I’ve been noticing a new trend in the blogging world where bloggers create a “Favorite Things” round up each month. I loved the idea when I first saw it, and since I have enjoyed learning about fun and helpful products I didn’t know existed and that look worth a try I decided why not kick 2020 with my own rendition based on our family favorites?!
Each month I intend to share a few of our family’s favorite finds and discoveries with the hopes that this will be a lot of fun for my readers (you)! My intention is to try to introduce you to some new products that tie in with this blogs categories each month.
Ready? Here we go!
Our Favorite Things {January}
Modern Homemaking Products
Floor Steamer
As you can imagine I don’t have much time to spend cleaning as a homeschooling mom of 6. Only problem is with 8 people living in our home things get dirty fast and need cleaning, and the floors are always the worst. If the floors are not swept twice a day and washed twice a week in the main area it gets too filthy to stand!
It used to take about 30 minutes to mop the main floor, but in October I bought a Shark Floor Steamer. Best cleaning investment EVER!
I love that it steams the floor and kills germs with just water-no toxic chemicals! It does a great job and best of all it get’s the job done in less than HALF the time!!! Now it only takes about 10 minutes to clean the main floor as opposed to 30 minutes!
Plant Based Dish Soap
Second cleaning find is Attitude Dish Soap. I found it at our local outlet. It’s non toxic, plant based, on the EWG safe list, and I love the smell! What I really love is that normally this time of year one of my hands break out terribly for a couple days after I put my hands in dish water, but this kind doesn’t break my hand out.
I’ve included an affiliate link above where you can purchase Attitude products, however some (not all) of their products through Amazon are more expensive than I found them at our outlet. I recommend trying to find them locally first if you can!
Simplify & Organize
I have discovered other uses for pencil pouches beyond using them for pencils and I’m having a hay day with them. I’ve learned to keep a couple spare on hand because they keep solving so many frustrating problems in our home and homeschool!
I’m using them for various things, but my favorite uses include in my household management binder for small but important documents like receipts and cards, and anything that I need periodically and want to be sure to find quickly. In our homeschool binders they work for flash cards and smaller teaching supplies (besides pencils).
I like the kinds with windows so I can quickly see what’s inside.
Pretty Stuff
That would definitely be these vintage string lights! They gave our school wall some extra sparkle…..
And they gave the kitchen a badly needed and super inexpensive lighting makeover.
I hated the lighting in the kitchen before, so much so that last Fall I tried to get all my cooking done before it got too dark out just so I wouldn’t have to turn the harsh overhead light on. Of course that became impossible once the days started getting shorter. I had been thinking and thinking about something I could do to change the lighting situation, and this idea finally hit me and I love the lighting now! I actually feel like being in the kitchen after dark now. I feel like these were the perfect mood boost for the dead of winter too.
Books
For Mom’s
Honestly, I’ve been waist deep in homeschooling and extended family matters lately and haven’t read any books other than teacher guides and lesson plans.
I keep looking for opportunities for some me time but aside from basic hygiene I’ve not found a way to fit that in with as challenging things have been.
Maybe next month I’ll have a book to share! A book I’ve been eyeing and really want to read is Call of the Wild and Free.
I’m currently looking for ways to trim some area’s of our budget so I can splurge on an Audible subscription. I’m thinking I would at least like try that out and see if it works better for me than trying to take the time to read.
For the Kids
On that note, I am finding joy in experiencing the children’s studies with them.
Lately we’ve been working through Exploring Nature by Lynn Seddon, and LOVING IT! We have been studying the winter sky lately and here are some of the books we are enjoying;
Self Care
Essential Oil Blend
I’ve been dealing with a depressing extended family situation lately that has had my heart hurting, so I’ve been using more Peace and Calming then usual lately. It’s such a lovely oil and is one of Young Living’s first blends. It’s always a wonderful one to fall back on.
Spiritual Food
I saw a couple super inspiring things this month. First I saw these beautiful images that I found so powerful that they moved me to tears. They depict the importance of Godly parenting.
These are by a christian photographer, Kevin Cardin. Be sure to look him up and follow him on Instagram!
In addition to this I saw the following quote by Sally Clarkson that spoke to me so much that I created wall art from it. I put it on paper I had been saving that the kids and I made as part of a homeschool craft project awhile back.
I invest deeply in my relationship with God so that others may pull from the wisdom, love and life God has cultivated in my soul.
Sally Clarkson
Favorite Moment
This is a hard one. I always have a few favorite moments each month! But I suppose this months award would go to my boys birthdays! Two of my boys had birthdays in January! Any other mama’s out there get all mushy and sentimental on their babies birthdays? I always do!
That wraps our favorites list up for this month! Be sure to check out other recent posts while your here!