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Homemaking 101: Practice Makes Perfect

Rachel Paxton — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 22:12:42 +0000

I recently paid a quarter for one of the most inspirational homemaking books I’ve yet to come across. Published in 1952 and written by Carolyn Coggins, it is called Successful Entertaining at Home. At first glance I thought this book was just a manual for teaching you how to host a successful dinner party, but at closer examination I saw that it was much more than that - it’s “a complete party book and homemaker’s manual all rolled into one.”

Black and White Themed Teen Bedroom Decorating Ideas

Rachel Paxton — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 22:11:24 +0000

When we found out we were having twins, our teenage daughter volunteered to move into a smaller bedroom so that the twins could have the bigger one. It was definitely time to come up with a new bedroom theme! We also didn’t have much space to work with or a lot of money to spend. So when we moved her into the smaller bedroom, she decided to decorate with a black and white theme.

Heirloom Decorating

Rachel Paxton — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 22:10:59 +0000

I love to surround myself with things from the past. To me “heirloom” doesn’t necessarily mean something really old, because memories are always in the making, and displaying a family keepsake can be treasured whether it’s from last year or fifty years ago.

Budget Bathroom Makeover Ideas

Rachel Paxton — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 22:10:24 +0000

I recently gave my bathroom a complete makeover. It was much
easier than I expected, and only took a few days to complete.
For less than $200 I gave my bathroom a completely new look that
I love.

Floral Photos Brighten Spring and Summer Decor

Rachel Paxton — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 22:10:03 +0000

Don’t you love the colors of spring and summer? Many flowers are
in full bloom, delighting the senses with their beauty and
fragrances. It always amazes me how quickly these seasons pass.

Decorating a Baby’s Nursery with a Beatrix Potter Theme

Rachel Paxton — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 22:09:32 +0000

I don’t consider myself an expert interior decorator. In fact,
I’m quite an amateur, but do enjoy do-it-yourself home
decorating. When my husband and I found out we were expecting
twins, we were both very excited to decorate the babies’ bedroom.

Create a Tuscan-Inspired Decorating Theme for any Room

Rachel Paxton — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 22:07:45 +0000

In the past couple of years a Tuscan style of decorating has
become very popular in home decor. It’s easy to see why…a
Tuscan inspired room stirs up visions of rural Italian
countrysides, worn wood furniture, old pottery, wrought iron
accessories, and warm earthy colors.

Decorating a Boy’s Bedroom with an Auto and Airplane Theme

Rachel Paxton — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 22:07:23 +0000

Choosing a decorating theme for your boy’s bedroom isn’t always
easy. Your child can make it easy on you, however, if he has
developed definite interests at a young age.

Keeping a Kitchen Journal

Rachel Paxton — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 07:36:27 +0000

I know, I know, you’re thinking a journal for the kitchen?

Meal Planning Made Easy

Rachel Paxton — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 07:35:59 +0000

It’s no fun trying to decide what to make for dinner every night. Planning your meals ahead of time often saves you time as well as money.

Organize Your Seasonal Home Decorating

Rachel Paxton — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 07:35:32 +0000

I don’t spend a lot of money decorating my home. Many people
don’t want to spend the time or money to decorate with the
seasons, but over the years I have learned some ways to
creatively seasonally decorate that have cost little or next to
nothing.

Bathroom Organizing Ideas

Rachel Paxton — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 07:34:50 +0000

If you’re short on space in the bathroom, there are a number of ways you can optimize the space you do have to work with. Here are some ideas that have worked great for our family:

Organizing Your Craft and Sewing Supplies

Rachel Paxton — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 07:33:06 +0000

If you’re a weekend crafter like me, you probably have a lot of crafting odds and ends laying around that get all jumbled together depending on what project you’re working on at the moment.

Cleaning Out Your Clothes Closets

Rachel Paxton — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 07:32:34 +0000

Keeping your wardrobe up to date is easy if you start by sorting through all your unwanted clothing and donate it to charities.

Greeting Card Organizer

Rachel Paxton — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 07:32:04 +0000

While making my weekly rounds of yard sales with my mom and daughter, I ran across the neatest little album that was sold by Hallmark many years ago–it is an organizer for greeting cards!

The Family Organizer

Rachel Paxton — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 07:31:33 +0000

I’m forever looking for ways to get better organized. It’s even more of a challenge when you have a family to keep track of. The schedules, shopping lists, and tomorrow’s to-do’s are always being lost or shuffled from one place to another.

Homework Organizer

Rachel Paxton — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 07:30:36 +0000

Do you ever get tired of picking up your children’s homework from all over the house?

Lighter Fluid: The Best Label and Scuff Mark Remover

Rachel Paxton — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 07:11:10 +0000

The first time my husband saw me scrubbing the black heel marks off of our kitchen floor with a toothbrush, he said, “You know lighter fluid will take those marks right off.” And it did! No scrubbing at all, just a little lighter fluid poured on a paper towel, and the marks wiped right off.

10 Common Uses for Baking Soda

Rachel Paxton — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 07:09:47 +0000

1) Make a paste of baking soda and water and rub on insect bites to relieve itching.

Division of Labor

Rachel Paxton — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 07:09:14 +0000

Dividing up household chores is a great way to get everyday household tasks in less time and with less complaints.

To Clean or Not to Clean (Your Child’s Room)

Rachel Paxton — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 07:08:47 +0000

Whether or not to help your child clean their room. It’s an age old dilemma. I still clearly remember my dad patiently (and sometimes not so patiently) explaining and demonstrating to me how to fold the sheet corners on my bed. I just didn’t understand how the way he learned to make his bed in the army had to do with me and how I made my bed. Why was he torturing me this way?

Daily Chore Charts

Rachel Paxton — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 07:08:16 +0000

Our family’s cleaning and chore schedules have varied widely over
the years. In two short years we have gone from having one
teenager in the home to having two teenagers and two toddlers.
In the past I have tended to do much of the housework myself,
with help off and on from my teenage daughter. Our cleaning
schedule was very different then. We got away with vacuuming
once or twice a week and didn’t even do the dishes every day.

25 Uses for Mr. Clean Magic Erasers

Rachel Paxton — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 07:07:44 +0000

Everyone is raving about Mr. Clean Magic Erasers. They are one
of the most useful creating tools created to date. Visitors to
my web site have shared their favorite uses for their “magic”
erasers. If you haven’t tried them yet, you better find out what
you’re missing!

A Gardener’s Diary

Rachel Paxton — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 06:54:00 +0000

Have you ever thought about keeping a gardener’s diary to record what you plant and where you plant it? Keeping a diary will help you plan next year’s garden by recording which plants grew well and which ones didn’t. You can also note which colors do or don’t look good together, or which plants overwhelm one another. Keep a record of how long the sun shines in different areas of your yard so you can find plants that require the appropriate amount of sunlight. In our yard, the soil is not the same everywhere. We have made do by planting different kinds of plants in different types of soil.

How to Grow Rhubarb

Rachel Paxton — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 06:53:09 +0000

I have always grown rhubarb in my garden. Sometimes we eat it
and sometimes we don’t, but I think I just enjoy admiring its big
green leaves and pretty red stalks.