Managing a home is not for the faint at heart! It’s hard work, ya’ll! But there are so many resources that can help a girl out! Below you will find my favorites. I hope they make your life as a home manager just a little easier!
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Cleaning
Method All-Purpose Cleaner
This is my all-time favorite cleaning product! I use it everywhere and it really helps to simplify my cleaning. The grapefruit is my favorite scent! And aren’t these bottles just the cutest?! I don’t even mind leaving it on my counter from time to time! 🙂
Mrs. Meyer’s Concentrate
I use this to mix up my own cleaning products. I love it because I know it’s safe for my boys. Plus the honeysuckle scent is a little slice of heaven! I grew up in the country with an entire row of honeysuckle bushes along the edge of our property. Using this cleaner always reminds of my playing outside when I was a child!
Bona Floor Cleaner
I just recently started using Bona products and, I have to admit, I’m totally hooked. This floor cleaner works wonders on my hardwood floors! I used to have streaks and the next day my floors would already look dirty again. It was so frustrating! This Bona floor cleaner gets them clean and keeps them clean!
Turbo Mop
I have two Turbo Mops and use them all the time. They are so much easier to use than other mops and are super high quality. You can read more about these mops in this post.
Bar Keepers Friend
This stuff is my secret weapon to getting stains off my counters and scum off my tubs! Bar Keeper’s Friend is something everybody needs in their cleaning cabinet!
Mr. Clean Magic Erasers
If you have children, go buy a package of Magic Erasers right now! You can thank me later! I’ve been able to remove crayon marks from walls, scuffs on my floors, and built-up dirt and grim off of almost anything from appliances to white trim! These things are amazing!
eCloth
I’m a recent convert to eCloth and I can honestly say I don’t know what took me so long. eCloth is similar to Norwex in that it’s a microfiber cloth that picks up 99.9% of all bacterial that you then wash out. I love that it’s safer to use around my kids, but it’s much more affordable than comparable products!
Shark Vacuum
I’ve been using my Shark vacuum for about a year and a half and I wonder what I ever did without it. This is another product that helps me simplify my cleaning. Shark also has amazing customer service! We’ve already had a super small issue that they resolved super quickly! I’m so happy with this product and company!
A few of my favorite cleaning posts:
- A Simple System to Keep Your Home Clean
- Creating a Morning Routine for Busy Moms
- Creating an Evening Routine for Busy Moms
- How to Create a Cleaning Schedule for the Overwhelmed Mom
- 2 Hours to a Clean Home
Organizing
Simply Organized: 50+ Printables to Help You Get and Stay Organized
I use this set of printables in my home management binder to help me get all of the things swirling around in my head down on paper in an organized fashion. It’s where I keep my monthly calendar, weekly schedule, daily to-do lists, cleaning routines, meal plans, budgets, and all other things related to my home and family. You can read more about how I organize my home management binder here.
Martha Stewart Binders
I use binders to help me organize so many things from my home management binder where I store all of my printables to any type of season planner to my recipe binder! They are so useful in keeping so many different aspects of home management organized! I’m in love with the Martha Stewart binders from Staples. The quality of this binder in particular is far above anything else I have purchased! Plus, the color…it’s perfect!
Avery Binder Dividers
My favorite binder dividers are these by Avery. I’ve sued both the 5 and 8 packs as well as the ones with pockets and the ones without! They are all great, sturdy, quality products that hold up to the test of time!
Label Maker
Every good organizer needs a label maker! I received this one as a Christmas gift about 4 years ago and it’s still going strong! I’ve considered upgrading to something that has a few more features, but my budget-friendly labeler does the trick.
Filing System Guide
I keep all of the files in my home organized using my simple Filing System Guide. This system is simple to setup and very easy to maintain. You can learn more about the filing system I use here or grab the guide to get it setup for yourself!
Hanging File Folders
I use these hanging file folders for both my filing system. I also use these for other projects around my home including organizing my son’s school papers! I’ve found these particular folders to be the best bang for your buck as far as durability and affordability.
I use these around my home in a few different ways. They are perfect for my son’s school paper organization. But they would also work great for a smaller filing system!
Scotch Thermal Laminator
I love using my laminator to make my printables reusable! I have this budget-friendly Scotch Thermal Laminator and it works fantastic! It’s quick and easy to use and perfect for small, household laminating jobs.
Scotch Thermal Laminating Pouches
You can’t have a laminator without the pouches. These Scotch Thermal Laminating Pouches are both great quality and budget-friendly in comparison to several other brands. I’ve also purchased these in bulk from Sam’s Club, but Amazon’s price can oftentimes be a bit cheaper. Just check around for a good price!
3-Hole Punch
This simple, basic three hole punch does the job for me right now. I can only hole punch about 5 pages at a time. I’m considering upgrading to a heavy duty hole punch, but for now this one is working just fine for me. If you don’t own a hole punch, this one is a great one that won’t break the bank!
Lazy Susan
I use these EVERYWHERE! You can find them in my kitchen, bathrooms, and laundry rooms. They are great for back corners or tight spaces where it’s hard to get to things in the back.
3-Tier Cabinet Organizer
This is the closest cabinet organizer I could find to the one I own. I love how it makes organizing canned goods so easy. Plus, the no-slip base is great!
Woven Baskets
Who doesn’t love a good woven basket?! I know I do and it’s pretty evident if you walk around my house. They are everywhere! My favorites are the ones with liners. (Or you can learn to DIY your own woven baskets here!)
Con-Tact Drawer Liner
This comes in so many different colors, patterns, and prints! It’s not only pretty in the bottom of drawers or back wall of a cabinet, but it also helps to keep things cleaner! Win-win!
Lastpass
This free app has saved me more times than I can count. It is such a handy little tool that helps you organize all of your login information for all of the different accounts you have online! I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had to reset passwords in the past! Ugh! But not anymore!
A few of my favorite organizing posts:
- Practical Tips for Moms When Using the Konmari Method
- How to Organize Your Home When You Don’t Know Where to Begin
- 5 Reasons You Can’t Stay Organized
- How to Clear the Clutter and Bring Back Your Joy
- 5 Simple Steps to Minimize Your Kid’s Toys without Stealing Their Joy
- 5 Tips for Decluttering with Kids in Tow
Time Management
Make Over Your Mornings
I’ve really struggled with being productive and intentional with my morning hours. I honestly never thought I could be a morning person, but after I took Crystal Paine’s Make Over Your Mornings course that all changed. Her tips, advice, and strategies really helped this night owl become a morning person! Head here to grab your first day of the online course FREE!
Make Over Your Evenings
I loved Make Over Your Mornings so much that when I saw Crystal was coming out with Make Over Your Evenings I knew I had to jump on board! She really dives into how being successful with a morning routine starts at night and how to make it a quick, easy process. Both of these course have really made a huge impact on my time management skills.
Cozi
If you are a digital planner type girl, then the Cozi Calendar app is for you! I’ve used this app off and on for several years now and I love so many of the features! It’s a list-makers heaven. Plus, I love that you can connect your entire family’s calendar to one app with one login on multiple devices! The best part?! Cozi is FREE! Click the link above to grab it and get yourself and your family a little more organized!
Erin Condren Life Planner
While I do love my digital planner, I’m a paper planner girl at heart. As for my favorite paper planner, it’s the Erin Condren that I always recommend. I’ve tried several and always come back to this one! Click the link above to grab $10 off your first purchase!
A few of my favorite time management posts:
- 5 Things Brilliant Moms Do to Get More Done
- 15 Ways to Simplify Your Life as a Stay-at-Home Mom
- 5 Strategies I Use to Stay Productive Throughout the Day
- 6 Ways to Take Control of Your Day as a Stay-at-Home Mom
Meal Planning & Grocery Shopping
$5 Meals
I’m a meal planner. I love it. But I know some people don’t and I understand that! It can be just one more thing to add to your plate that’s already overflowing! If this sounds like you, then you might benefit from Erin Chase’s $5 Meals. She provides weekly meal plans to take the guess work out for you! Click here to grab your first 14-days FREE!
Amazon Prime
I’m on online shopping big time and Amazon is my go to place for any type of household products! We decided to bite the bullet and purchase Prime a few years ago and we’ve been so happy we did! It’s more than paid for itself several times over! The two-day shipping is amazing! Click the link to grab your first 30 days FREE!
The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Dinnertime Cookbook
My favorite cookbook is by my favorite cook…the one and only Mrs. Ree Drummond herself! She is fantastic and this cookbook doesn’t disappoint. If you only invest in one cookbook, let this be it. It’s the best. Enough said.
iBotta
I will admit. I was hesitant to try the iBotta app. I didn’t want to jump on the bandwagon for a long time. But now I’m kicking myself for waiting so long! It’s so easy. You literally get paid to go shopping for things you were already planning to buy! You can download it for FREE. Just click the link above!
Saving Star
This is another great grocery store app that helps you save on your food purchases. I’ve just recently started using this app, but it’s already saved me quite a bit! Click the link above to register and download the app to your phone to start saving the easy way at the grocery store!
A few of my favorite meal planning posts:
Money Management
Budget Binder Printables
These are the printables we use to keep track of our regular monthly budget, our emergency fund tracker, our sinking funds, and our bill pay checklist. I love these budget printables because they help keep everything organized and all in one place. You can read more about our budgeting printables in this blog post.
Every Dollar
This is the app my husband and I use to keep track of our budget. It’s made by Dave Ramsey so you know it’s amazing! While there is a free version, I’m totally hooked on the upgraded version because it makes things so easy to plug in and adjust as needed. You can get the FREE version by clicking the link above.
Swagbucks
I use Swagbucks to earn Amazon gift cards. It’s super easy to use and not nearly as time consuming as many make it out to be. I spend very little time on Swagbucks and earn at least a couple of gift cards each month! You can try it out for free above!
eBates
Every time I shop online, I always go through eBates. They literally give you cash back every time you make a purchase. I’ve found that it’s easiest to fill up my cart wherever I’m shopping and then save it. Then I open a new window, go to eBates and click through to the store I was shopping at to finish checking out. Then a lovely little check arrives in my mail a few weeks later! It couldn’t get any easier you guys!
A few of my favorite money management posts:
- 4 Reason Using the Cashing Envelope System Simplifies Our Life
- 4 Steps to Quickly Plug Your Budget Leaks
- How the Flex Fund Can Dramatically Transform Your Budget
Life Changing Books
Audible
Before I get into my all-time favorite books, I want to share with you an incredible little tool I use to read more every day! It’s called Audible and ya’ll it’s amazing! While I love reading, I don’t always have the time each day to sit down and read a few chapters from my book. However, with audible I can be doing other things like washing dishes, folding laundry, or fixing dinner and listen while I work! It’s amazing. Click this link and grab 2 audiobook downloads FREE!
Say Goodbye to Survival Mode by Crystal Paine
I read this book right before I had my second baby and I’m so glad I did! It really gave me the courage to step back, say no, and see the value in a simpler, less stressed life. If you are overwhelmed, sleep deprived, or just have too much on your plate, this is a great read!
The More of Less by Joshua Becker
I read this book over the summer and it has changed the way I look at my possessions as well as anything I bring into my home. It’s premise is that we really don’t need as much as we think we do and living with less actually gives you more freedom to do the things you truly love. It’s been life changing for my husband and I as we cleared out several van loads of clutter from our home.
The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo
I read this book for the first time while 8 months pregnant. Not the best time to read this book! Nesting and The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up can be dangerous when combined! 🙂 I will say that I don’t agree with everything she says in this book, it’s definitely inspiring and provides a fresh perspective on decluttering. It’s less about what you are getting rid of and more about what you are keeping that brings your joy. I found that very refreshing.
Smart Money Smart Kids by Dave Ramsey and Rachel Cruze
This was a recent read for me, but was a great introduction for teaching our boys about money. I love Dave Ramsey and hearing his perspective along with his daughters gave me a lot of insight on how to build strong money habits in my own children.
The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey
This book changed our lives and our marriage. We took Dave Ramsey’s class and read this book just a few weeks before we got married. I don’t think we would be where we are today financially speaking without the foundational principles Dave Ramsey teaches in this book.
Money-Making Mom by Crystal Paine
I read this book last year when it was released. While it’s not for every home manager, it’s definitely for anyone who wants to be a home manager and create a way to earn a side income. It’s inspiring and informational all at the same time. A must read for any mom who wants to earn an income from home.
Just for Moms!
Cents of Style
I purchase a lot of my clothing from Cents of Style. I love their clothing and their cause. They have beautiful quality clothing at affordable prices for real moms on real budgets!
Thredup
I’ve used Thredup to purchase several items over the past 6 months and so far I’ve been really happy with them. There returns have been stellar and their prices are decent in comparison to what you would pay for the items full price. If you are looking for quality pieces of clothing at affordable prices, check out Thredup. Click on the link above to get $10 off your first order.
My Favorite Stores
Amazon
As a stay-at-home mom, I like to simplify things as much as possible. If I can get something online for the same price (or cheaper!), I’m totally in! That’s why I do a lot of my shopping on Amazon! I’ve even done my Baby Registries there! I especially love there Subscribe and Save program!
Staples
Staples is my go-to home office supply store! I love their products, their services, and their additional lines (uh…Martha Stewart and Erin Condren!)
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