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How to have balance with kids, job and a life
Something so important to me is balance. Last year it took me a while to figure out what exactly that looked like for me. This blogging journey started back in March which added to an already busy lifestyle of being a mom of two kids. I have 65% of the time with me with, their activities, my full time job as HR for my parents company, and my side hussle of owning apartments. All of the fun that goes along with that and trying to fit in selfcare. Be that being working out, time to myself, cleaning my home and of course my great boyfriend of almost two years now Kyle, doing date night and spending time together.
Mornings
Since starting the #last90days challenge it teaches you to get up an hour earlier which has helped a ton. At first I was using this time to do my Instagram posting and engagement for the morning, but at 5 am you don’t see alot of activity. So I had to change it up and I really didn’t want to workout that early. When I workout I like to read a magazine, scroll social media, or watch tv. I don’t do a rough workout.
After doing the 80 days and doing Orange Theory and all the things for so long I needed a break. Now I am walking on the treadmill for at least a half hour. I do this after the kids get on the bus and I have the place all to myself. During that early hour I now do things for me, like laundry or cleaning or just checking my email. I plan on doing more blogging during this time and that is one of my goals this year.
During the day
After workout is done I get ready and head to work. Sometimes to the apartments to see what needs marked off on the never ending list of to dos. At the office I do HR and all the fun things with it. I manage the payroll and also do the books for myself for my rentals when I get all of my other items accomplished for the day. Lunch lately has been taken at the desk with leftovers or soup. All while trying to get caught up on all my personal bills and emails and if there is time blogging.
Afternoon
Thankfully the mom thing I have down. I have kind of always been a single parent even when I was married so use to doing everything all the time. I did the pickup, drop off, doctors appointments and sports all on my own. So when I did get divorced it was a major shock to the system of having time alone. That is a whole other post for another day. Using a system of when they get home, met them from the bus, doing homework and snacks.
Then activities after that in which everyone goes is part of our quiet time in the car waiting that hour for them to be done. Piper will bring a book or something to do while Will is at practice. Will and I will do flash cards or books or just have some down time while we wait on Piper. This only happens twice a week so far so I am kind of lucky we aren’t running around all the time. Dinner is during or after homework and lately its been Hello Fresh because of the fresh ingredients and so easy to make.
Bedtime
After that its bedtimes, Piper heads to bed and Will and I read books, lately its been Dogman. These are his favorite lately and I love that he is willing to sit and listen to me read them.
Kyle is very understanding of all of my balancing and is there to support me in this wonderful journey. When I don’t have the kids we stay at his place and that can be a nice break. He also joins me in getting up early but he actually does go and workout lol.
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How to get organized and decrease your stress
I feel like we have all been there. Overwhelmed by our stuff, especially after the holidays, and we need to purge. The stuff gets the best of us and there is simply just too much of it. The overall feeling of this year has been fitness and overall well being. But its hard to have a feeling of well being when your overwhelmed. So time to tackle the mess and end the stress. I am sharing my journey of how to get organized to make my home and life a better place.
My biggest issue is well, everything exactly. I am pretty sure I am not alone when I feel like every space needs a clean up and a purge. From the kitchen to the bedrooms to the bathroom to the garage. I have two kids who love their stuff and a wonderful mother that makes sure we are all well taken care of so our home is overflowing at times.
Last year I started in the basement in the unfinished space of the house. It was full of totes, totes full of kids clothes, decor for holidays and apartment stuff. I decided to get rid of all the colors of totes and get all matching. Why is this a good idea you ask? In getting all matching totes it caused the emptying out all of the totes and get rid of stuff we didn’t need. I cleaned out all of the kids clothes, all of the decor and all the other items that didn’t have a home. This went for all of the other spaces that had totes. Under the stairs totes were switched out to all matching totes so all of those got cleaned out and organized. The garage as well had all the multiple colors got cleaned out and reduced to a couple of totes that all match.
Before I had a lapse in the last few months with the downstairs having all of the holidays stuff and Will being down there with me while I work out so it was a disaster. After one morning though I got it all cleaned out and organized. Totes can make a huge difference in how to get organized in the storage area.
after I started working on the kitchen last year and got alot of items in cute little storage containers but the larger drawers will still out of control. I got a ton of cute plastic containers for all of the small drawers. Measured them and thought about what I wanted to keep in them and ordered accordingly. I also did this for some of the pull out containers. This had all the snacks organized and the same for the baking drawers.
I bought cute little containers after I measured for the short pantry in the island. Some Tupperware for all of my baking goods and labels I made with my computer and cute little baskets to hold all of the holiday decorations for cakes and cookies.
For the regular pantry I cleaned out all of the shelves and put down new contact paper to clean it up a bit. Having the paper down gives it a great clean new look and cleaning out appliances I no longer used. Expired food that had been taking up space was all discarded. The roll out pantry I just went through and cleaned out all the slides. Its amazing how you don’t look at it forever and all the items that have gone bad.
The spice drawer I wanted a nice clean look so I got new spice containers and jars that I printed off labels for. I wanted just an organized aesthetic. I think the jars and spices completely captured that. Its so clean and easy to find things now. I love how it looks and just feels clean. Two sets of spice containers were needed and jars for all of the larger spices that take up more space. To keep track of the expiration just write on the bottom of the jar.
The larger pull out drawers I just finished up on. The silverware and all of the things. I pulled out everything and got rid of all of the items that looked like they had passed their prime and usefulness and got rid of anything we didn’t use anymore. Its amazing how much you can get rid of when you just take the time to pull it all out and look at what you have.
I have made great strides in the kitchen and garage so far and plan on keeping it up. I still have a few more rooms to go and plan on sharing the journey with you.
How to get organized:
- Buy matching totes-cleaning out the old ones helps get rid of stuff and makes the space look organized
- Measure all of the drawers and think of what you want in there
- Pull out everything and get rid of what you don’t use
- Getting rid of the clutter makes you feel better
- Having cleaning shows on in the background helps to get inspired.
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The Weekly Roundup from Instagram
Have you adjusted yet? I know I haven’t! I totally slept in the other morning and I didn’t feel guilty at all. I just needed some more time in bed, maybe a day would do me. Its looking like a busy weekend so going to have to schedule in some naps.
If you joined my stories this week you saw some home repairs to an apartment which surprisingly to me I got some request for more of! I have been a landlord for years now and was a general contractor previously and I am so glad you want to see more of that. I will try to shoot some more footage of that and also of my ongoing organization of the kitchen. Its such a great feeling to clean and organize you forget how nice it looks when its been a disaster for so long lol.
Onto the clothes, there has been huge markdowns and clearances due to the new stock of clothes coming in. I have been loving the lilac for spring clothes that I saw the other day and can’t wait to see more. Here is what you guys loved this week.
This is my #momlife! My Tahoe and amazon! Spent the other day helping Piper pick out all of her decorations and invitations to her birthday party. One stop shopping is so the way to go sometimes, especially because she wasn’t feeling well and laying on the couch as we shopped. This big beast makes life so much easier. I love all the room it has and how pretty it is. I can go to Costco or fill it full of cleaning supplies for cleaning apartments lol. This sweater is under 20 and so comfy, you can easily do a one shoulder look and these jeans fit true to size.
Loving the stripes! Such a cute and cozy top! Love how it looks and how you can go over the shoulder. This is a small but if you want a more oversized look go up one size. Paired with these jeans that felt like I was at the beach, highwaisted and ankle cut with raw hem. Such a cute look!
I love cardigans and leggings! I would live in these if I could! I still can’t believe I have gone on this long without trying the Spanx Leggings. They are seriously the best! Go up one size in them, I am in a medium.
How snuggly is this! I love cozy tops and I wear them almost all the time including bed, Kyles place is freezing! So when I find a good one I grab it. Go up one size in this one because its not long but so reasonable priced.
This green sweater is actually a mix of blues, whites, greens and browns. Loving all the variation in it and how cozy it really is. You can stay true to size in it and the fit is perfect. These jeans go up one size, so comfy.
