Stuff Parents Need

Easing the chaos in the nest, one find at a time.

Keep Slowing Down. You’ve Got a Race to Lose

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I’ve been listening to the audio book version of blogger Erin Loechner‘s book, Chasing Slow, over the past week, and it has been giving me so much food for thought as Tim and I have decided to make some big shifts in how we do this whole life thing.  But the quote from the book that stopped me dead in my tracks and made light bulbs really start glowing in my brain came in chapter 23 when she reminds herself to “keep slowing down. You’ve got a race to lose.”

Yes, sister! You’ve nailed it! If THIS is what the race is all about (more stuff, more bills, more stress, more time spent taking care of/cleaning stuff, more anxiety, more time chasing more, less time with family, less time living life) then sign me up to LOSE!!!

We are making some pretty intentional choices to remove sources of stress from our lives this year. For example, we just finished selling a house we bought at the height of our stupidity and the height of the housing bubble, and despite having moved away in 2010, have clung to in the hopes of not losing our shirts at the point of sale (spoiler alert: we still lost our shirts…just over 10 stressful years that were a constant yet survivable bleed. How I wish we would have just ripped off the band-aid in the first place!).  But as I write this, that chapter is officially closed, and we are relishing in our new freedom from the chains of that house.

We’ve also decided to home school our kids, in a move that has surprised and delighted us all, because until a few weeks ago, it was not even something we had considered as an option for our ongoing dilemma of how to carve out a quality education for our girls without having to sacrifice our ability to save for retirement, for their college expenses, and for a house to one day own in Chattanooga. Once we realized all the things we were giving up in exchange for a “good” k-12 education for our girls, we decided to just scrap everything and go for it ourselves. One more massive chain around our necks was broken with that decision, and we once again made a downward gear shift.

keep slowing down

I think one interesting thing I’ve noticed about choosing to let go of the pursuit of “more” is that our society, generally speaking, is not super thrilled with this move, so thick skin is important. Just yesterday we had a phone conversation with a mortgage officer about our pre-approval to buy a home (one that is half the size of the home we just sold but that we can most definitely afford without stressing out over) and we found ourselves being asked if we’d like to be pre-approved for a larger amount than we requested (“because you could be”), discouraged to put as much money down as we had planned (“no need to put down 1/3 of the housing cost when 20 percent will do just fine!”) and we were also encouraged to consider the 30 year mortgage instead of the 15 year mortgage (“lower monthly payments and you can still pay extra each month and pay it off in 15 years if you want”). The lady was very nice, and she was simply doing her job, but the burden was on us to choose to be aggressive with our debt and to buy well within our means. Even 9 years after the housing market suffered hugely, and the banks had to lick their wounds from over-extending and mortgages were no longer so easy to get, even now it still seems reasonable to many to take a lower monthly payment over a longer period of time and to buy as much as the bank will lend you and to put down as little as you can. It is still conventional wisdom that these choices will actually make your life easier.

So we have to stay really strong in our mindset to seek out less, because the world will keep shouting in our ears that more is the key to happiness, and that more gets you further along the path to the finish line. But I’m finally starting to figure out that this is one race I’d much rather lose.

I hope you’ll stick around with me as I share about our journey to massively de-clutter our 1,300 square foot home (a lovely amount of space for a family of 4 if its only contents are things we truly love), our adventures together as we turn our city into our classroom, and our pursuit of freedom from debt. We’re getting off the race track and trying something new, and we’ve never been so excited to lose because we’re already getting glimpses of what we’re about to start winning.

 

The Must Have Guidebook for Chattanooga

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Affiliate links may be included at no cost to you. All thoughts and opinions are my own, as always.

Last week I completely devoured a new book that was sent to me to review called 100 Things to Do in Chattanooga Before You Die, written by Alexi Ruth Engesath. My family is coming up on our 7th anniversary of moving to the Scenic City, so I wasn’t too sure that there would be anything on Ruth’s list of suggestions that we hadn’t yet tried.

100 things

Long story short, I was wrong! After I finished the book we immediately got to work on making plans to knock out 2 items off the list that we keep saying, “We really should go there” or “We really should experience that event.” and we are going for it now! A few days ago we ate at Champy’s (a friend chicken place that EVERY Chattanoogan knows and loves and that we were starting to feel pretty embarrassed about having never tried). We bought an entire key lime pie based on Alexi’s recommendation not to miss it, and that was money well spent. The friend chicken also had a nice little kick of spice to it and those mashed potatoes were EVERYTHING. I will probably make special trips to Champy’s in the future just to buy those blessed mash potatoes.

And tonight we are FINALLY going to brave the crowds to see the Fourth of July fireworks celebration. Our kids are finally old enough to stay up really late without completely losing their minds (at least that’s what we are hoping!) and we’ve heard that the show is quite spectacular.

Additionally, this book has some really fun itineraries in the book that can create whole new ways to enjoy a part of town in ways I hadn’t considered before. It also reminded me of places we’ve been to before but that we are due to go to again because they were so much fun.

When I finished the book I couldn’t help but feel so darn proud of this fantastic city. We are blessed beyond measure with amazing things to do here. If you are planning a trip to Chattanooga and want to know where the locals go for the best of everything, you definitely should pick up a copy of this book. And if you live here, have a copy on hand to remind yourself that you live in one of the greatest cities in America!

5 Reasons Why Amber Teething Necklaces Are Amazing

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Thanks to Jen Sanders for partnering with me for today’s post. I wish I had known about amber teething necklaces when my little ones were teething, and it’s cool to learn that it’s actually not too late to get great benefits from them! Have you ever tried an amber teething necklace? I’d love to hear about your experience in the comments! 

Baltic amber teething necklaces are the perfect product. The amber in them contains healing properties, which can be a powerful body cleanser and healing agent. That’s why a lot of parents are buying them for their teething children.

This necklace isn’t only designed for kids; adults can wear them as well because the piece of jewelry is also known to boost one’s immune system.

amber teething necklace

1. A Pain Reliever

Teething can be excruciating for babies. Parents oftentimes feel helpless because there’s nothing they can do, but help as best they can to try to ease the pain.

Although teething isn’t a disease or a medical condition, you, as a parent, can help relieve the pain by allowing your baby to wear a teething necklace made of Baltic amber. Genuine amber necklaces have been around for centuries, and many parents have sworn by their effectiveness.

Instead of using those dangerous pain relievers, why not choose an all-natural treatment, like a teething necklace?

2. Allergen-free!

Amber teething necklaces are safe for babies and their delicate skin. The amber in the necklace has healing properties. You’ll never hear people having allergies to amber, which is the hardened resin that originated from fossilized trees.

3. Makes for Beautiful Jewelry

Amber beads are used for jewelry. Centuries ago this gemstone was more valuable than gold. It was (and in many cases, still is) a rare element that could only be collected from the Baltic Sea. Therefore, when your child wears an amber teething necklace, they are dressed in jewelry befit for royalty.

However, beware merchants who sell amber imitation jewelry. It’s not uncommon for vendors to sell amber teething necklaces that are counterfeit, which means that buyers are not able to reap any of the benefits associated with authentic amber.

When choosing a design, opt for a necklace without jagged edges. They can be rough on your baby’s sensitive skin. Also, make sure you check to see that the beads are knotted individually. Then, to guarantee that they won’t break, make sure that the beads are tied with multiple strands.

4. Offer Health Benefits

As previously mentioned, Baltic amber teething necklaces can relieve teething pain. However, that’s not the only benefit that comes from wearing this jewelry. Baltic amber contains succinic acid, which is known to carry several health benefits.

When you or your child wears it, you’ll soon feel relaxed and relieved of stress because of its stress-relieving ability. These necklaces can also aid problems in the abdomen, kidneys, throat, and liver.  

5. Perfect for Meditation

Amber teething necklaces have calming properties, which is one of the reasons why teething children are less fussy when they wear it. Therefore, if you wear the necklace while meditating, it can help to calm your mind. However, make sure to purchase an authentic Baltic amber necklace, because Baltic amber contains notable amounts of succinic acid, which has the analgesic qualities that help soothe your body and mind.

6 Important Tips to Keep Pests Out of Your House While You Vacation

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Thanks to Arrow Exterminators for partnering with me for today’s post. I love being a customer of this company and give them my highest endorsement! 

My “to do before summer vacation” list is starting to get really long, despite feeling like I work on it every single day! But there’s a lot to think about when you plan to leave not only your state, but also your country for close to a month (read about our summer in Switzerland plans if you haven’t, yet!).

Whether you are heading out of town for a long time like my family, or even for just a weekend, there are some steps you need to take to keep tiny intruders out of your house. Not talking about the kids down the street, friends. I’m talking about bugs. pest-proofing your home_1

  1. Walk the perimeter of your house as well as your entire yard and seek out any sources of standing water (kiddie pools, saucers of flowerpots, birdbaths, rain gutters, etc.). Get rid of them promptly because that’s where mosquitoes breed, and the larvae to adult stage can be as fast as 7 days. This is a good idea to do throughout the season, but especially before you leave for vacation so you don’t come back to a swarm of mosquitoes hungry for a human!
  2. Take a good, hard look at your pantry and seal up anything and everything that you can that is edible. Cardboard boxes alone are not sufficient for a really hungry pest. If you don’t want to put everything in an air tight container, make use of rubber bands to ensure a tighter closure and to make it that much harder for ants to sniff out your food. It also helps certain foods keep from getting stale, too!
  3. Inspect all of your windows and doors for potential holes in your screens or for cracks. If you aren’t able to DIY the fixes, now is the time to get someone out to repair them for you. Don’t give a pest the opportunity to just walk right inside and make himself at home in your home!
  4. Time to trim the trees and other shrubs before you go, and this is especially the case for any vegetation that is touching your house. A limb against your siding is like a bridge for an ant or other bugs, so get rid of it!
  5. One of the very last things you should do before you leave is to take out all of the trash. This will help keep houseflies out. Did you know that this bug will travel up to 20 miles for food it can detect? It’s clearly a determined pest, so don’t give it any reason to stop at your house!
  6. Bonus points: if you have any worries about bed bugs, which nobody likes to think about but which are a real possibility when traveling, seal your clothing in large plastic bags within your suitcase and keep them there until you wear them, and then put all of your dirty clothing in separate sealed plastic bags. When you return home, vacuum out your suitcase before it comes inside and wash all your clothing in hot water. It might sound a little extreme, but this really is a case of an ounce of prevention being worth a pound of cure!

My family also has our annual termite inspection with Arrow Exterminators, and I’m going to get that scheduled before we leave, as well, just to make sure we are in great shape. Additionally, if you find yourself regularly doing battle with pests who want to vacay in your home, you may want to check out the STEPS® Total Protection System™ that Arrow Exterminators offers. It includes a full property evaluation to pinpoint pest issues and identify the true cause of the problem, as well as create a treatment plan that uses the most environmentally responsible ways to alleviate current issues and prevent new ones. My personal experience as an Arrow Exterminators customer is that the individuals who come out are true experts and highly knowledgeable, and that they are fair and reasonable (I have never felt, for example, that I’m getting a “sales pitch” and I’ve definitely felt that way when using other companies, just personally).

Check out what Arrow can do for you online or call 888-462-7769 to schedule an evaluation!

Then pack your bags and go relax and enjoy!!! 🙂

Education Options for the Stressed Out Family (and Our Surprising Choice)

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Grab your beverage of choice, friend, and sit with me for a minute, because I’ve got some news to share with you about some exciting changes happening with my family. Goodness knows I’ve got my iced coffee by my side as I take deep breaths and write this all out. After all, announcing something makes it much more real, right?

My big news is that my husband and I are going to be homeschooling our kids next year. I will be the primary teacher since my husband works full time, but he will also be teaching as his schedule allows.
too busy for home school
This news is so huge for us because until about 2 1/2 weeks ago, doing school at home was absolutely out of the question, and that’s because I refused to even consider it. I had some preconceived notions of what home school was like (very insular, very taxing on the teacher, very risky for the kids) and only recently did I become open to changing my mindset.
Tim and I sat down together while my mother-in-law took our girls to the park and we had the goal to really “figure out” school for next year. The private school tuition we were paying was getting increasingly difficult to cover, and the next private school we’d been loosely planning on sending our girls to after Montessori was more than double the cost of what we spent now. We couldn’t figure out how in the world we’d be able to pay for it, and so we were making plans for me to go back to 9-5 work and to increase our “side hustle” opportunities and work more to earn more to pay for school.
And then in a stroke of pure genius, I sat back in my chair and said, “Wait a minute. This is stupid! Why are were strapping ourselves down with debt and giving away all of our time with our kids just to pay for their school?”
And that’s when Tim, who has always thought home school was a cool concept, saw his moment. He reintroduced the idea, and we talked about what home school could look like for us, vs. what I’ve always imagined it had to look like. Suddenly, we were both SO excited!
This year we are saying “no thank you” to huge tuition bills, “no thank you” to a public school option that never quite felt right (despite 4 different tours and hours of conversations with parents, principals and school board members), and we are saying “HECK YES!!!” to having a year of exploration, adventure, and fun with our children. Our little ones still want to be with us more than anyone else, and we are keenly aware that this won’t be the case for all that much longer. And so, while they want to learn from us we will be their teachers.
I don’t yet know exactly how this is all going to work. So far I know that I don’t like the idea of doing a boxed curriculum that emphasizes sitting at the table and filling out worksheets (those have their place for reinforcement, though). I want to offer my girls something hands-on and experiential. I want to follow the rabbit trail when something piques their interest. I want to learn right along side them and to experience the joy of seeing the world with eyes much less clouded than my own.
This blog isn’t going to turn into a “home school blog” but I will be writing about some of our adventures and about things that are working for us (and yes, things that don’t work…I know rough days are ahead of us, too). My hope is that I can help inspire parents with some cool enrichment ideas that can happen after school or on the weekends.
If you have any questions or suggestions for me as we embark on our new adventure, I’d love to hear them. Do you have any experience with home school (I’ll take it all: good, bad and ugly!)? Leave me a comment!

Selling Clothes on ThredUp: My Experience (The Good, Bad and Ugly)

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Affiliate links included at no cost to you. All thoughts and opinions are my own as always. I like to keep it real! 

I’ve been shopping with ThredUp, an online gently used clothing boutique for women and children, for several years now. I shop there far more frequently than I shop anywhere else except for the grocery store and Amazon. Until recently, it’s where I bought probably 90% of my clothing.

But I’ve never wanted to send in a bag to sell because I have heard rumors circulating that the pay is very disappointing for the clothing and that ThredUp seems unreasonably picky. In short, I didn’t want to get a bad taste in my mouth for a company I love so much so I just kept trekking as a shopper and not as a seller there.

Selling on ThredUp

But after many, MANY requests from readers to please give it a go and report back, I decided to just go for it. So in April of this year I requested a “clean out” bag from ThredUp. There is no fee to request the bag, and there is no up front fee to send it back filled with your stuff you no longer want. There is, however, a $4.99 processing fee that is taken out of whatever they offer you once they go through your bag. If they don’t offer you at least $4.99 my understanding is that they waive the outstanding fee so that you don’t owe them money, but you won’t actually be collecting money, either.

Wait a second…why wouldn’t you AT LEAST be earning $4.99 for a big bag of clothing??? Well, let me tell you all the reasons based on the experience I just had.

  1. The warnings are true: ThredUp is RIDICULOUSLY picky. I sent in 33 items that had already been edited by me for stains, being “worn” or just being out of style. I sent in Gymboree stuff new with tags that my kids just didn’t want to wear. Those NWT items were rejected if that gives you an idea of how unreasonably picky they can be. I had 15 items, in total, accepted for sale. That means that I had 18 items that ThredUp is going to donate. They are going to get the donation credit, and not me. I knew going in that it was a risk I was going to take, but I am still really disappointed with the result as I thought I had done a decent job of pre-screening. I was expecting to get around 75% of my items selected.
  2. The pay is SOOOOO low. For 12 of the items I sent in, they offered an up front payment of $7.63 (but then $4.99 got taken away for processing, leaving me with $2.64). This payout isn’t itemized by item, so I don’t really know what percentage I’m being offered, but it is LOW. It comes out to .63/item before the processing fee just to give you an idea. I could have made more per item at a garage sale! Already 3 of the 12 pieces have sold and ThredUp has made $23.98, with 9 more items from me still left to sell. I know this because you can see exactly what they list it for in your seller history and when it sells.
  3. They will offer things on consignment. This is another thing I just didn’t realize. If they want to buy your item but have concerns that it might take a little while to sell (for example, you send in something long sleeved that gets processed in June) they won’t pay you up front, but will list the item on consignment. You still get a crappy pay out (usually 10%, though it looks like they will offer me 20% for a blazer) but you can’t have the money until it sells. So that is another $6.00 that I can earn but I can’t have it right now and I’m not holding my breath because it might take a few months to sell. So already ThredUp is making out like a bandit, giving just 10% of what they will sell an item for to the seller, and then they won’t even take a tiny risk if they think it might not sell until the weather shifts and go ahead and pay you for the items. LAME, y’all.
  4. The wait for your pay is LONG. I sent the bag in late April. It was processed on June 15th (it was supposed to be June 13th but whatever) and I was offered not enough money for an iced coffee at Starbucks on June 16th. That’s a really long time to wait for less than $3, friends.

I let go of everything I put in that bag, emotionally, and declared it a worthy experiment to do for myself and for my readers. And it was certainly much easier to stuff a bag with clothes than to set up a garage sale or tag items for consignment. But now that I’ve seen what the return is (not even worth the time I had to spend waiting in line at the post office and the gas it took to get there!), I will NEVER EVER send clothes to ThredUp again. Instead, I will try out Swap.com next and report back on how that works out (they pay a much higher commission at 30%), and I will also continue to take clothes to my favorite local thrift store. I do feel bad now that all those clothes didn’t stay local and help support a nonprofit that does good work in the community. I bet the clothing I had in that bag could have made at a bare minimum $60 for Northside Neighborhood House. It was not at all worth giving that up for $2.64 in my pocket. 🙁

Have you ever sold to ThredUp? What was your experience like? Did you do better than me or about the same? Ever shopped with them? If not, my link will get you $10 to use on your first purchase. At least the shoppers can get a good deal, if not the sellers!

My Netflix Productivity Hacks (AKA Getting Stuff Done While Chilling Out)

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I’m a member of the Netflix Stream Team, and as such receive complimentary streaming services. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Have you ever wished you could plop your booty on the couch and watch Netflix for a few hours, but your to do list is out of control and you know you simply have to take care of some “adulting” in order to have your relaxing time?

Well….sometimes I combine those two endeavors with great success. It only works with certain combinations of chores and shows, but when I make that match it can make me feel so much happier about having to take care of a chore because I’m entertained while I do it.

I have a list of “easy on the eyes” shows that I reserve for just these purposes, and no, that doesn’t refer to shows with gorgeous characters I can’t take my eyes off. On the contrary; these are shows I can easily follow even if I need to take my eyes off the screen momentarily because the visuals are nice to watch, but not absolutely critical.

productive things to do while watching netflix

Often I choose sitcoms where I have gotten to know the characters a bit (so I’m usually through the first season, at least) and I even know the key locations where most of the filming takes place. That makes it much easier to follow along if I can only listen and not look for a period of time.

Currently I’m through Frasier using this method, and I did the same for Cheers and for Friends. So what am I doing while “sort of” watching these shows?

Typically I’m doing one of the following chores or self-care items:

  • sorting socks (we only put together socks about twice a month and knock it out in one sitting)
  • folding/hanging up clothes
  • loading/unloading dishwasher (this is where I make great use of my laptop or my phone so I can have a screen in the kitchen)
  • sweeping/mopping the kitchen and dining room (we are VERY skilled at making the floors look disgusting within 24 hours of the last cleaning)
  • painting my nails

If there’s something on Netflix that requires more of my undivided attention (Sherlock, Orange is the New Black, for example) then I’ll at least try to watch while wearing a face mask or even a hair mask.

I’ve got to feed my family, and they’ve got to have clean clothing to wear, so I make the best of these chores that never end by enjoying a fun show. I suppose it’s the 21st century equivalent of whistling while you work. 😉

What chores or self-care items do you like to knock out while watching Netflix? Give us some additional ideas in the comments!

Saving Time AND Money on Diapers and Wipes: Here’s the Magic Trick You’ve Been Seeking!

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Thanks to Pampers at Sam’s Club for partnering with me for today’s post. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Given that my family of 4 lives in a 1300 square foot home, you may be surprised to hear that we have a Sam’s Club membership. How can we possibly have room for bulk purchases? Well, it’s true that we can’t buy anything and everything in large quantities, but there are certain things that make SO much sense to buy in bulk.

If you are currently expecting, then I’d like to offer some advice: diapers are one of those “smart” bulk purchases! When I was pregnant with my first, I spent months hunting down sales and coupons so that I could stock up on diapers at a lower price. I did a really nice job and didn’t have to go to the store for more diapers for at least the first 3 months of Darah’s life. Stocking up took a lot of time (I worked on it week by week for 6 months!) but made life so much easier once baby was on the scene.

When I was pregnant with my second and had a 2-year-old on my hands (not to mention HORRIBLE morning sickness that lasted 26 weeks), making weekly trips to various stores for deals was completely out of the question. As it turns out, though, there was a much easier way to go about this stocking up business all along: I just needed to head to Sam’s Club.

pampers at sam's club on sale

Right now Sam’s Club is offering $10 off a purchase of 2 Pampers diapers or wipes items, or $18 off a purchase of 3 items (and there’s not a single coupon you need to clip to take advantage of this offer!). These savings, of course, are on top of the already excellent price you pay for buying in bulk through Sam’s Club. I went this week to take advantage of the offer so I could bring some helpful items to my friend and neighbor who just had her third baby. I like giving friends who use disposable diapers Pampers simply because they work SO well, and I remember them being extra soft on baby’s skin.

When you are in the midst of transitioning to a family of 3 (or 4, or 5, etc.) the last thing you need is to reach for diapers or wipes and not find any. Stocking up is the way to go, and you don’t have to clip coupons and chase sales for months to save big. Just head over to Sam’s Club to get stocked up on Pampers. You can even take advantage of Scan & Go and Club Pickup which allows you to bypass the register and make this stop on your errand list lightning fast. My mom once gave me the advice that you have to choose whether you save time or money, but not both, and I’m happy to report that at Sam’s Club, you can do both!

pampers sale at sam's club

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of P&G – Pampers. The opinions and text are all mine.

Summer Tip: How to Keep Your Garage from Overheating

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Thanks to the team at Sears for providing today’s guest post. I hope you find it helpful! 

How to Prevent your Garage from Overheating

how to prevent your garage from overheating

An overheated garage can cause several issues. The first is a hot and uncomfortable car, and the second can even be potential damage to different items or chemicals stored in this area. Luckily, there are some simple ways to keep your garage at a comfortable temperature during the summer.

Insulation

People often think about insulation as being mainly for winter to keep the cold air out. However, properly insulating your garage can also prevent warm air from entering as well. The idea behind insulation is to seal any potential openings that outside air can use to get into a room, so it can be as useful in the summer as it is in the winter. Insulating the walls, ceiling, and garage door itself can keep your possessions from getting too hot as the temperatures rise.

READ MORE: What is the Point to Garage Door Insulation?

Get Cool Air to Circulate

Opening the garage door just a few inches, or maybe even a foot, can allow some air to enter the area and cool things down a few degrees. Placing a fan near the door as well facing into the garage can cool down the entering air even more before it disperses around the room. It is important not to open the door too much, as this may increase the temperature particularly if the sun is facing the entrance to the garage.

Allow Warm Air to Escape

It is a rule of physics that hot air rises, so placing a vent in the ceiling of the garage can give any hot air that has made it in a way out. This vent will let warmer air escape so that your garage can stay at a nice, cold temperature throughout the summer.