Organizing

Prepping and Organizing a Pantry….

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This has always been something that I have wanted to do.  I think overall I have had small sections of my kitchen and/or a closet or two with some pantry items.  But over all I have never had a full and complete set up for a pantry.

Well, now fast forward.  After 30+ years of marriage and raising a family, I decided in January of 2020 to create one.  First of all, I did not have the time to create a pantry and the space for one, or at least I didn’t think I did. Now we find ourselves with more time then we realized we would have, and a situation that makes us realize that a pantry is so needed.

I have to admit that I had a rude awakening, along with a bit of panic shopping.  I did not think that I had certain things on hand, so I went right out and spent funds from our budget to accommodate what I thought we needed.  After we had all these goodies piled on our dining room table, it was time to now set up our pantry.  So, we gathered all our items from every little spot that we stored things in, and brought them to one place in our home.  Then we cleaned out our one and only closet to make a pantry where we could store everything.  After setting it up and putting things away, we realized that we had spent money on things we already had, and had items in large amounts (like extra cans of tomatoes that we did not need).

This taught me a BIG lesson in life, and one that I will hold onto for a very long time.  I wasted money on things I don’t need, I am using up space that I could use for something else, and I probably wasted time in buying these items too.  Now it is time to make a change!  I have a pantry set up with an inventory list of my staples, how many I want on hand, and then how many I need to buy for the next time.

Have you found yourself without a pantry?  Or are you well organized in this area?  Either way leave a comment below with pictures of what you have set up or what you would like to do.

These are trying times in our country; it is a good time to reevaluate what we do and why and how to make things better for ourselves.

I would love to hear from you.

Lynn A. C. Wilson – Resume of a Mother

Welcome to my home and life…

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Life is definitely a journey and an adventure if you know anything about me. Every day brings new and exciting things and also some overwhelming moments. For the past two weeks my husband has had two major falls from having seizures which led him to be in the chiropractor’s office 2 to 3 times a week plus having to have physical therapy and wear a back brace.

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Because of this we decided to take a quick weekend away that we called a Saturday vacation. While on this vacation he had a seizure, his scooter that he uses to get around in large places died in the middle of the museum. This led to us having to push it out of the museum, to loading it in the car manually, and causing me to be completely overwhelmed and having to have a good cry.

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If you asked me is it all worth it I’d say 100%. If you asked me what I marry this man again I would tell you absolutely 100%. He is the man of my dreams and if he comes with an extra package called epilepsy …I wouldn’t change a thing. Now having said all that… I have stated over and over it many times that I have found “my new normal and it’s a moving target”. so what does all of this mean, for me there is no normal, normal is only for a moment and that changes again. And I am OK with that. I’ve had to learn to be OK with that… Otherwise I would not have survived life and all that has been part of it.

This is made me in the long run realize how precious life is, it is giving me the desire to encourage other women and their walk and their journey, it is also encouraged me to invest in peoples lives whenever I can.

But having said all that… I have a new journey in life and an adventure and that is my YouTube channel. Come and join me and come and visit me and see what this crazy life entails. I hope you will find encouragement along the way, maybe some new ideas that you’ve never thought of before, maybe a few laughs, but most of all I hope that you leave feeling a little bit better about yourself, a little bit more encouraged than when you first started to visit with me.

Lynn A. C. Wilson – Resume of a Mother

YouTube Channel name: “At Home with Lynn Wilson”



Planner Overload….

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Let me start by saying that I just love all my planners and I love planning. Recently I have found myself in a “planner overload”. I would not pick up my planner for days or even a couple of weeks.  I became so “planned out” and almost felt done with my planner.

Then a few weeks into this….I missed sitting and writing in it. I missed confirming my schedule or just making some notes in it.  I began to realize that my life had become so crazy busy and so overwhelming in general that I hadn’t even noticed how bad it had gotten. Then I realized it wasn’t my planner but just time in general that had become too busy and crazy and that I needed to slow things down and regroup.  In doing this, I found that I needed to simplify my life in any area that I could.

Throughout the year I will switch from a ringbound, to an A5 Filofax, then to a mini or a Travelers Notebook …. and I enjoy them all.  My planner is not only my “dailies”, but my calendar and also my journal, notebook, and A-Z files for just about everything that I do.  Sticky notes and stickers have become my best friends as well and all the bells and whistles that you can add to your planner.  But when life is busy this stuff is busy too to look at….or at least in my mind.

So what is a “Planner Girl” to do…..I decided to go simple for a while and use a Dollar Tree basic planner and planner inserts that I came across.  They are basic and just perfect for where I am in life.  I found that the simplicity of it keeps my mind clear of business in my planner and a basic and simple calendar helped too.

Someday I am sure that I will find myself back using my “chunky” planners with all the perks and goodies …. but for now simple is better for me.

How about you….do you change-up your planners? What makes you decide to change things around?

Lynn A. C. Wilson – Resume of a Mother

Horses…therapy… & Autism. Finding peace!!!

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We had been invited for the past couple of years to go horseback riding with one of our Autism support groups. It always seemed to fall on a day that either I had to work or we had other events going on, and honestly I didn’t think much about it. For some reason this year I felt compelled to make a point of attending. I was absolutely amazed and blessed after we went to see how beneficial it was!

This particular horse ranch is designed to assist people with any sort of disability and will teach them how to ride a horse in a safe environment. The trainers are certified and definitely know how to handle children with Autism! Our son found peace, he found joy, and I watched him actually be able to relax and be calm like I had never seen before. If you know anything about Autism in children this is very unusual!

When we arrived they gathered all the kids together and then they had them pick out their helmets for protection, before they could ride a horse. They then divided them into two groups and each group needed to find a buddy. Our son was in the first group… We started on the other side of the barn, where he was able to learn how to care and feed a horse.

Gavin was able to brush a horse named Lady, he was able to feed a horse named Terminator, he was able to talk to a horse named Finn and it was amazing to watch him and Finn together. The horse just stood there ever so kind, as Gavin just continued to talk and talk and talk to the horse. I watched a gentle and loving side of Gavin come out as he was able to connect with this beautiful animal.

In addition to brushing the horses and feed them…the kids were able to get some great lessons on the care of a horse in general. They then brought them to the next room where they lined up to have the opportunity to ride a horse.

One by one they brought them in and saddled them up with a horse based on the size of the child and the size of a horse. Once they were on the horse, two of the trainers walked them around three times in a very large enclosed barn. Gavin was able to also ride a horse as he did a gallop around the barn, which was a real treat!

I saw a different spark in Gavin’s eyes… this day was a huge blessing to him and I can truly understand why these beautiful animals are therapeutic.

We will continue with horseback riding lessons in this next home school year and Gavin also would like to volunteer there one day a week as well. Looking forward to some new adventures!

Lynn A. C. Wilson – Resume of a Mother

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Autism and Routine….

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Routine is something hard to create and stick with in our lives….but it is a necessary thing.  I watch a You-Tube channel with “Andrea Mills”.  She talks about doing things routinely if they are important enough to you. Check out her website and channel for this topic and more.

https://www.andreamills.tv

With any type of special needs and we have two types in our family, I find as a homemaker that I need to create a way of organization for them; and not necessarily for me.  With epilepsy and Autism in our home, I find that this affects everything that we do!  For example, just leaving the house to go out for the day…we need to make a list on the back door of what we need to bring with us.  This way my husband who has Epilepsy, whether it be a good day or not, does not have to think about what to bring. Especially when it is an “off” day for him, he just looks at his list on the door.

(example list for the door)

  • travel bag
  • pills
  • water bottle
  • phone
  • phone charger

For our son has Autism.…so for his needs we have created labels in the refrigerator and also a routine of where to put things.  This way there is no frustration of where things go.  We also labeled where all of our coats go.  Again, this way it keeps things simple and organized!

We have created a “white board” system to help with all those daily questions that you find Autistic kids always asking.  They want to know what the next days meals will be 24 hours ahead of time. Our board includes 3 meals, 3 chores, 3 school events (we homeschool), and whatever the special event of the day is also.

This has proven to relieve many meltdowns, and crazy evenings in our home.  When he asks the questions that he always does by 5pm sharp, we can just refer him to the white board.

Special needs can be a struggle to the caregiver as well as the person who struggles with it.  Why not make life as routine as you can to avoid any chaos and confusion.  There will always be other issues to deal with, but when things are routine it helps out a great deal.

Lynn A. Wilson – Resume of a Mother

Frixion Pens…..The erasable pen.

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Well it is “Planner Tuesday”!  This will be a simple post….as simple as, “I love Frixion pens”.  I first saw these pens on a You-Tube channel.  I had never heard of them and I was intrigued with having an erasable pen for my planner.

I just had to find them right away…so where else would I look but Amazon Prime. Sure enough I found them, and I was able to get them in many different colors.

I am not a big color coder in my planner; I found that using too many colors can be confusing for me.  I do however use red for family, blue for work and green for anything unusual.  (KISS – Keep it simple). But there are lots of choices that you can choose from if you do like to color code.

With my crazy busy life…..my planner keeps me in check and sain.  But now that I have erasable pens to match my ever changing schedule. So when life changes as it does, I can just erase and reschedule.

What is your favorite pen for your planner?

Lynn A. Wilson – Resume of a Mother

A5…Personal or Travelor’s Notebook…that is the question!

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I know from being in the planner community that “Planner Peace “is what we strive for.  I laugh when I hear people so satisfied with only 1 planner and talk about it as if they have died and gone to heaven.  Not me….l LOVE all types!

I started with a Filofax Malden and Yes it is still my first love.  Then I moved to an A5 and I loved the size for writing and recording, but it was too big to carry.  So I tried a Travelers Notebook for a year, but found it was too confusing for me with all the notebooks. A TN is great to journal in but I don’t like it as a planner. So I went back back to a personal size and I love the size for carrying around in my bag….but, yes it happened again that I needed more room to write.  So you guessed it back to an A5.

So today is the day I waiting with excitement, anticipation and overwhelming JOY for the arrival of a new planner.  After touching it a few times, smelling it and holding it tight. I then turned each page like it was the first time I ever owned a planner. Do you find yourself doing the same thing and switching it up?

Oh the JOY of watching for the box to come…opening the box…looking into the box….grabbing the planner…and then opening it. So many wonderful feelings all rolled up in one! So here is goes, the unboxing and my new planner for at least a while. More details to come with what I am doing with my other planners too.

Watch for “Planner Tuesday”….where I will chat with you about my planners, planner goodies, planner ideas, layouts, and more.

Send me your what your favorite planner is and why in the comments below!

Lynn A. Wilson – Resume of a Mother

Simple Cleaning To-Do List….

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I always like watching and learning from others.  Whether it be from reading a book they wrote, a You-Tube video, some hands- on training or what have you.  I want to know what worked for them and where they started from so that I can see how that fits where I am in life.

When I first was married and starting my family, I read the book “More Hours in my Day” by Emily Barnes.  Her insight was right where I was at.  I needed step by step instructions as to how to set up my home, how to create a chore list for my kids and so on.  Her organizational skills amazed me!  She even has a section on how to organize your pocketbook, which I still use to this day…30 years later.

As in anything you evolve and adapt to where life has you now….so fast forward 30 years and where I am today is a little different.  I used Emily Barne’s card file system for years for cleaning. But now I need something a little simpler and updated.

You-tube has become my best friend for info, and some of the people I follow I consider my friends.  I would love to meet them in person someday, and thank them for all the tips they have given me!

When I was looking to update my cleaning schedule and make it a little simpler for me and our life style now, I found some tips on You-Tube. “Andrea Mills” and “Parsnips and Parsimony”, are two families on You-Tube that I follow and LOVE… and I can really relate to.  I have taken things they have shared and created a new system for a cleaning routine for me.

Here are some of the charts and things that I now use. Maybe you will find that they will help you put together a new system for yourself too.

The first one is a chart for a 30 day cleaning challenge. Each day of the month from the 1st to the 30th, there is a special area to bring my attention too.

The second chart is my daily/weekly cleaning schedule for routine items.

Let me know in the comments below how you set up your home and cleaning routines. I would love to hear from you and maybe even learn from you too.  Also, tell me who you like to watch on You-tube!

Lynn A. Wilson – Resume of a Mother

Minimalism…Simple….Simplify-where does life have you?

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What does this mean to you?  Minimalism comes to my mind. So many of the younger generation are going this way.  Many of them have watched their grandparents and parents collect things over the years so they now have taken up with the new trend of “less” is better.

I do find that the old saying…“less is more”, can be true!  But what is less?  I have watched some “extreme” shows, where they will have a beautiful “large” house and only have a mattress on the floor, 1 dish, 1 cup, 1 fork…you get the picture and they seem truly seem happy. This is not the life that I want.

I have a friend who LOVES to collect things…did I say loves it.  She collects any and everything that you could imagine.  She has now gone through her collection and resized it.  To most people…you would still say that she has a lot of “stuff” but to her …she has simplified her life in her own way with her collections and she is a happy girl.

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In my life…which is full of special needs and most days cioas….I need “my” type of simple.  Let me explain. My husband has Epilepsy and my youngest son as Autism…..for me this changes my life on a daily basis.  I have always enjoyed a full schedule of events, lots of involvement in family, work, church and life in general.  I like lots of hobbies, things, stuff, and decor in my home etc…I like to enjoy life as I see it….but then life doesn’t alway fit what I like!!!

Recently in my home….I have had to simplify things. Less stuff, less things and to be more practical and less nostalgic. This has been very hard for me but as I get into it …it does becoming easier. I need to create a very practical world for my two men. I need to label where things go in the refrigerator and label whose jacket goes where etc… And yet find a way to make my home still seem special and pretty to me and our guests we invite over.

Recently with my schedule….I have had to simplify that too. How do you take a girl who LOVES a full schedule and adapt it to “SIMPLE” one…so that I meet the needs of my family as well as myself.  I have and am still learning how to balance life ….I really don’t know how to explain that in words with exactly I am doing. I probably need to do a VLOG on a day in the life of me.

This might not be “minimalism” to some, but for me I need to carry a planner, snacks, change of cloths, meds, water, essential oils, band aids etc… in many different bags.  I have a travel bag, pocketbook, workbag, church bag etc…each one is filled with what I would need for that event and the extras for that “just in case I need it” moment.  This works for me….my car is full of bags stuffed with stuff.  But all this stuff to me equals an organized, simplified and simple way of living.  To me my life is now not full of stressful moments and I don’t have to think as much when life takes over and craziness begins. If you have anyone in your family with special needs you would understand. We never quite know what’s going to happen at a given moment and having these extras with us at all times and organized in designated bags for that particular event definitely helps.

Simple is defined by YOU and only you.  We should not jump on a trend just because!!! Yes, we should evaluate our lives and simplify them… but this does not mean throw everything out that you own, and live in a sleeping bag.

God has given and blessed our family many times over with things and not necessarily money…I need to use what I have, simplify what I buy and sometimes bless others with my overflow.

Remember to enjoy life and where life has you. I know that this is a unique way of looking a “simple life” but it is the way I do it.  How do you do it..leave a comment below.

Lynn A. Wilson – Resume of a Mother