s a brand new eBook, you can currently get this book for $12 (25% off the price) by using the code “LAUNCH25” at checkout. (Only for a limited time.) Alternatively, if you subscribe to the authors’ newsletter, you can get 50% off the purchase price until 8am April 26 (which is Friday morning). Buy Intentional Blogger here.

4. Easy Peasy Chores

This last one is more of a tool than a book you sit down and read. But WHAT a tool it is!! Busy mamas everywhere have been needing this resource for a loooonnngggg time. I can remember back when I was growing up, and my mom organized our chores using index cards in a little file box. She would have loved this system! Alina has broken down all the possible chores that need to be done in your home into simple tasks that even the children can help with. Whether you want to organize the tasks by person, by room, by zone, or by day of the week, you can do so with this - truly - easy peasy system. There’s an initial cost for printing out the cards and purchasing the supplies, but Alina’s even got some great ideas to help you get started with minimal out-of-pocket expense. I am SO excited to get The Boys (ages 4, 2, and, um, 33) and myself started on this house-cleaning system, especially now that I’m teaching again and my boys are going to school with me. Anything that simplifies my life excites me, and I’m pretty sure you’re going to find this resource exciting, too! It’s only $15.99, and it’s worth every stinkin’ penny. (It would honestly be worth even more.) You can buy the Easy Peasy Chores system for yourself here.

PS> Several of these books will be available in an eBook bundle sale coming up next week. $30 for almost 100 eBooks, all of them just as good as the ones I mention below. It’s not a hard choice to make… $16 for Easy Peasy Chores today? or $30 for Easy Peasy Chores PLUS 96 other books, ecourses, printables, planners, etc etc?! Yeah, like I said, not a hard choice. It’s coming on Monday, so stay tuned!

PSS>My very own eBook - Your Grocery Budget Toolbox - is in the same eBook bundle. Yippee!

PSSS> The very last one I promise. I’m a total cheapskate, but even I have to say that this bundle deal is gonna be kickin awesome and totally worth it. $30 is a lot to spend on books all at once, but it’s WAY more than books. Stick around and I’ll be telling you more about it here on the blog, on FB, and on Pinterest.

PSSSS> Oops. Really the last one. I forgot to mention that there are more than $140 in bonuses that come with each purchase of the book. Seriously, this is a no-brainer.

2 Comments Filed Under: At Home, Household, In The Budget, Spend Wisely Tagged With: review

Natural Sources of Folic Acid {Raising Healthy Families}

April 20, 2013 By Anne Simpson

Welcome back to the Raising Health Families series, join us each week as we take a look at different ways to keep your family healthy and vibrant in a not-so-healthy world.

Written by Justyn Lang of Creative Christian Mama.

When a woman is pregnant or is trying to conceive, she is usually told to start taking a folic acid supplement to prevent birth defects. Did you know that this synthetic form of the vitamin folate has been shown in many studies to cause cancer? Please visit Justyn over at Creative Christian Mama to get the scoop on what folic acid is and how to get plenty of the natural sources of folate in your diet!

Leave a Comment Filed Under: At Home, Health Tagged With: raising healthy families

Learn How to Make a Simple Sourdough Bread

April 14, 2013 By Anne Simpson

Sourdough is not as complicated as it seems. Once you learn the basic procedure, it’s actually – in my humble opinion - a super simple way to make a delicious and healthy loaf of whole-grain bread.

And today, I’m over at Baking Whole Grains with a super-simple method for baking delicious and healthy loaves of sourdough bread. This is the recipe I use every week (in fact, I have one in the process now!) to bake our bread, and it honestly could not be any more simple. Click here to find out how to make Super Simple Sourdough Bread.

1 Comment Filed Under: Bread, On The Table Tagged With: bread, sourdough

How to Cook With Your Kids And Maintain your Sanity {Raising Healthy Families}

April 12, 2013 By Anne Simpson

kids-and-kitchen

It’s no surprise that when you commit to preparing healthier food for your family, you also commit to spending at least a little more time in the kitchen. And if you’re following this series on Raising Healthy Families, you’re probably doing it with kids.

Stephani from The Cheapskate Cook is no stranger to making dinner with a toddler clinging to her shin. However, over the years she’s learned a few simple but intentional ways to take the fight out of kids versus kitchens, and she tells all in her post, Peace on Purpose: Managing Kids & Cooking.

Leave a Comment Filed Under: At Home, Children, Household Tagged With: raising healthy families

Strawberry Quinoa Muffins {Secret Recipe Club}

April 8, 2013 By Anne Simpson

This month’s Secret Recipe Club entry comes from the beautiful blog Delishhh, written by Ewa (pronounced “Eva”), who has a decidedly international flair which is probably the result of being born Swedish and raised in Asia (now residing in the United States in case you’re curious). She also, like me, loves to eat healthy, whole foods, and is an advocate of GMO labeling and enjoying organic foods. I definitely recommend you browse through her blog and check out her gorgeous photos and delicious recipes.

I’ve had her Pumpkin Energy Bar pinned for ages, and still fully intend to make it, but I never seem to have all the ingredients at the same time. I’m working on it, though: I’ve got everything except the pumpkin and I plan to get that this week so I can give her recipe a whirl, and after that, I’ll try some variations using the same framework she used.

I also want to try her White Bean Puree to use as a dip or spread - me and The Boys enjoy our beans, so this will be a nice addition to the bean recipe repertoire!

But what I made this time around was her Blueberry Pecan Quinoa Muffins. I love that Ewa increased the health factor of a not-super-healthy breakfast favorite by filling it with high-protein quinoa and fruits and nuts. Score! I didn’t, however, have any blueberries, and we don’t eat tree nuts around here, so my version turned into Strawberry Quinoa Muffins. We heartily enjoyed it for breakfast, and I have a few more in the freezer to pull out later this week. Can’t beat fast and healthy on a crazy school morning!

Strawberry Quinoa Muffins

Ingredients

1 cup white whole-wheat flour
1/2 cup quinoa flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 large eggs
1/4 cup maple syrup
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup oil (I used coconut)
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup cooked quinoa
1 cup chopped strawberries

Instructions

Sift dry ingredients together.
Beat together the eggs, syrup, buttermilk, oil and vanilla.
Stir the egg mixture into the flour just until flour is moistened.
Gently fold in the cooked quinoa and strawberries.
Bake at 375F for 20-25 minutes.

A note about the quinoa flour: It’s super easy to grind whole quinoa into flour using a grain mill like the one I have below (Wonder Mill) - just remember to pour in the grains a little bit at a time (maybe a tablespoon or two). You can hear when the grains have gone through the mill and then you can add more. Once you have the feel of it, you can keep a constant stream of grains heading down the hopper into the mill to make your flour. You can also buy a small grain attachment that will feed the quinoa for you.

Alternatively, as Ewa suggests, you can grind the quinoa in small amounts in a spice mill or perhaps a coffee grinder.

Intrigued by the Secret Recipe Club? Find out more and join here.

9 Comments Filed Under: Breakfast, On The Table Tagged With: muffins, quinoa

An Opportunity for You: A Chance to Give & a Chance to Win

April 8, 2013 By Anne Simpson

Have you read about all the harmful ingredients in store-bought soap yet the thought of making your own is too intimidating? Would you like to wash with a gentle lather safe enough for a baby’s skin? Then let me introduce you to Mae’s Handcrafted Natural Soaps.

These natural soaps made with real tallow will delight your senses! Mae lovingly makes all her soaps in small batches to ensure the highest quality. She uses the best of the best ingredients: real tallow is gentle on your skin while at the same time is used for the bar’s hardness, which means it doesn’t get mushy in the shower. Olive oil is added for further gentleness along with a touch of coconut oil for a fluffy lather.

Only high quality soap scents or essential oils are used, and even then they are added with a light hand. Mae’s bars give you an absolutely delicious scent you can enjoy in the shower, without becoming obtrusive during the day. Even her coloring agents are of a natural origin. These unique combinations make long-lasting, gentle bars that your whole family will love.

You Can Win Natural Handcrafted Soap!

Would you like to win some of Mae’s Natural Handcrafted Soap for yourself? Well, here’s your chance! Enter below and be one of SIX winners for a $25 credit that you can use to chose your favorite soaps from Mae’s delicious selections.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
This review and giveaway is on behalf of a dear friend and sister in Christ who unexpectedly lost her beloved husband in February of this year. He left Mae and a young son behind, reeling from their loss.

Mae’s husband had been out of work for a year, living off of a small military pension. The family, understandably, had to cut back on expenses - one of which was their life insurance policies. His sudden death now leaves Mae and their son with very little income (less than a couple hundred dollars a month). Because of different personal situations, she is currently ineligible for benefits like Social Security. Mae homeschools their son, and thanks to The Home School Foundation, she will receive a grant to cover homeschooling supplies and curriculum. She is asking the Lord to provide for her son and herself through her small businesses, one of which is making soaps and other body products.

As you can see, the situation is dire for this sweet widow and her son, but we know that God is able to do more than we could ever think, or ask (Eph. 3:20), and we hope that you will consider joining up with us to help our dear friend by supporting her business.

We’re asking you, dear readers, to seriously consider the call of James 1:27—to care for widows and orphans and consider Mae’s Handcrafted Natural Soaps for your next soap purchase.

Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world. James 1: 27

Anyone who knows Mae is touched by her. She is an incredibly godly woman, who acts as a Titus 2 mentor to those who know her. She is loved so dearly and we want to do all we can to support her during this incredibly difficult time! Please pass this on by sharing this giveaway on Facebook and Twitter.

If you’d like to give a donation, you can send via Paypal to [email protected]. Please remember to choose “Personal” giving so the Raymond family doesn’t incur fees with your donation. If you need more details on how to do this, please contact [email protected] and she’d be happy to send you directions.

A big thank you to all the bloggers participating:
Ann @ DuctTapeandDenim.com
Anne @ Authentic Simplicity
Tara @ Everyday Ramblings of My Life
Jill @ Jill’s Home Remedies
Sara Elizabeth @ A Mama’s Story
Gail @ The Imperfect Housewife
Renee @ I Am The Clay
Del @ Devote & Seek
Jill @ Blessed Beyond a Doubt
Rebecca @ Rebecca’s Ramblings
Hilary @ Accidentally Green
Marci @ Amazing Graze Farm
Susan @ Learning and Yearning
Erin @ The Humbled Homemaker
Justyn @ Creative Christian Mama
Chelsea Rebecca @ For Unmarried Christian Women
Chelsea Rebecca @ Hearts for Home
Paula @ Whole Intentions
Amy @ A Heart Surrendered Blog
Bambi @ In the Nursery of the Nation
Dana @ Clan Chris Dean
Kristen @ Smithspirations
Caroline @ The Modest Mom Blog
Alicia @ Walking In Faith
Stephani @ The Cheapskate Cook
Amber @ Homemaker by Choice
Marci @ Thankful Homemaker
Katie Sullivan @ Brighton Park Blog
Anjanette @ Raising the Barrs
Pam @ Mom Does Reviews
Kristy @ Little Natural Cottage
Stacy @ Something Whimsical
Natalie @ Visionary Womanhood
Paula @ Beautiful Life of Joy
Rachel @ Of Love and Beauty
Reagan @ The Arsenal
Kelly @ Generation Cedar
Kelly @ Practical Savings
Stacy Karen @ A Delightful Home
Kristen @ Five in Tow
Diana @ A Little Bit of Spain
Elizabeth @ Yes They Are All Ours
Jacque @ Deep Roots at Home
Karrilee @ Abiding Love, Abounding Grace
Karrilee@ Blessed Memories Scrapbooks by Karrilee
Shawnee @ The Apronista
Adrienne @ Whole New Mom
Janine @ True Aim Education
Kathryn @ Singing Through the Rain
Alicia @ Fun Reviews and Giveaways
Deborah @ A Delightful Glow
Stephanie @ The King’s Bookworm
Christy @ The Simple Homemaker
June @ A Wise Woman Builds Her Home
Shadedlily @ With Them
Joy @ Artful Homemaking

2 Comments Filed Under: Home

Detox Your Cleaning Supplies {Raising Healthy Families}

April 5, 2013 By Anne Simpson

Written by Hilary Kimes Bernstein of Accidentally Green

Welcome back to the Raising Healthy Families series. Today we’ll take another look at how to keep our families healthy in a not-so-healthy world.

Unfortunately, many commercial cleaning products are toxic. But the great news is that you can make your own effective, safe cleaners. Before you start your spring cleaning routine this year, choose your supplies carefully.

Please check out Accidentally Green’s Detoxing Your Cleaning Supplies to learn more about toxic cleaning supplies and non-toxic, homemade options.

Leave a Comment Filed Under: At Home, Household Tagged With: raising healthy families

Mother’s Day Gift Idea

April 4, 2013 By Anne Simpson

This post is sponsored by South Hill Designs Independent Consultant Katie Parsons.

Mother’s Day is just around the corner - it might be a month away yet, but that’s just enough time to find the perfect gift for the perfect mom! And I have the perfect gift idea for you: a personalized, custom necklace from South Hill Designs.

South Hill Designs helps you create necklaces that tell your story. You start with a silver or gold locket and then fill it with carefully chosen items that reflect the people and things you love best. There are flat hammered metal coins with words like “Faith”, “Family” or “Blessed” that form the backdrop for your life-story-in-jewelry. Fill the remaining space in the locket with charms that identify your heritage (small flags), your hobbies and passions (a red high heel, anyone?), birthstones of the people you love, or symbols of your faith. Top it all off with a “droplet” that dangles from the chain and you have a lovely, personalized necklace that’s unique to you alone.

Are you seeing why this would be such a perfect gift for Mother’s Day?! My own necklace is a silver locket with a tin that says “family”, filled with an emerald birthstone for me and my DH (we were both born in May), and two little boy charms with the appropriate birthstones, plus an ichthys to represent our faith. I love it and wear it all. the. time!! It’s like keeping my family with me throughout the day no matter where I am or what I’m doing.

If you agree with me that this would be the perfect Mother’s Day gift, you should check out Katie’s Facebook Party for April. Follow the instructions for ordering and you can get shipping for only $4! Katie’s got some great ideas for filling your lockets to impress and honor the moms on your list.

Mother’s Day isn’t the only perfect time for South Hill Designs, though. You can give personalized necklaces for birthdays, Christmas, and just-because! Or you can get one for yourself… or two, or three.

1 Comment Filed Under: In The Budget, Spend Wisely Tagged With: review

When to Pack What When Moving {Tips for the DIY Move}

April 2, 2013 By Anne Simpson

**UPDATE! Scroll down for a printable .PDF checklist to make your pack-up even easier!***

When faced with the daunting task of packing up every single one of your belongings in order to move (across town, across country, doesn’t matter), it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and have no idea where to start. I’ve moved a few times; I know the feeling! You have no idea when to pack what when you’re moving.

This past move, I had less than 3 weeks to get everything we owned packed up and ready to go, and I do believe I did a decent job of it. My DH felt like we had a few too many odds and ends that were moved as-is (by which I mean, not packed into boxes) when it came right down to it, but honestly, I’m not sure how most of that could have been packed in a box anyway. And I will freely admit that packing up the random stuff in the kitchen was down to the wire! But hey, I was working on a super-tight deadline, so I’m thinking I did pretty well.

A little de-cluttering might be helpful before you get started on your packing. Check out my inexpensive guide to de-cluttering all the hot spots in your house in just 10 minutes a day! Dedicate an entire morning to working through the guide and you’ll get halfway through your packing before you’re even started. Read more about it here.

When to Pack What When Moving

I’m figuring most people have about a month to move, maybe more, maybe less. I’ve come up with a 4-week schedule to help you focus your packing so you can have everything ready to go come moving day without stressing yourself out or feeling overwhelmed in the meantime.

FOUR WEEKS OUT

Pictures and Other Wall Decorations - Although those are the things that make a house a lovely place to live, the truth is you can live for a few weeks without them. Into the box they go, first thing!
Storage Closets - If it’s already packed in a box, then you’re in luck! Job’s already done. If not, though, this is the time to pack ’em up.
Photo Albums & Scrapbooks - Nobody looks at these anyway except on special occasions, so this is an easy one to get out of the way.
Books - Chances are you won’t be doing a lot of reading in the next few weeks. Just sayin’.
Cookbooks - Any recipe you need is online anyway. (Plus you won’t be doing a lot of cooking either.) (Just sayin’.)
Off-Season Clothes - Hopefully, these are boxed up already, but if not, now’s the time to do it.

THREE WEEKS OUT

Table Linens & Fine China - Really, dining on fine china and table linens is the last thing you need to be doing about this time in your life. Stick to the bare table and the everyday stuff.
Vases, Decorative Bowls, and Other Assorted Fragile KnickKnacks - Take the time to pack these carefully, and get started now!
DVD’s/CD’s/Video Games - You might want to keep a few out if there are some that your clan plays on a regular basis and simply cannot live without. But chances are, their entertainment needs can be satisfied by the various digital options out there for the next few weeks.
Coat Closet - Keep one in-season coat and one set of accessories (hats, gloves, scarves, sun glasses, etc.) for each person, but pack up the rest. Choose wisely, though. I wrongly assumed that my lighter jacket would suffice since it was the beginning of March. WRONG!
Board Games/Puzzles/Toys - Don’t pack up the bulk of the toys yet, especially if your kids are little. But definitely pack up the board games and puzzles and anything they don’t use on a regular basis.
Craft & Sewing Supplies - I promise, you’re not going to have time to use them until you’re settled in your new place.

TWO WEEKS OUT

Jewelry - Keep out a few key pieces that you can wear with just about anything, and pack the rest.
Toiletries - Leave out the bare essentials for the entire family to use for the next two weeks (current tube of toothpaste, bottle of shampoo, etc.), and pack up the rest.
Knick-Knacks - Do you still have any knick-knacks out? Time to pack them up!
Clothes Closets - Go through all the closets and pack up anything you don’t use on a daily basis: dress clothes, accessories, fancy shoes, extra purses, etc., etc.
Linen Closet - Pack up everything except one set of sheets and towels per person. (You might want to leave out some blankets to serve as padding for the furniture on moving day.)
Kitchen - Pack up as much as you can that you do not use on a daily basis. We’re getting down to the wire here, so start simplifying your daily cooking life if you haven’t already. Forget about baking bread, roasting meat, and cultivating yogurt for now. Pack all those supplies up!
Office Supplies - Paper, envelopes, pens, pencils, stapler, hole puncher, etc., etc. Only leave out the absolute essentials (like a few pens or pencils).

ONE WEEK OUT

Clothes - It’s time to start packing them up. Start by filling a suitcase with items you’ll need when you’re actually moving and before you’re settled in your new place. Then make sure you have enough clothes to last the next few days (consider adding some extra wash cycles in there), and then pack the rest. Leave a box open for each person in the family to pack clothes in as they come out of the wash (and as they come out of the woodwork during the move).
Kitchen - Break out the paper supplies and pack up every single thing. Close your eyes, take a deep breath, and order takeout. You’ll survive.
Medicines/Remedies - Keep the essential ones handy and with you during the move. Pack the rest.
Electronics - If you can’t quite bear to pack it all up just yet, downsize to one or two items (i.e., use your laptop for everything - gaming, watching TV, surfing the internet, listening to music, etc., and pack up all the other fun stuff).
Miscellaneous - Trust me, there’s going to be a LOT of miscellaneous junk that just appears out of nowhere when you start packing. You’re going to have a lot of it,no doubt, at this point, so just pack it as you come across it.
Toys - Have your kids each choose one set of toys they want to keep out for the next few days, and pack the rest. Keep a bag handy to pack up the toys they chose to save on moving day.

TWO DAYS OUT

Curtains/Draperies - Run these through the washer and dryer. If you don’t have blinds, some of them might need to wait until the last day for privacy’s sake, but try to do this ahead of time if you can. Don’t forget to pack up the rods and other hardware.
Food - Especially all the cooking/baking supplies. Anything that can be eaten as it is can stay around for another day or two, but the rest has got to be packed up. Give away frozen and refrigerated items if you are moving too far away to bring them with you in a cooler.
Clothes - Put the last of the clothes through the washer and dryer and pack up everything but what you’ll need for the next couple days. (Make sure you have some grungy outfits set aside for moving day!) Keep a hamper or mesh bag handy to dump in dirty clothes to wash as soon as you’ve relocated.
Laundry Room - Pack up everything but what you need to wash a few more loads and/or clean up the place.

MOVING DAY

Food - It’s time for the rest of the food to be either packed up, thrown out, or given away. Refrigerated, frozen, all of it!
Sheets & Blankets & Towels - First thing in the morning, start washing all your sheets and blankets and towels and pack them up as they come out of the dryer (or use them as padding for furniture and stuff).
Random Assorted Junk - Trust me; it’s gonna be there. Have a few bags or boxes handy and chuck stuff in them as you find it.
Furniture - Take apart the furniture so it can be easily moved.
Cleaning Supplies - Clean the house so that the new residents can move right in, and then put all the cleaning supplies in buckets or caddies for moving.
Clothes - Put the last of the clothes in those open boxes, then tape them shut. If you don’t have time to do another load, put the dirty clothes in the hamper or mesh bag as I mentioned earlier.

A note for moving day: keep personal items like important files, your suitcases, your purse, and anything else that you want to keep close, in your vehicle. Pack that up first so that those helping you move don’t accidentally put it in the moving truck. Also, leave a little space in your vehicle for those other random things that just don’t end up in the truck like they’re supposed to!

And that’s it! I’m sure I’ve missed something (knowing me, something major!), but this list should get you started if you - like me - are staring in dismay at all the stuff crammed into your living space.

If you want to keep this list handy, here’s a FREE printable .PDF file for you! Print it out, check off each item as you finish packing it up, and don’t miss a thing. I only put basic categories on this file, though, so keep this blog post pinned or bookmarked so you can get more detailed instructions as you work.

Need More Help With Your DIY Move?

Check out my other posts:

50 Comments Filed Under: At Home, Household Tagged With: moving, packing, tips for the diy move