The Simple Life

Stuck at home? You don’t have to be bored and feel like you are in prison.

There are ways to thrive when stuck at home, whether it is because you are sick, caring for someone sick, need to save money, or are stuck in your house for social distancing.

Things to do when stuck at home

1 – Get outside!

If you have a way to get outside, the sunshine will do your mind and body wonders.  It doesn’t matter if you have acres and acres to play on or just a tiny little patio or balcony. 

Get outside your front or back door, and soak in the sunshine. 

Cold outside? Dress appropriately. 

I have been known to grab a camping chair and book and read while it is super cold outside.  I’ll wear my hat, ski coat, and multiple layers.  An hour later, I’ll feel incredibly refreshed, even with the crisp air.

Activities you can do outside, even if you are stuck at home:

• Play games in your yard.
• Put up a slackline.
• Create an obstacle course.  Let your imagination run wild!
• Have races with your family members (or your dog).
• Use sidewalk chalk in your driveway or on your sidewalk.

2 – Craft time / house project time

Often times, life doesn’t allow us the freedom to sit and do crafts we enjoy or start projects that have been our to-do lists forever.  If you are stuck at home, use this opportunity to make something special.

You can even get ahead on homemade gifts for kids for birthdays or Christmas or homemade gifts for family and friends. 

Crafts not your thing? Do a home repair or project that has been hanging over you for a while. 

Now is the perfect time to catch up, especially if you feel well and already have the supplies on hand.

Need ideas? Crafts and projects you can do when stuck at home:

• Make a board game
• Do a daily craft challenge
• Finish a big project
• Create puppets and then do a puppet show
• Look up random national holidays and make a craft around it
• Make a nature craft
• Make any clothing repairs
• Learn a new skill like sewing, crochet, knitting, etc.
• Make a scrapbook

Related post: Organize your craft room

3 – Family time

If you are stuck at home, chances are you have a lot more opportunities for family time.  Take advantage of this time.  Relish in it.  Don’t fight it.

I don’t particularly love getting on the floor and just playing with my kids, but I do love doing actual activities with them (hey, don’t judge me). 

One of my favorite things to do is have designated family time nights. 

For example, we do a family movie night with homemade pizzas every Friday and like to do board games or Wii games on Saturday nights.  These ideas are generally free activities, and even making the pizzas gets the whole family involved!

Other family activities you can do when stuck at home:

• Board games
• Card games
• Find a series to watch together. (Our family LOVES Master Chef Jr.)
• Read a book out loud (We like to read books that are movies and then watch the movie when done.)
• Take advantage of free online culture options (virtual museum tours, etc.)
• Make a craft together
• Have a picnic together
• Set up a tent in the back yard

4 – Solitary time

If you are stuck at home and live with other people, it will be important to incorporate some solitary time into your schedule.   

It’s OK to give yourself some self-care and don’t feel guilty for taking it!

Go to another part of the house, if at all possible.  If that’s not possible, declare you are taking some time to yourself.  Go ahead and pop in headphones with some relaxing music, so you aren’t distracted by everything around you.

Activities you can do for some alone time when stuck at home:

• Write a letter
• Read a book
• Join an online book club
• Take a nap
• Call a friend
• Finish a project
• Journal (traditional journal or video journal)
• Organize your photos (either physical or on your phone)

5 – Declutter your home

If you are stuck at home with a lot of time on your hands, this may be the perfect time to finally declutter your home. 

A cleaner, clutter-free home will make you feel more relaxed and calmer inside your home, even in the craziest of times!

Not sure where to start?

• Check out this decluttering workbook with over 60 pages of information and 20+ checklists for all the rooms in your home

6 – Learning time

There may become a time when you are stuck at home that you start to feel like your brain is melting from boredom! If this is the case, work a little learning time into your day. 

Learning will awaken your mind and give you something to focus on for a while. 

Here are a few ideas for learning when stuck at home:

• Real-life learning activities you can do with kids (cooking, meal planning, budgeting, laundry, gardening, counting money, etc.)
• Learn about single-use plastics and make an effort to reduce them in your home (Check out this get started guide)
• Watch tutorials for a topic of choice on YouTube
• Take an online course. 

7 – Cook

A lot of people didn’t learn how to cook when growing up.  That can make heading off to college or adulthood a very scary thing. 

Take the time from being stuck at home to teach your kids how to cook.  Teach them how to plan a meal, make substitutions, measure out ingredients, chop vegetables, cut meats and cook properly. 

No kids? Teach yourself how to cook!

Watch a YouTube cooking show, get a new cookbook from the library, or look up a new recipe online.  The more you practice, the better you will get.

Fun cooking activities when stuck at home:

• Play a cooking game with a mystery box.  Make a new recipe with the ingredients available.
• Learn common ingredient substitutions and tweak a recipe
• Have kids practice looking up recipes in an index, getting all the ingredients out and putting together a simple meal
• Take an online cooking or baking course

8 – Exercise

You don’t need an expensive gym to get regular exercise.  There are many ways to exercise at home for cheap or free.  

Exercise is great for the mind and body too.  If you are feeling stir-crazy, it can greatly change your mood.  Use this time of being stuck at home to finally get in shape!

Fun activities for exercise when stuck at home:

• Go for a run (outside or on a home treadmill, if you have one)
• Jump rope
• Get an adult-sized hula-hoop, they are soooo much fun!
• Download an online program like Beachbody on Demand (I love the 21-day fix) or Barre Online
• Go for a hike (if you can leave the house but want a free activity)
• Lookup a free exercise routine on YouTube that you can do in your home with no equipment
• Do a workout challenge (like a push-up challenge or an ab challenge)

9 – Play!

Finally, if you feeling bored and stuck at home, go play!  You can play with your kids, your dog, or your whoever. 

Here are some fun activities:

• Have a Lego building competition
• Play store and practice counting money
• Have a jump rope competition
• Play any kind of ball
• Teach your kids your favorite childhood game
• Create a skit and then perform it for family or friends via Facetime or Skype

If you are stuck at home, it doesn’t have to feel like a prison.  You have so many options to keep yourself and your family busy and still thrive!

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9 Ways to Thrive While Stuck at HomeRead More

I love to travel.  My husband is a pilot, and one major benefit we enjoy is traveling anywhere we want…for free.  However, the downfall of free travel is flying stand-by and not being able to check our luggage.  As a result, I’ve become a master at packing for a week in a carry-on. 

I’ve gone on ski vacations, packed for myself and two toddlers, and taken a two-week vacation, all with a single carry-on.  

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. 

This post contains affiliate links for your convenience (which means if you make a purchase after clicking a link, I will earn a small commission but it won’t cost you a penny more)! Read my full disclosure policy.

Here are my fail-proof steps for packing for a week in a carry-on: 

Check the weather

This seems obvious, but you wouldn’t believe the number of phone calls we get from guests asking about the weather when they are visiting.  

I don’t mind relaying the weather, but just in case, the website or app I use is weather.com.  You’re welcome.  🙂 

Be prepared to wear some items twice (or more)

If you want to pack for a week in a carry-on, you need to be mentally prepared to wear some items twice, or maybe even more. 

I almost always bring one to two pairs of jeans with me on a trip.  They are super versatile.   They can handle cold, be dressed up or down, and hide dirt well.  

I also wear my bras and wool socks twice. 

Unless you sweat more than the average person, which I bet you don’t, you can wear items several times.  I promise, no one will notice.  

Pack layers

This is my trick to really getting more wear out of my clothes when I pack for a week in a carry-on.  

I especially love packing in layers when I’m going somewhere and the weather is all over the place. 

For example, I’m going to a conference soon. We should dress nicely, and it’s wintertime.  I know the conference rooms will likely be hot, a by-product of a large number of people in a single room. 

To prepare myself, I packed all sleeveless or short sleeve blouses and paired them with cardigans.  There are a couple of cardigans I can wear more than once if needed.  

If you are going someplace where you will be active, you can pack a couple of short sleeve shirts and pair them with a fleece pullover. 

Be mindful of the thickness of your layers.  I generally pack thin cardigans for nicer wear and fleeces for casual wear.  Sweatshirts and big sweaters are bulky and take up a ton of space in your carry-on. 

Create a travel capsule wardrobe 

If you have never built a capsule wardrobe before, it is essentially an easily mix-and-matched set of clothes that can be worn in a multitude of situations. 

Travel is NOT the time to pack your unique pieces. 

Pick out clothes where your tops and bottoms can easily be interchanged. That way, if something happens to one half of an outfit, you aren’t completely out of luck.  

You can even pack a simple sundress, which can be worn by day, to a party or nice dinner at night, and paired with a lightweight cardigan or jean jacket when needed.  They are super versatile. 

Pack one extra pair of shoes

If you are seriously committed to packing for a week in a carry-on, you are going to have to concede on the number of shoes you are packing. 
I challenge you to pack only one pair of shoes in your bag.  

Typically, I’ll wear my tennis shoes or casual wear shoes when I’m at the airport.  They are the bulkiest, and they are the most comfortable for a long day of walking. 

If I’m going somewhere where I’ll need dress shoes, I’ll pack one pair of ballerina flats in a color that matches all my outfits. Remember, you will have an easily matched capsule wardrobe, so two total pairs of shoes should easily work.   

Undergarments

I refuse to pack any less underwear than days in my trip.  It’s my one area where I won’t concede.  Usually, I pack one pair per day, plus two. For example, on a 7-day trip, I pack 9 pairs of underwear.  

It’s makes no sense but I blame my mother for this mentality! 

For my bras, I will wear those several times.  I usually pack 2-3 bras for a one week trip.  I wear one, and the other 1-2 get packed.  

Your bras are not meant to be washed daily anyway.  Embrace this! 

Socks 

I’m a sock snob.  I admit it.  I usually wear wool socks, winter and summer versions. 

My favorite two manufacturers of wool socks are Darn Tough and Smart Wool socks.  They make heavyweight winter and lightweight summer versions.  They come in athletic cuts too.  Seriously, these are my favorites.  

Because they are wool, they don’t get saturated with sweat, and you can usually wear them more than one day without the foot stink.  

Athletic wear 

If I’m packing for a week in a carry-on, I’ll usually pack two workout outfits. Chances are, with six full days of vacation, I’ll work out four times.

By packing two sets of athletic wear, I’ll wear each set twice.  They will likely be disgusting after the first workout session, but no one is smelling me while I’m working out anyway! 

I’ll use my tennis shoes I packed as my workout shoes. 

If you have zero plans to workout (be honest with yourself here), then skip packing this category of clothing.

Swimsuits, Flip Flops, and Cover-ups 

Only one swimsuit suit is needed in your carry-on. I don’t care if you are packing for a beach vacation or winter hot tub cabin. 

You can wear a semi-wet suit to and from the beach, pool or hot tub.  It won’t kill you. 

You also don’t have to flaunt all the latest swimsuit fashions if you are committed to packing for a week in a carry-on. 

If I don’t have flip flops as one of your two pairs of shoes, consider packing an ultra-thin pair.  

Sometimes I simply wear my tennis shoes back and forth from the swimming area, especially in the wintertime. They are more multi-purposeful. 

If you want a great pair of all-purpose flip flops, I’m in love with my Teva flip flops.  I’ve walked MILES in these things, and my feet have never hurt.  
If I’m going somewhere warm, my Teva flip flops are my go-to pair of shoes.  Best part, they last years without showing any significant wear.  

You can skip the coverup or pack something very small. I like to have a coverup, so I have a small coverup dress that works great for traveling. 

Pack basic toiletries

When packing for a week in a carryon, go light on your toiletries.  Unless you are staying in a hostel or rental house with no amenities, you should be fine.  

If you are going somewhere that doesn’t have soap and shampoos, consider packing a shampoo bar.  You can even cut the bar in half or quarters and use it all over your body! 

Get your quart-sized bag (must be TSA approved), and put only the essentials in it. 

I usually pack any liquid make-up, hand sanitizer, hair gel or other hair product in a travel-sized container, and travel toothpaste.  

Don’t pack nail polish, even if you have room.  It will break.  I speak from experience.  Paint your nails before leaving on your trip and call it good. 

Keep accessories to a minimum 

There is no reason to ever pack a hairdryer in a suitcase.  Ever. Use the hairdryer from the hotel, your host’s home, or let it air dry.  

I do support packing a flat iron, if you use one.  I actually wash my hair right before leaving on a trip and skip washing most days, unless it’s needed.  

I really like having a flat iron travel case.  Then, if I leave in a hurry, it can be packed fast, even if it’s still not.   It also takes up very little space in my suitcase. 

Some flat irons even allow you to add some minor waves to your hair without having to pack a curling iron.  

Wear the same jewelry every day or carry only a couple very small changes.  
A single travel scarf that matches many outfit combinations should be more than sufficient.  It can keep you warm on a plane, warm in a cooler climate and used as a fashion accessory.

Jacket and winter gear

I live where it’s super cold.  Usually, if going on vacation, I’m going somewhere warmer, so I’ll pack a lighter jacket. 

If I’m going somewhere super cold, I’ll usually wear and carry my big, winter coat.  It loops through my suitcase handle for easy carrying, and it makes a great pillow if lucky enough to get a window seat! 

If you are packing a lightweight jacket, pick one that smushes and carries well.  If the weather is cool but not cold, I’ll pack a jean jacket or lightweight rain/wind coat, as it matches nearly every outfit and folds well into a carry-on.  

If you need snow pants, one pair should do you.  Yes, even for a one week ski vacation. 

You likely have thermals on, so your sweat isn’t going to saturate your waterproof pants. 

Two pairs of thermals should be more than sufficient if you are going on a winter vacation and they are needed multiple days.  

Wool thermals are awesome because of their ability to wick and not smell. I love my Smart Wool thermals.

Be prepared to improvise when packing in a carry-on only

Since you are packing for one week in a carryon, you may need to improvise as your trip progresses. 

For example, if you get spaghetti sauce on your shirt, you may now need to wear another shirt twice (or gasp, three times) since you didn’t have room for extras.  

Pick the shirt that was least worn and sweated in.  Or wear your spaghetti sauce and don’t care! 

If you must, you can usually do laundry at most destinations.  If you are staying at a rental home or hotel, laundry is fairly cheap.  You can even use a hotel sink or bathtub.

If you are forced into a situation where laundry is a must, go ahead and wash ALL your dirty clothes plus those of your travel companions.  

Doing laundry on vacation is not the time to be picky about mixing whites and colors.  Put them all in the wash and turn it on cold.  You’ve now extended your entire wardrobe! 

File fold your clothes

If you want to maximize your carry-on space and be super organized, I highly recommend file folding your clothes.  

This tactic alone is how I am able to fit so many clothes into my bag.  
If you simply stack your clothes, you can’t see how much you have packed.

File folding allows you to see exactly what you packed and if you have too much of any one thing. 

Carry a backpack through the airport 

Pack a backpack as your personal item.  

It’s more efficient as a personal item than a purse or bag, and it doubles as a useful bag at your destination. 

I usually pack a small or thin purse in the top of my clothes once everything else is packed.   I use it when I get to my destination and my backpack at the airport. 

I love my Osprey daypack and Gregory daypack.  Both are exceptional day packs and allow me to pack my computer (if needed for a combo work/leisure trip) and leave room for any surprise items on the return trip.

Minimalist travel doesn’t have to be hard

Minimalist travel doesn’t have to be hard, and it is completely possible to pack for a week in a carry-on.

Be flexible, and don’t be afraid to go with less than you initially thought. Practice too! It gets easier with time.

How to Pack for a Week in a Carry-OnRead More

I mention emeals often as a favorite resource because I LOVE THEM!  Here you will find my honest review of emeals to see if it’s right for you. 

Emeals is a busy person’s best friend.  Seriously.  

Yes, it’s a pay-for-meal planning service, and it is worth every single penny (although it doesn’t cost that much).   Let me tell you why you need emeals in your life…like yesterday.

This post contains affiliate links for your convenience (which means if you make a purchase after clicking a link, I will earn a small commission but it won’t cost you a penny more)! Read my full disclosure policy.

What is emeals?

Emeals is a meal planning service.  This means you are paying a service to do the meal planning for you.  

People are willing to pay for emeals because it saves you a ton of time and exposes you to different recipes you wouldn’t otherwise try.  

Meal planning will save you money, ensure you eat healthier, and will help you reduce food waste.

The cost of emeals

You get a free 14-day trial to figure out if the service is right for you. 

You can pay for emeals monthly, quarterly or yearly.  If you pay yearly, you get the best deal at $1.25 per week.  

I don’t know about you, but I am more than willing to fork over $1.25 per week to save me HOURS of time and effort in planning out our meals for the week. 

How emeals works

Emeals is a meal planning service.  

You know how you sit around and plan out hours and hours of meals? Well, they do that for you.  

Here’s a list of the services emeals offers: 

1 – They give you a week’s worth of meals. 

2- You get to choose the plan that’s right for you.  They have a plan for EVERY SINGLE DIET or cooking preference you can imagine. 

3 – They let you choose a plan based for 2-3 people (2 adults or 1 adult and 2 kids) or 4-6 people (perfect for a family and sometimes leftovers for lunch).

4 – They let you choose your store preference for several of the meal plans. When this is the case, they build a menu based on the sales pages for that week. 

5 – They have an app, and it’s awesome. (Many weeks I never use anything but the app.  It works that well.)

6 – They create a shopping list for you.  You can print it and go to the store without any other planning. 

7 – If you don’t want a printed shopping list, you can use the digital list on your app. You can even add items you need for other purposes. 

8 – If you don’t like a meal, the ingredients are numbered and you simply cross off those from your printed list or you don’t add that meal to your app’s shopping list. 

9 – For the app, you only add the meals you want and can mix and match meals from different plans.  The app then creates a customized shopping list.  

10 – If you choose Wal-Mart as a store, you can use the app to upload the entire shopping list for free grocery pick-up!! MY FAVORITE FEATURE!! 

11 – Emeals partners with stores who use InstaCart, Amazon, Kroger, and Shipt. 

Emeals customer service review

Emeals has amazing customer service.  Any time I have wanted to pause the service, change something, or need general assistance, they’ve been there and wonderful.  

They update their technology all the time.  Every time they make updates, they get cooler and cooler than the service I first signed up for ten years ago.  

Emeals saves money 

I think I have been paying for the emeals annual plan since 2009, when we first started getting our budget in order. 

At first, it seemed counterintuitive to pay someone to meal plan for me, when I could do it for free.  Yet, for an annual plan, it was only costing me $1.25 per week. 

Think about it this way.  When you go to the grocery store without a plan or are hungry, what happens? You end up spending way too much.   

Emeals offers the ultimate plan, so you don’t overbuy and spend too much.  It also makes sure you are fully prepared so you don’t underbuy and have to go back to the store three more times in a week. 

Emeals saves you time 

Time is money. I can’t begin to tell you how much time emeals has saved me over the years as a busy mom. 

I used to spend hours looking for new recipes, trying to save them in Pinterest or in a notebook, and then planning out my menu.  

When I was trying to very mindful with my budget, I even tried finding recipes that complimented each other so I could share some of the ingredients with a second meal. 

Emeals does this work for me.  It gives me back at least an hour a week, usually two hours.  

Two hours a week is the equivalent of 8 hours a month.  That’s a full workday saved for the low cost of $5. Insanity.  Sign me up!

My review of emeals plans:

Emeals plans offered: 

• 30-Minute Plan
• Budget Friendly
• Clean Eating
• Diabetic
• Gluten-Free
• Heart Healthy
• Keto
• Kid Friendly
• Low Calorie
• Low Carb
• Mediterranean
• Paleo
• Quick and Healthy
• Slow Cooker
• Vegan
• Vegetarian

If you aren’t sure which plan to start with, I would try the 30-Minute plan first, as the meals generally use whole, clean ingredients but aren’t afraid to take shortcuts (like using a cooked rotisserie chicken as the meat in one or two meals).  

If you want more clean meals, go with the Clean Eating Plan. The prep work may take a little longer, but you will be feeding your family the best ingredients!

I’ve tried all the meal plans.  They are all fantastic!  I’ve even tried the emeals vegan meal plan, which was not an option when they first started offering their services. 

Emeals also provides these plans at no additional cost:

Emeals Occasions Plan Review

Emeals will send out a different weekly special occasions plan, at no extra cost, so you can entertain without the hassle of meal planning.  

The emeals occasions plan makes for a really fun party night with friends without the stress. 

Some examples of the emeals occasions plans:

• Holiday Cookie Swap
• Holiday Dinner Party
• Friendsgiving
• Fall Tailgating Party
• Tex-Mex Fiesta
• Grown-up Birthday Party
• Tradition Easter Dinner
• Kids’ Birthday Party
• Super Bowl Celebration
• Fourth of July Cookout 
• Summer Lemonade Themed Party
• Labor Day Cookout
• Mari Gras Celebration
• Valentine’s Day Dinner for Two

Emeals Dessert Plan Review

I love this little freebie.  I don’t always use it, but it’s there when I want it.  No more wasting hours on Pinterest looking for the perfect dessert recipe. 

The recipes are usually seasonal too, perfect when you need a sweet treat for a work or school party. 

Guaranteed you will find a dessert every week you want to try.  The plans offer three dessert recipes to try per week, including one “skinny sweet” option.

Emeals Bonus Collection Review

The bonus collection plans usually provide a library of recipes within a certain theme.  They do not usually include sides, as with the primary meal plans, and I’ve only seen them on the app, not on the desktop site. 

I like the bonus collection meal plans when you know you want a specific type of meal, and you just need an idea, again without having to search through a ton of recipes on Pinterest.  These recipes have also been tested, so you know they are good!

Some examples of the emeals bonus collection plans:

• Easy Weeknight Pasta Dishes
• Easy Instant Pot Dinners
• Our Favorite Chicken Recipes
• Spicy Entrees and Sides
• Best of Keto Made Simple
• Everyday Classic Meals (Their original, most popular meal plan was called “classic”, and if you ever see a recipe titled “classic favorite”, you know it is a keeper!)
• Picky Eater Favorites
• One-Dish Meals
• Super Simple Sides
• Freezer Meals

Other eMeals Plans

You can also buy a few other specialty emeals plans.  

Emeals Lunch Plan Review

I really appreciate the emeals lunch plan.  You can buy it for a really great price, cheaper than the dinner plan at $4 per month!

The lunch plan is usually quick prep meals that would make for a varied lunch every day. No more packing the same boring sandwich for lunch every day.

I’ve also used the lunch plan for weeks when I needed light meals for more on the go options. 

Like the emeals dinner plan, the lunch plan comes with an easily customized shopping list. 

Emeals Breakfast Plan Review

I love everything about the emeals breakfast plan.  In reality, I don’t usually have time for seven different breakfast recipes every week, but I do like to pick around three new meals from the weekly choices. 

The emeals breakfast plan gives variety to your mornings and helps you get a balanced breakfast before heading out the door!

The emeals breakfast plan usually includes a balance of heavier weekend breakfasts and something fast and simple, like a smoothie or breakfast oatmeal “cookie” or muffin.

My favorite features about the different emeals plans:

If it’s not obvious yet in this emeals review, I love this service.  They are constantly asking for customer feedback and evolving to meet customer desires. 

One of my favorite features about emeals is that you can switch from meal plan to meal plan as often as you like. This means if we have a houseguest that’s gluten-free, we don’t have to stress about what we are making, we simply switch to the gluten free menu. 

If you want to try a Mediterranean diet one week and Paleo diet next week, you can do it!

We went through a two year vegan phase, and emeals found recipes we would have never tried otherwise.  My emeals vegan review would highly recommend the plan to anyone new to the vegan lifestyle looking to make a healthy change.

My story with emeals

I first signed up for emeals nearly ten years ago because I was newly married, needed to save a ton of money, and I had no idea how to meal plan. 

To top it off, I had no idea how to even cook.  I actually caught our cabinets on fire once when trying to boil water!!! It was bad.  

I often credit emeals with teaching me how to cook with their original, classic meal plan.  Week over week, I tried new recipes, new cooking techniques and practiced eating at home, rather than going out for most of our meals.  

I’ve seen now how different recipes exchange ingredients and how to be a pretty decent frittata maker.  I can now whip up just about any meal because I’ve been exposed to so many varieties over the years with emeals.  

I sing their praises and offer this emeals review because I believe in them whole-heartedly.  Emeals really did simplify my life and make cooking fun and cost effective.

How to get started with emeals

If you aren’t sure which emeals plan to start with, go with their 30-Minute menu.

When we first started using emeals, it was on their Classic Plan, which seems to most closely relate to the 30-Minute Plan and the Budget Friendly plan.  They have quite a collection of customer favorites that are tested and proven to be delicious!

The emeals Brunswick stew recipe is THE BEST! (If you are from the American South, you know what I’m talking about.)  

If you are used to eating out a lot, I would start with picking out just 3-5 meals a week.  This still allows you to eat out once or twice, and ease yourself into meal planning and eating at home. 

I rarely shop for all 7 meals, as life happens, or we have enough leftovers to have a random “snack supper” or “leftovers choice” meal once a week. 

Picking out only 3-5 meals a week also allows you to cross out any meals you know you won’t enjoy!

Don’t be afraid to try new meals though.  There have been more than a few times that we read a recipe and were super unsure about it, and then, after trying it, were super happy we gave it a go. 

Try eMeals plus grocery delivery with Instacart

My emeals.com review favorite features:

• The low cost. 
• Emeals saves me money overall by reducing impulse buys and food waste. 
• I love the ability to choose your plans and switch between plans every week. 
• The variety of meals keeps mealtime from ever getting boring.  
• I enjoy the ability to get new recipes that have already been tested. 
• Creating a shopping list is now stupid easy.
• The emeals app and its integration with online grocery pick-up services was LIFE CHANGING! 
• Emeals allows you to pause your service if you are on vacation or for any other reason.  
• Emeals is responsible for our family eating healthier meals. 

My honest to goodness emeals review

I LOVE emeals, if it isn’t obvious yet.  If you are on the fence, I want to push you over the edge.  The service is amazing, and trust me, I have tried A LOT of meal planning services, and I always come back to emeals.  It is by far my favorite. 

If you still aren’t sure, try out their free 14-day trial.  If you don’t like them, no biggie.  Chances are though, you will be hooked!  I won’t ever go back to meal planning on my own, as they make it too easy. 

Review of Emeals: Worth the Cost?Read More

I  was always striving to be that Pinterest perfect mom, the one with the cute parties, the mom who only fed her kids organic, clean foods, and the mom that had an immaculately clean house (that was achieved by frantically cleaning for hours before anyone came over to our home). 

I was working full time, making an amazing income.  I was providing my children with everything they needed in life and then some.  They did not know what it was like to go without. I was very proud of this accomplishment.  

Yet, I wasn’t always the super happy mom my social media feed portrayed.

Sure, my children were the joy of my life.  However, being a mom is hard, some days leaving us to think we are utter failures.

How on earth did so many generations do it before me?! 

• I hated not appearing to be happy. 
• I hated that my anxiety and disappointment in myself to parent was so obvious. 
• I hated that I didn’t have time to sit with my kids and just play.
• Everything had to be scheduled around our busy, messy lives.  

Cleaning took a front seat to playing.  Cooking the perfect meal took precedence over taking a walk with my family.   Resetting the house and getting ready for the next day became more important than sleep. 

Something had to give.  

Simplify

New Year’s rolled around, and I knew I wanted to simplify my life.  I didn’t know how. My motto became one word, “Simplify”. 

Since I had no idea where to start, I started going through my closet to find clothes I could give away.  Then, I realized the sheer number of clothes I had was embarrassing.  

I then decided to take a 30 day no clothes shopping challenge.  After 30 days, I still had outfits not worn. Therefore, I decided to extend my no clothes shopping challenge for an entire year.  That adventure turned into a year of not buying much at all.  

A breath of fresh air

As I started to clean out my closet, I felt lighter.  I started to learn everything I could about this concept called “minimalism”.  I read books. I listened to podcasts. I researched everything I could find on the internet. 

Making space in my life made me happy. 

I felt lighter with every van load we took to the local donation center.  As I started to get rid of stuff, our home became so much easier to clean.  I was spending less time taking care of my home and spending more time doing what I loved.  I couldn’t believe it was possible! 

Simplifying my life

As we started to get rid of stuff, we started to simplify other aspects of our life.   No longer did we go shopping for fun. We became much more intentional with our purchases, and we stopped stuffing our home. 

As we stopped buying things, we had more money for experiences.  We were taking longer and more frequent vacations. 

We cut out obligations and activities that didn’t bring our family joy.  We had more time together, and we were treasuring it more and more.  

My own version of minimalism made me a happy mom

Living with less isn’t popular.  People will often make fun of you for it because it is not the social norm.  Our society encourages more. More clothes, bigger homes, the latest and greatest technology and toy stores for playrooms.  

I was done with more.  I wanted less. I saw the power of less.  Having less in my home and in my life made me feel lighter. My anxiety lessened, my house is nearly always ready for an unexpected guest, and my time with my family has grown immensely. 

Getting rid of our stuff made my home happier.   Minimalism made me a happier mom.

Related post: Minimalism for Normal People

Here are a few of the benefits of living simply for moms:

 1 – Less stress, more calm

If you aren’t consumed with trying to do all the things and focus on only what brings you joy, your stress reduces.  You find more calm in your life, and you start doing the tasks that better align with your values. 

2 – Less cleaning to do

When you have less stuff in your home, cleaning naturally becomes easier.  Pick-up will take you five minutes rather than hours. Laundry gets easier, dishes get easier, and you always feel closer to “company ready”. 

3 – More time to play 

When you aren’t spending all your time trying to keep the house clean or go from activity to activity, you have a lot more time in your schedule to simply play.  Minimalism allows moms to feel more caught up and allows you to focus on having a whole lot more fun. 

4 – More time for self-care

Just as you have more time to play when embracing minimalism as a mom, you also have more time for self-care.  It seems like when our lives are chaotic as moms, the idea of self-care goes out the window. When focusing on the things that really matter in our lives, we realize we are better mamas when we take care of ourselves too.  

5 – Less busy

Minimalism isn’t only about clearing the clutter in your home.  It is also about clearing the clutter in your day-to-day life. Say “no” to activities that don’t align with your family’s values or don’t bring anyone true joy.  Take that time to be less busy and do things together that you all enjoy. 

As moms, you deserve to make space in your life.  Make space in your home, and make space in your daily schedule.  The benefits will far outweigh the stuff and the things you think you “should” be doing.

Embracing A Simple Life So You Can Be A Happier MomRead More

I get so sick of trying to keep up with Pinterest mamas and their perfect birthday parties, their perfect homes, and their perfect schedules. Let me tell you, mamas, it is not real. 

Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter…you’re getting the highlights. 

This is not real life.  It is ok to be a Pinterest Fail Mom! There is no such thing as a perfect mom.

I used to try to be that perfect mom. I really thought I could do it all, and I could do it all while my husband was gone for half of the month. Being supermom and superhuman was totally possible.  Who needs sleep anyway?! 

I was working full time, moving up in my career, cooking wholesome meals, restricting TV for my kids, and enjoying all the free, fun stuff around town I could find for us to do. 

Thing is, I was driving myself over the edge and towards a near nervous breakdown.  I was doing way too much, rather than just focusing on what truly mattered. That’s when I decided to simplify my life. 

You can’t do it all…at least you shouldn’t try to do it all

We’re all the same when it comes to time.  We all have 24 hours in the day.

You get to choose how these 24 hours look. It’s all a choice. For every choice you make is a trade-off with another.

Some of the choices you make in your day are necessary. A lot of us have to go to work, make dinner every night, and clean our own homes. Many of us have to hold down the fort while our husbands are gone or because there’s no one else to hold down the fort with us. 

Time does not always allow us to be the high expectation we hold of ourselves to be a perfect mom.

Once you accept the fact that you cannot (or at least should not) do it all, you are not a failure. You’re probably one of the smarter moms out there. You’re certainly smarter than how I was a few years ago when I really did try to do it all.

You see, I was working 40+ hours a week and trying to move up the corporate ladder, I was making from scratch meals, meal planning and shopping for deals, planning the perfect birthday parties, AND trying to be the best intentional parent. 

I was trying so hard to be the perfect mom.  Add on to that trying to be a good wife and homemaker, and I had about 40 hours of tasks to do in a 24 hour period, every day.  It was an impossible uphill battle, and I was starting to feel it!

Your kids don’t care if you’re a Pinterest perfect mom

I made a cake for my daughter‘s third birthday after finishing up a very long week at work.  It was Friday, and we had a birthday party scheduled at Chuck-E-Cheese at 10 AM the next morning.

I asked my daughter what kind of cake she wanted, and she said a princess castle.  Rather than go to the grocery store and spend $20 on a perfect cake with a perfect plastic castle on top, I was going to make one. 

My cake would not come out of a box, it would be homemade and a three-dimensional castle.  I was super mom, and nothing could stop me, not even 40 hours of work that week and pure exhaustion.

My plans for the birthday cake didn’t go as I wanted. The more frustrated I got, the more wine I poured. I had to remake the cake once (we live at elevation and it sank).  The proportions were all off, and nothing was working like it was supposed to!

This is what the cake looked like when I was done:

I was so frustrated, I wanted to cry, and I was embarrassed to show my little three-year-old her cake that I had promised the next morning.  When I showed it to her, do you know what she said?

She said, “Oh mommy!!! I love it! You made me a real castle cake.”

I said, “I’m so sorry it’s not perfect, mama is not very good at making cakes.”

Her response? “Oh, mommy none of my other friends’ mommies make cakes.  They just buy them at the store.”

It was at that moment I realized my little girl did not care if I was a Pinterest perfect mom. All she cared about was that I was her mommy and making her day special.  That’s a lot of wisdom shared by a three-year-old.

Stop trying so hard

Stop trying so hard to give your kids the best and most of everything. Your kids don’t need all of these things that cost so much of your money and so much of your time to be a happy kid.

Your children don’t have to be signed up for sports every day of the week. They don’t have to participate in multiple extracurricular activities. Believe it or not, they don’t have to have the fanciest clothes, the fanciest birthday parties, or the fanciest schools.

Your kids also don’t need the latest and greatest of all of the tech toys that exist today for kids.

Children would rather spend quality time with you than be signed up to participate in all the fun things that are available today.

Your kids would also rather have time with you to do the things they love rather than have a perfect project for school or a perfect dessert for their party.

Let your children do things with you. Let things be messy. They really don’t care.

It’s OK for things not to be pretty

I took my girls to a birthday party at a giant house once with fancy cars parked in the driveway and all the Pinterest perfect decorations inside. We brought over a gift that included books and dress up scarves, some of my favorite minimalist gifts for kids.

I let the girls place the gifts in a box and then wrap the box with brown shipping paper. It was not very pretty.

You know what? My kids and the child receiving the gift loved it!

My kids drew their favorite pictures all over the brown wrapping paper and even put stickers all over it.  They also wrote the sweetest notes on the wrapping paper to their little girlfriend.

The gift wasn’t packaged with the designer toy store wrapping paper. It was not pretty.

Not pretty is OK, especially when it is made with love and brings joy to all those involved.

Be proud to be a Perfect Pinterest Fail Mom…Not a perfect mom!

Sometimes it’s hard to be proud when you don’t have the fanciest parties, desserts, or clever little projects that you completed with the help of some of the brilliant people out in the internet world.

I can’t say it enough times though, your kids do not care.

Your children want to do projects with you, and they want to help you make a mess. They also want things made out of love and don’t care how pretty something looks.

Go ahead and get your hands dirty with your kids, and make something to be proud of it even if it’s not perfect. Make a princess castle cake and enjoy every single delicious chocolate bite.  

Be a perfect Pinterest Fail Mom.

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Perfect Mom? Or Perfect Pinterest Fail Mom?Read More