10 Free Ways to Stay Warm When Your Home is Cold

Hello, Dear!  

You're safely tucked into your dorm in Florida and won't need this letter immediately. But unfortunately, as fuel prices rise, the temperature at which we can maintain our home falls. So today, I'm sharing my top free (or nearly free) ways to stay toasty when the house is cool. 

One: Heat the person, not the space!

Change your mindset from heating the room to keeping you and your people warm to save a lot of money.  The rest of the ideas in this letter focus on this concept.

Two: Wear a base layer from shower to shower.

While you are still warm from a bath or shower, slip into a set of Thermaskins or just leggings and a  t-shirt if you don't have a base layer set.  This layer should be thin and breathable! Fun tip: Hardcore outdoor enthusiasts wear ladies' nylons as their base layer.  Wear this layer until your next shower or bath to keep a warm layer next to your skin between clothing changes.

Three: Wear long sweaters/sweatshirts.

Heat is generated in your hips, which creates a warm airflow up to your torso, arms, and neck. On frigid days, a hooded sweatshirt dress over your skirt or pants will keep you toasty.  A longer sweater or sweatshirt also keeps your lower back covered when you bend at the waist.  

Four: Avoid tight waistbands and pants.

Wearing tight waistbands or snug pants chokes the airflow for the heat produced in your hip area.

Five: Keep your neck warm.

The heat flowing up your back escapes out the neck opening of your shirt, creating a draft.  If the day is especially cool, wear a turtleneck, a hoodie, or a scarf to keep the warm air circulating around your body.

Six: Wear shoes.

While socks are usually recommended for cold weather, I prefer shoes to insulate my feet from cold hardwood floors.  If you typically kick off your shoes before entering the house, have a dedicated clean pair just for house use.

Seven: Use microwave rice packs.

Technically this isn't free, but most people already have a bag of rice and mismatched socks at home. Put a cup of dry rice into a small clean sock, secure with a rubber band or tie it shut with string using a secure knot.  Microwave for a minute or two, and voila, a delightfully warm pack to pop in your pocket. A hot rice pack provides both additional body heat and a way to quickly warm your hands. WARNING:  Rice will burn/catch fire if microwaved for too long.  

Eight: Eat hot meals.

A soft-boiled egg and toast fingers or a bowl of oatmeal will warm you from the inside out.  Ditto soup or a quick stir fry for lunch. Kiddos always think pancakes or mac and cheese are a treat.

Nine: Drink hot water/tea

I've mentioned before that my grandmother drank hot water almost constantly during the winter. I prefer to drink herbal tea or hot water with lemon.  Either way, wrapping your hands around a warm mug and sipping something hot is a great way to warm up and hydrate.

Ten: Use blankets and snuggle up when sitting.

Sitting drops your average body temperature a little on a good day. However, sitting to read or work on a project can be miserable if your home is already uncomfortably cool.  Keep a supply of soft blankets in a storage ottoman or basket near seating areas.  The extra layer helps retain valuable body heat. Partner with another family member to warm up even more.

Keeping a sweet, sunny spirit when you're cold can be a battle.  I hope these tips help you bless your family and keep them warm. 

 

Love, 

Momma

P.S.  If you have any ideas for staying warm you'd like to add for Lissy, drop them in the comments below!

How to Fast: 5 Fasts to Help you Maintain Physical and Mental Health.

Dear Lissy, 

Ah, Sweet Thing!  You are only a few weeks away from your Freshman year of college.  Time has flown. 

I suspect you'll remember me fasting when you're thinking back on your childhood.  I fasted often for both medical and prayer purposes.  At some point, you may decide to try it yourself.  I want to be able to help you enjoy the benefits of this lifestyle while avoiding the mental and physical pitfalls.

This letter isn't medical advice.  You need a doctor* to give you the green light and support you in your fasting goals.  

Summary: I have chosen a fasting lifestyle. Short fasts are a regular part of my personal fitness. I do not fast longer than 5 days unless a serious medical condition known to respond to fasting is present.

• I fast  12 hours daily when I am on plan.  
• I incorporate a 24 - 36 hour fast twice a week for prayer or weight maintenance. 
• I fast 48 hours to help alleviate seasonal depression or during times of emotional distress.
• A couple of times a year I fast for 72 hours to return to a clean eating plan.  
• On the rare occasion I have a more serious medical issue, I will fast longer using the "hopscotch" method.  If I fast longer than 5 days, I experience hair loss and immense hunger/cravings during refeeding.

1. The weight normalizing fast:  Fasting between meals and 12 hours overnight.

Fasting between meals and at least 12 hours overnight yields dozens of medical benefits, including higher HGH levels, reduced inflammation, and more energy.  This simple diet was how most people ate prior to 1970.  For me, stopping all food (and drink!) at 6:30 pm means that I will get a full night's sleep with no digestive issues or need to make a bathroom run.  Sleep is a vital part of hormone balance. Eating within an hour of waking is also vital for hormone balance.  I used to try longer "intermittent fasting", but found a daily routine of 16 - 18 hour fasts was counterproductive.

2. The weight loss fast: 24 - 36 hours twice a week.

If you've put on more than a few pounds, consider fasting at least 24 hours twice a week until your weight is within your goal range.  The popular 5:2 fast can be used from supper of one night to supper of the next so you don't miss a meal with your family, or if you are experiencing insulin resistance, the full 36 hours. This fast should not be used when pregnant or during the monthly cycle.

Fasts 3-5 should only be taken with the approval of your own MD or DC who knows both your medications and lab numbers.

3.The Mood/Chemo Fast: 48 Hours 

Day 2 of a fast is unrelenting fatigue, headaches, and muscle cramps for me.  I rarely recommend fasting for only 2 days.  If you endure the misery of day 2, keep going! 

• Keto tonic -- a can of seltzer, a Tablespoon of ACV, and a dash of NoSalt over ice--will alleviate a lot of the headache and muscle aches from "Keto flu" as your body transitions from sugar to fat stores.
• A 48-hour fast is a powerful fast hormonally. Dopamine receptors are reset, HGH increases exponentially, and the body releases a flood of antioxidants.  The result is a new ability to "feel" joy and a sense of deep well-being. If you face a time of intense emotional distress or seasonal depression, this is a great alternative to comfort foods.
• I've never had chemotherapy, but the 48-hour fast before chemo is the current protocol to reduce side effects.  I think I would probably try the 36-hour fast first and then bump up to 48 hours if 36 hours was not effective.

4. The Healing Fast: 72 hours

Once or twice a year, I fast for 3 full days to give my immune system a boost or clear a chronic condition (sinus infection, for example).  After day 2, I normally feel light and energized.  My energy goes through the roof.  When I first began a fasting lifestyle, I would go without eating for weeks.  Unfortunately, after 3 days, refeeding becomes a serious issue for me.  I also experience hair loss about 3-6 months after a fast longer than 3 days.

• Plan for Keto tonic (see Fast #3) at mealtimes on days 2 and 3, otherwise, drink plenty of water.
• I avoid both coffee and tea.  I find they exacerbate the hunger pangs without providing any real benefit.
• I often have difficulty sleeping between day 2 & 3.
• Your first meal after this fast should be a cup of chicken or beef broth followed by a low-carb vegetable meal (prebiotics).  Drinking kombucha will also help you new healthy gut microbiome flourish.
• I generally eat very low carbs and protein for the day or two after a long fast.  This serves two purposes:  I won't binge on low-carb/low protein foods, and my digestive system has time to wake back up. Incorporate only gentler proteins like eggs or fish.

5. The Hopscotch Fast: 7-40 days, alternate fasting days with keto days.

If you need to fast longer for deep healing, you can cheat the system a little bit by interspersing a day or more of eating full Keto in between 3-5 fasting days.  Without carbs, your body will quickly and painlessly drop back into fasting mode.  I use this fast once in a while if my blood cholesterol or blood sugar numbers on a lab report are not where I want them to be.  If I am following Fasts 1-4 above faithfully, I don't need this fast.

What to Expect...

Day 1:  Mental difficulties skipping meals, waves of hunger that pass in 10-20 minutes.

Day 2-3:  Hunger in waves, headache, fatigue, body aches, nasal discharge depending on the quality of the previous diet.  Symptoms generally fade throughout Day 3. Keto tonic is a game-changer.

Day 3-5:  Hunger has passed. High energy, clear thinking, good mood.  Coated tongue and bad breath are common.

Sleep:  I generally sleep more during Day 1 & 2, but fewer hours after Day 3.

Exercise:  Current research is split on whether or not vigorous exercise is healthy during a fast.  I choose to do short powerwalks a couple of times a day when fasting. I nap a lot during Day 2.

Fasting tolerance:  The more I fast, the easier each fast becomes.  Much like working out, the body "learns" fasting.

Refeeding: For fasts up to 72 hours, I generally have no trouble refeeding if I keep my carbs AND proteins low.  I choose eggs and baked fish as my protein for the first day.  Once carbs are reintroduced, I notice a strong return of hunger signals.

Weight Loss: Excess fluid/swelling is one of the reasons I fast.  I lose about 3% of my body weight during the first 24-36 hours of a fast. Some of that water returns when carbs are added back to the diet. For fasts 24 hours or longer, fat loss is equal to about 1/2 pound a day. For me, fasting longer than 12 hours supports the body chemistry/hormones for weight loss and maintenance, but is not a good way to lose weight permanently. 

The fasting lifestyle has allowed me to reverse or prevent a number of medical problems through my 30s and 40s. As I enter my change of life, my primary focus is on keeping hormones balanced.  I also find that nothing promotes mental health as quickly as a fast followed by a healthy diet and exercise.  I hope that you will at least consider these fasts to manage your own health and mental well-being as you enter adulthood.

Hungry for a Hug, 

Momma

*If you are interested in adopting a fasting lifestyle, find a chiropractor you trust to support you.  The chiropractic community has been leading the research and practice of fasting for several decades.  

5 Reasons We Choose To Vaccinate

Dear Lissy,

Spring is in the air once again!  We've had a long, cold winter, and we're ready to be out and about.  You're just recovering from your first round of pneumonia and an aggressive antibiotic regimen.  While you've been down, another burst of measles has spread a couple of states away, and the vaccination debate has resurfaced.  I want to share our philosophy with you here for when you have to make that choice for the grands.

1.  We wanted you protected from diseases that could kill or maim you for life.  Meet some of the diseases that present a real and present danger here.

2. We wanted you to be able to attend camps, college, and serve the Lord overseas (missions, armed forces, medical teams, etc.)  Every one of those future paths requires vaccination.  Exemptions are becoming increasingly rare.

3.We wanted to protect the very young, aged, and infirm that are in our family and church.  See #9 on the list from the National Foundation of Infectious Diseases.

4.  We believe that a vaccinated population prevents the viral outbreak of fatal disease, and we are responsible for being a part of our community's health.  The University of Oxford gives a short and excellent explanation here.

5. We understand the science and statistics behind vaccination.  The CDC does an excellent job of presenting the science behind vaccination here and the statistics from the NCBI are here (Skip to the conclusion).

If you have those in your church and community groups who refuse or are hesitant about vaccines, this article can help you talk to them in a loving way about the subject, but ultimately vaccination is still the parent's choice.

In a future letter I'll cover some of our other medical philosophical choices (psychoactive drugs, antibiotics, herbs/oils, vaccinations for STD, etc)

 Love you!
 Momma

Experience the Magic with eShakti's NEW FX Feature!

Dear Lissy,

Guess what, guess what, guess what?!?!  You know how much you love to choose and customize eShakti dresses?  Now you can instantly SEE the custom design changes you choose appear right on the model when we order dresses on EShakti FX!  Hooray!

And...wait for it...they still have pockets.  It just doesn't get any better than that, does it?

Instantly see if your changes work well together.

Modesty issues show up so you can SEE the difference!

I guess we should probably explain our excitement for those who read along with my letters to my daughter, Lissy.  eShakti just added a new feature that works like magic with their FX line of dresses, and asked us to pop over to their website to check it out. 

We were both surprised to find out with the new eShakti FX line we could see the changes on the model in real time as we clicked to alter necklines, sleeve lengths, and hemlines.

We've both wanted this feature for years.   Changing one element on a dress affects the overall proportions of the whole garment.  The ability to play with the various features and adjust the proportions so they all look good together is a welcome upgrade.  And fun!

Here's one of the enchanting dresses we played with, the "Ombre Star Print Georgette Pleated Empire Dress".

Original design by eShakti.  As cute as this looks on the model, the neck and sleeve styles will not work with our face shape or large upper arms.

We tried adding a scoop neck, but didn't like the look. Moving on...

A high square neck keeps closer to the original design, but flatters our faces and builds.

We still need to make a decision about the sleeves.  We decided we liked the look of 3/4 sleeves the best.  The "elbow length" ended right at the waist, which visually increased the size of the bust/upper arm area.  Both bracelet and long length were full at the cuff, which is not a look either of us liked with this dress.

For our figures and taste, this sleeve length works well.  I think we're done.

The hem has choices of Knee length (top of the knee), Below the Knee (shown), and Mid-Calf (as designed).  All three are good lengths for this style of garment, but Above the Knee is going to give us modesty issues walking and sitting, while mid-calf is a terrible choice visually with our proportions.  We'll choose Below the Knee.  Boom, done.  And we can see just what our finished garment will look like BEFORE we put down our hard earned dollars.

If you haven't been over to eShakti lately, click over and see all the changes they've made.  Take a few minutes to pick out a dress and play with it on FX.  Their new zapelle line has a more sophisticated, modern look, while the Wayward Fancies line offers up interesting fabrics and free-spirited styles like the one we played with here.  The classic eShakti fit and flare dresses are still there, too.

Need a special occasion dress?  Find beautiful, inexpensive bridesmaid's, mother's, or party dresses that can be custom cut for a perfect fit on your big day.  Dresses only take 2-3 weeks to arrive after ordering, too.

Want to add a little magic to someone's Christmas?  Send them a gift card so they can design their own eShakti original.  eShakti carries a full line of tops, jackets, skirts, and pants in addition to their dresses.  Once you create an account on eShakti, the gift card option is at the bottom of the screen.

eShakti has been a tremendous resource for us as Lissy has transformed into a young lady.  We hope you'll enjoy shopping there as much as we do.

Love you, Sunshine!

Momma

P.S.  As affiliates, we get a small percentage of every garment ordered through the links in this post.  The dollars fund Lissy's education (and occasionally her wardrobe!) without costing you anything extra.  Thank you for helping our family in this way.

Keeping House for One: The "Daily" Dilemma

Dear Lissy,
Good morning, Sweetie!  December is bringing a month of near insanity, so this will be my last letter for a little while.  We started this series by dealing with the biggest time and budget buster, meals.  I then wrote fairly long letters adapting my 2D weekly plan and 3D space & storage principles to apartment living.  Today we'll dive into the simplest but hardest facet, daily time management (4D) and apartment upkeep.

Clean As You Go

Cleaning up after yourself as you go is the simplest way to keep up with your apartment.  The requirement here is leaving yourself enough time to do a quick pick up.  If you have to leave your apartment by 7 to get to work on time, and it takes you 45 minutes to get ready, it will take 55 minutes to clean as you go -- you can't hit the snooze button 3 times.

• After you shower and get ready, swipe down the shower with a squeegee, wipe down the sink and commode (in that order) with a disinfecting wipe, hang up or straighten bathroom items, and then leave the bathroom.  
• Wash all your dishes after every meal, camping style.  Put the leftovers into Tupperware, wipe down the counter and appliances, and Swiffer the floor.
• Don't leave the living area until you've picked up and straightened the room.  
• If you're working on a craft or project, pack it away at the end of the night.
• Leave your sleeping area neat and hang or put clothes in the hamper. 
• Extend this principle by using your commute to either work or church to run errands. 

The same principle is true at bedtime.  If you fall asleep in front of the tv or reading in bed, and leave the apartment a mess, you're not going to have time to clean it in the morning.  Do up the dinner dishes before you relax.  Bangerang your apartment and set your things out for tomorrow before you snuggle in for the night with a book or show.

If you can train yourself to never leave a room messy, the weekly chores take almost no time at all, and can even be skipped once in a while.

Saying "Yes" is Always Saying "No"

If you say "yes" to one thing you are always saying "no" to something else.  We've taught you to value relationships over things, and to think of others.  Keeping up your own apartment, especially if you don't have a roommate, can feel selfish.  It is not.  You are an adult now--your home is an extension of your outward self, just like your clothes or personal grooming.  

A messy apartment hinders your ability to minister. A lack of discipline maintaining your space means you may slip into bad habits elsewhere:  staying up far to late reading or watching a show, eating poorly, neglecting exercise. You have less energy at work.  You may choose not to use your home to minister because it's too much trouble to clean.  Skipping church services or activities is tempting because laundry or the kitchen has reached a stage where it has to be handled. 

When you choose not to maintain your home to a level where you are able to maintain personal discipline or minister to others, you are saying "no" not just to yourself, but to your employer, your friends, and your church.  

What about last minute crises or opportunities?  Plan for them.  Set aside one evening a week for either catching up on housework, getting together with friends last minute, or just getting an early night in.  If you have to bump something to that night, it becomes your #1 priority -- no more bumping!  If the week is light, and it ends up being a truly free night, enjoy the extra time.

Finally, learn how to say no. A gentle, "I'm not available this time, but please feel free to ask me another time," or, "I'm so sorry I can't help you with that this time," is best.  Telling anyone that you're saying "no" because of housework will sound heartless -- they can't see the big picture.  Anyone who questions (Nosy Nancy) or pushes past your initial decline (Bossybutt Bob) should be given a firm:  "I'm sorry I wasn't clear:  I can't help you this time."

Routines are Your Workhorses

Establish daily routines for morning, after work, and before bed that take all of the daily tasks into account.  You don't need to put most things on your to do list -- just make them habits.  I keep these written down in plastic sleeves so I can pull them out and reboot when my routines fall apart because of busyness or sickness.

Learn to Write CEO To Do Lists

As a newlywed I worked for a demanding office.  One of the things that intrigued me was the manager's daily sheet.  Our office secretary had to go through her tickler and inbox and lay out our manager's day with appointments, meetings, and to do items all organized for him into time slots. He arrived about half an hour later than we did, and would use the sheet to stay on task all day.  If something had to be bumped, she was responsible to get it rescheduled for another day.  Unless you're in an executive position, you won't have the luxury of a personal assistant.  You can, however, create a daily sheet for yourself that will keep you running smoothly.  At this writing, Google Calendar does this seamlessly, but I'm sure there are plenty of apps and calendars that provide the same functionality.  Don't be afraid to say "let me check my schedule," or "let me add that to my schedule before I forget," and pull up your calendar on your phone.  Quickly skim 5 To-Do List Hacks to maximize your to-do list.

Give Yourself Grace and Space to Grow Into Your New Life.

Just like learning any other complicated skill (remember learning to drive?) you're going to have some bumps and starts when you begin running a home.  If you expect a seamless transition from college to career, adjust your expectations, lickety-quick!  It takes time to figure out your own preferences and energy patterns.  

• Do you prefer to just bang out your to do list before you sit down at night so you can relax, or do you need some crash time to recover from work?  
• How much sleep do you need now that your schedule has normalized?  
• How long does it take you to go from sound asleep to punching in at work?  Do you ever have to bring work projects home?
• How long does it take to go from punching out at work to a full belly and clean kitchen at home?
• How often do you need time with church family or friends to keep you energized and connected?  
• How much alone time do you need to feel centered?
• When do you like to workout?  Have your devotions? 
• How are you and your roommate going to split up the chores?  The space? How will you handle different standards and expectations?

Not to be unkind, but you're probably going to discover the answer to these questions by making wrong choices.   Even once you've established patterns, changes at church or work or a different roommate can upend your whole rhythm.
If you have the ability, once or twice a year take one day of earned time to create a two day mini break in combo with your regular day off to go through your apartment and car and bring everything back to a good level. Turn off your mobile, crank some tunes, and get to work.  This mini break is unbumpable -- no exceptions.

Again -- for the last time -- progress is more important than perfection!  You are deeply loved by your Heavenly Father and us. Nothing you do or don't do changes that. God is more than enough, and His grace is sufficient to every need.  Even if I don't live close enough to help you through this transition, God is there.  Every answer is found in the Word -- even for something as earthly as time management and your budget.

Love you more every day,

Momma

Keeping House for One: Storage

Dear Lissy,

Matt just received his 3D printer in the mail, and spirits are running high.  I can't wait to see his projects! 
In today's letter I wanted to talk to you about the biggest piece of managing a home, managing your 3D space.  Many -- ok, most -- young people out on their own don't think about how to use space and storage effectively.  The difference between an apartment that works well for you and one that feels like a flophouse is usually more about efficient storage than hours of work.  You may have a roommate, and this is where disagreements usually arise.  Make a commitment to each other to create and use storage so you're not tripping over each other's stuff. 

Wall Storage

Wall storage is usually boards (white, chalk, or cork), hooks, peg racks, shelves, and wall pockets.  Other forms exist, but usually only in specialty stores.  Wall storage is my favorite way to keep frequently used items organized.  Check your apartment lease to see what is allowable for holes in the wall.  

Wall storage has three strong benefits.  

• Wall storage is single motion storage (you don't have to move anything to store the item you want to put away)
• Wall storage creates storage at the exact point of use.  Training yourself to throw your coat and purse on a hook just inside the door is far easier than walking to a closet two rooms away and putting your coat on a hanger.
• Wall storage keeps items off of floors and surfaces so wipe-down, sweeping, or vacuuming can be done in a single quick motion.  Floors, sinks, counters, and worktops can all be swiped down in seconds if you don't have to lift and replace items.

Hooks

• Clothing:  In my experience, every room in the house where clothing is removed needs a pegboard or three.  You can create a hook set with adhesive hooks if necessary, or make or buy a stand that utilizes hooks.
• A sturdy pegboard in the entry allows single motion storage for coats and bags.  Without sufficient "hookage" coats and bags end up dumped on furniture.
• A set of hooks  next to a dresser or closet creates a home for clothing that has been worn once, but doesn't need to hit the hamper yet, like jeans.  If it works better and you have an old dresser, install the hooks right on the side of the dresser or use a purse hook that cantilevers on the dresser top.
• We always installed a hook on the back of your bedroom door for a bathrobe and jammies.
• Bathroom hooks keep clothes off the floor and wrangle damp towels better than rods or bars.  Towel bars are best for hand towels and face cloths.

• Utensils:  Any utensil used more than 2 - 3 times a week works best stored in one motion storage on the wall.  This includes everything from your toothbrush to your oven mitts.  Special clamp style hooks are available for items with long handles like brooms or shovels.  Small baskets that hook onto a hook rail are available for smaller items.  
• Electronics:  Install hooks to hold remotes, headphones, gaming devices, and unruly wires.
• Towels in the kitchen and bath.  I have an old fashioned hook with three long arms that rotate that holds dishtowels as well as hooks for measuring cups and spoons, frequently used utensils, and reusable shopping bags.  Magnetic hooks are available that allow fridge space to be used or over the door hangers are available for storage, too.
• Jewelry:  A jewelry box may not be practical, but small hooks can hold necklaces and bracelets.

Shelves and Wall Pockets:  

Because shelves are mini horizontal surfaces, they can quickly become cluttered.  If you plan to store an item on a shelf, put an open top container (one motion storage!) on the shelf to designate it as a home for that item:  a small dish for keys, a cup for toothbrush and toothpaste, etc.

• Entry:  A shelf or wall pocket in the entry creates a place for incoming and outgoing mail, your keys, and any other odds and ends you don't want to forget.  At the time I'm writing this letter, a pocket that wrangles mail, keys, and other small items is available to hang over the doorknob on the inside of your entry door.  An over the door shoe bag can hold gloves, sunscreen, bug spray, and any other items that tend to congregate by the door.
• Kitchen:  Spices work best on narrow shelves or racks rather than taking up drawer or cupboard space.  Store them in the coolest part of the kitchen.  Shelves that hang from the upper cabinets and hold a cookbook or an ipad are also available.  I have a lucite pocket that holds coupons, dry erase markers, and post it notes on the side of our fridge.
• Bath:  Shelves by the sink and in the shower keep bottles and cans off the surfaces that need to be wiped down every day.  
• Living Area:  Shelves are a great way to add 3D elements to your decor on the cheap.  A handful of flowers in an old bottle, pictures, or nice editions of books all make inexpensive and homey decorations.  If you need to corral a lot of books, videos, or game cases, a bookcase is usually a better choice.
• Office Area:  Chances are your kitchen table is your office in your first apartment.  Hang a wall mounted file pocket in an unobtrusive spot to keep current papers corralled.  A filing cabinet with a cloth over it makes a great end table or night stand elsewhere in the apartment, but creates storage that requires 3 or more motions and just begs to have stuff stacked on top of it.  An open top filing box is another good solution.  Some of them have cute designs and can be stored on shelving units or on top of a filing cabinet that has a decorative cover.
• Bedroom:  A shelf by the bed can serve the same purpose as a nightstand while taking up almost no space.  I don't recommend a shelf over the head of the bed -- falling items could be an issue.  Shelves are a nice way to add inexpensive decor in the bedroom as well. Pockets that slide between the mattress and boxspring to hold nightstand type items are also easy to make or cheap to buy.  An over the door shoe bag is a good way to corral not just shoes, but any small items.
• Hardware organizers  Multi drawer wall mounted hardware organizers aren't attractive, but can create huge amounts of storage for small items.

Boards

White boards and cork boards create a one-motion space to store frequently needed information like a church or work calendar of events, phone numbers, etc.  Boards can also be used to hang paper ephemera (a drawing from a child) or important pieces of paper (a ticket to an event).  Both white boards and cork boards are available in magnetic formats that can be used on the side of a fridge or filing cabinet.  The sides of the fridge are also large magnetic surfaces that work well for anything that has a magnet.  If you use the front of the fridge, it will be more difficult to spray and clean quickly.

Totes

Totes come in a variety of materials (wood, leather, wicker, canvas, plastic, metal) that will match any decor and budget.  I use totes extensively to corral items that are used together:  Bible study supplies, laundry supplies, makeup, office supplies, manicure, first aid supplies, toys for child guests, guest toiletries and spare keys, car maintenance supplies, sewing supplies, gaming controls, etc.  I feel that totes function best when they are stored up off the floor or worktops.  Tote bags are dirt cheap and can be used to create go bags for the beach, hiking, etc.  Tote bags can easily be hung out of the way on the end or back walls of closets.  Keep totes cleaned, organized, and thinned down to their natural capacity as you go, or blitz through them while you listen to a favorite podcast.  

If you have a roommate, you should each have a small tote or laundry basket where the other person can put stuff you leave out.

Maximizing Traditional Storage

Apartments are notoriously stingy on traditional built-in storage.  The key to using closets, drawers, and cabinets well is "containerizing" and labeling the area. Closets, drawers, and cabinets are at least two motion storage, and can often be three or four.  This mental block means the item gets left out or thrown into a clutter casserole inside the storage area.  While expensive, beautiful options abound, I usually opt for cardboard boxes or flimsy plastic baskets inside drawers, cabinets, and closets. 

• A closet functions best when it is containerized into three zones:  A floor storage unit (a shoe rack in a bedroom closet, for instance), high and low hanging rods, and an upper shelf that holds labeled storage boxes.  
• Keep an OPEN TOP hamper where you normally undress (bedroom or bathroom)  You should be able to toss clothes into your hamper from where you undress.  Fun fact:  This was a big sticking point with me as a newlywed.  We had covers on our hampers growing up, and I thought open tops were gross.  Daddy made it very clear he was happy to always use an open top, but that if I insisted on a lid, he would just throw his clothes in the general vicinity.  I don't think I've picked up his clothes off the floor more than once or twice in 25 years. 
• Use trays or dishes to create easy, open-top organization for items that live on horizontal spaces like a table or dresser top.
• Unless they are very small and only hold one type of item, drawers need plastic or cardboard dividers or they become default "junk" drawers.  
• Fit undivided cabinets with drawer units or shelved cabinets with open top plastic tote boxes that can be slid on and off the shelves. Obviously some areas in the kitchen don't need containers, but a host of shelf organizers are available to keep everything from dishes to cans corralled if you have the extra $ and a small space.
• Only purchase furniture that has storage capabilities:  an end table with shelves or drawers, a bed frame with drawers and a bookcase, etc.  Most of your furniture will be hand me downs at first, but as you invest, make wise choices.
• Utilize rolling underbed storage if you have a bed frame, or a rolling set of plastic drawers under a table.
• For more information on this concept, look at Julia Morgenstern's book, Organizing from the Inside Out.
• Organize your car to reflect how you use it.  Passenger seat or back of the seat organizers are available if you're on the road a lot. Trunk organizers are expensive, but milk crates work well.

Equalize!!!

You can have a professional organizer come in and invest thousands of dollars in every organizational unit under the sun, but it won't work if you don't put things away as soon as you're done using them.   

• Equalizing, or picking up, is why I dramatically prefer hooks, shelves, and other open top, one motion, store-it-where-you-use-it storage. 
• Don't "over-organize." You don't need a separate divider for every item, just for every type of item.  In my baking drawer I have a divider for measuring cups and spoons, one for KitchenAid attachments, one for small hand tools (bench scrapers, pastry brushes, scoops), and one at the way back for sharp or infrequently used small tools (apple corer, donut cutter).
• Train yourself not to leave a room with stuff out of place.  Take 10 seconds before you leave a room to drop or hang everything in it's place, and you'll find keeping house a snap.  It's perfectly fine to tell a friend who drops by and wants you to go out with them "give me 5 minutes to put my things away, and I'll be ready to go."
• If items tend to travel from room to room (I'm looking at you drinking glasses and snack dishes!), immediately bring them back where they belong as you leave the room.  Apartments are small.  You can afford to loop to the kitchen and swish your snack dishes and water glass out before heading to bed.
• Keep a decent sized OPEN TOP trash bin in every room.  It's a pain in the neck to walk to a separate room to throw away a wrapper or Kleenex, and they'll end up on the floor or another horizontal surface.
• Twice a year go through room by room and discard, sell, or give away items you no longer use or those weird gifts and purchases you never used.

Why Bother?

Organizing your 3-D space will create a sense of peace and cut your cleaning time down to 30 minutes a week or less. You'll be able to invite a friend in at a moment's notice, or minister to someone in your church or neighborhood. If you have excellent storage -- stuff management -- you'll be far less likely to succumb to buying stuff, too.  Finally, you're unlikely to stay in your first apartment for more than a couple of years.  Packing to move is a snap if you're well organized and a nightmare if you're not.

 

Remember the feeling of going to Grammy's house on the lake?  There's always a deep sense of peace, not just because of her sweet spirit, but because she keeps her place free of clutter.  She dusts, vacuums, and mops weekly or biweekly, but her home feels wonderful because she's faithful about keeping it neat.

I look forward to seeing your first place.  A huge learning curve usually accompanies your first time housekeeping, so I'll come over and help you anytime you want, judgment free.  I love you and want you to have a comfortable, homey home to refresh your own spirit and minister to others.

Love,

Momma

Keeping House for One: Weekly Plan (2D)

Dear Lissy,
Artic air has hit! Temps are in the teens, and we have the stove running at full speed.  I'm having a hard time keeping you focused on school because you're taking Liz out for a mint hot chocolate and donut to celebrate her birthday and then heading to the holiday fair at the hospital where you volunteer.
We've talked before about 2D (planning your week), 3D (organizing your physical space to work for you), and 4D (daily time management) homemaking principles.  These three dimensions allow you to keep your home in a manner that reflects your personality and allows you to minister to others.  Your 2D plan will look very different while you're working full time and living in an apartment.

The weekly plan

The weekly plan is designed to give you a rhythm that allows you to keep everything current:  meals, laundry, bills, appointments and errands, cleaning, etc.  Generally for single apartment dwellers working a full time job and active in their church, you'll be looking at a few hours at the beginning or end of each day.  Schedule your energy, not your time!

• Make a list of weekly tasks.
• Errands:  bank (most banking is online, but you still need to review accounts at least once a week), dry cleaner (arrange for pick up and drop off at your workplace if available), library (30 minutes)
• Appointments:  Not used every week, but good to have a scheduled block for haircuts, eye appointments, doctor and dentist appointments, oil changes/tire rotations, etc.  Try to find businesses that offer evening hours if you work a day shift so you don't have to use earned time.
• Grocery shopping (30-45 minutes with a list.)
• Food prep (Most full-time workers don't have time to prepare 21 meals a week.  They spend 2 hours or so prepping for 14 or more meals.)
• Cleaning -- Clutter should be picked up daily, and bathroom and kitchen wiped down after every use.  This is the window washing, doorknobs/lightswitch disinfecting, dusting, vacuuming, mopping end of cleaning that we do once a week.  An apartment should be able to be zipped through in 45 minutes or less if you've kept it picked up.  We'll talk about dishes/kitchen maintenance when we cover 4D, but if that's an area that you struggle, set aside time a couple of times a week to get the kitchen back to "ground zero."
• Bills, Correspondence, computer/mobile maintenance (20 minutes)
• Laundry day (unless you have a w/d in your apartment)(2 hours)
• Trash to curb, wash out trash cans (10 minutes)
• Church prep: Sunday School, meals, Bible study lessons etc. (1 hour)
• Manicure/Pedicure (10 minutes/30 minutes if polishing)
• Clean out and restock purse, work, workout, and church bags (15 minutes)
• Car cleanout, vacuum, and fluid/tire check (20 minutes)
• Emergency Regroup:  Set aside at least an hour a week to get caught up so that you have the ability to minister to a friend in need or just go out for a cup of coffee.
• Map out work and church commitments on a weekly calendar.  
•  Include unofficial as well as scheduled events.  If you and a coworker regularly go to the gym after work, that needs to be accounted for.
• Right now Google calendar is free and works well for this purpose.
• Block out time for sleep (including night time routine) and getting ready for work/church (including morning routine).
• During the remaining time, when is your physical energy highest?  For me this was usually late morning through dinner on my day off and after dinner on days I worked.

• During the remaining time, when is your mental energy highest? For me this was, and is, usually after 9 pm or before work in the early morning.
• Plot your tasks into the spaces each day where they most naturally fit.  
• Grocery shopping and other errands are usually easiest to do on the way home from work or church.  Don't forget to check Sunday School lesson plans before shopping in case you need a weird craft or snack item.
• Cleaning is nice to schedule toward the end of the week so you can have friends in on the weekend.
• Use laundromat time to clean and check your vehicle, manicure your nails, or even clean out and organize your bags and purse. 

• Many of these weekly tasks can be reduced to minutes if you keep picked up as you go:  empty the car every time you get out, don't let your apartment get cluttered, pay bills on auto and process mail daily, prepping extra food every time you cook, taking an extra minute to set up filing systems on your computer, etc.  I'll cover this in more detail in my next post about making your space work for your lifestyle.

• Post your weekly schedule on a whiteboard or a cute printable somewhere in your apartment where you'll see it every day.   
• In Victorian times, every household had a large chalkboard in the kitchen with the weekly tasks painted onto a weekly grid and space below to write on daily tasks in chalk.  Borrow their idea by using Sharpie or vinyl letters on a whiteboard that's divided into weekly squares.

•  Set recurring task lists to pop up on your computer or mobile using an app.
• Avoid having your weekly schedule as a document in your computer or a notebook where you can just ignore it UNLESS you decide to do a CEO sheet (single printed half sheet with schedule, to-dos, and notes you print every morning to run your day -- optional part of 4D management)

The weekly tasks are vital to perform in a few minutes each week, because they become a big problem if left undone.  This list may look like a lot, but it accounts for very little time if good storage systems and daily pickup are part of your routine.  Call or email me if you struggle -- the weekly plan is the difference between a well-run home and a hot mess.  An old New England saying comes to mind "There is but an hour a day between a good huswif and a bad one."

Love,

Momma

Keeping House for One: Meals

Dear Lissy,

Your oldest brother just landed a sweet job, and rented his first apartment.  Daddy and I love his new church,workplace, and home!  As he and I have talked through the logistics of being on your ownsome, I realized I had a hole in my homemaking posts to you:  Keeping a home for one.  The simple fact is that a full time job and faithfulness to a local church fill a week.  The margin around those responsibilities is generally at times that your energy will be low.  So how do you keep an apartment neat and homey, eat nutritious meals, and keep up with the paperwork?  Let's start with a simplified version of what we've learned for a larger home that keeps the life, budget, and energy levels of a single person in mind. 

We'll begin with meals, because that was my biggest challenge as a newlywed. I made the all-or-nothing mistake:  we either had nutritious homemade meals or hit Checkers for burgers, fries, and milkshakes.  The better choice would have been to eat easy meals 3-4 times a week, homemade meals 2-3 times a week, and planned in an occasional splurge out.  I also made the colossal mistake of being "too tired to do dishes right now" and ended up with a dishpan full of gross slimy dishes to deal with every couple of days.  Yuck!  Now I would recommend a hearty supply of paper goods for days you know you don't have the energy to clean the kitchen.  Even if you don't take time to do the dishes, scrape, rinse, and stack instead of soaking.

Breakfast

• Basic Breakfast(2-3x/wk):  Ready to eat, but can be a sugar bomb or budget buster if you're not careful.
• Yogurt and granola
• Cold cereal
• Protein bar
• Bagel with cream cheese
• Better Breakfast(3-4x/wk):  Has to be prepared, but generally cheap and healthy.  Make several days at once on a slow morning so you have one prep and cleanup.
• Scrambled egg and sausage burrito (make 4 at once, wrap and save 3)
• Hard boiled eggs and muffins from mix (make 6 of each once, wrap and save 4 for later)
• Smoothie:  Make up bags to store in freezer with all ingredients, blend at breakfast.
• Splurge (1x/wk):  Convenience store, donut shop, fast food, diner.

Lunch 

• Basic Lunch(3-4x/wk):  Fast and easy, but can be a fat bomb or budget buster.  Most items can be made at home inexpensively, or purchased at a grocery store for a few extra $
• Sandwich, chips, fruit, snack
• Crackers/pretzels and fresh veg with hummus
• Salad or wrap
• Meal replacement bar or shake
• Better Lunch(2-3x/wk):  Leftovers! If you have access to a microwave, dinner leftovers make an nutritious and inexpensive lunch.
• Splurge (1x/wk):  Convenience store, sandwich shops, fast food, cafe, food truck.

 Dinner 

• Basic Dinner (3-4x/week):  Bowls. Make these up one evening and store the leftovers for the rest of the week.
  • Cook off 2 cups rice, 1# noodles, or 4 baked potatoes.  Store 3 portions in container in fridge, save out 1 for dinner.
  • Cook off 4 portions of meat.  This can be 4 of the same or varied. Slice/Chop and store 3 portions, save 1 out for dinner.  A rotisserie chicken is an easy way to do this without a lot of time or mess if you have a busy week.  Scrambled hamburger also is fast and lends itself well to Mexican and Italian sauces.
  • Buy 1# total of frozen veg.  I keep a several bags of different types of frozen veg in the freezer. 
  • Buy 3 - 4 different jarred sauces that you like:  Chinese, Salsa/Taco Sauce, Gravy, Spaghetti/Alfredo, etc.  These are generally found in the center aisles of the store.
  • Assemble as needed:  1 cup starch, 1 portion (4-6 oz) meat, 4 oz veg, and enough sauce to make it yummy. Microwave in a bowl. Add shredded cheese, olives, etc. if desired.
  Better Dinner (2-3x/week):  On nights you don't have an after dinner commitment, make a fresh hot meal for 4, and use leftovers for lunch.  This meal will be a main, veg or salad, good bread, and a light dessert like pudding or jello.  
• Make a soup or casserole and you'll have lunch leftovers for the rest of the week.  
• Try a new cooking technique -- maybe a frittata.  
• Meatloaf or meatballs feed an army, but also freeze well for nights you don't feel like cooking.  
• Splurge(1x/wk):  Order in a pizza, or go out with a friend!

Snacks

One of the biggest mistakes you can make when you live alone is not planning for snacks.  You will snack if you live alone! The key is finding snacks that don't sabotage your health goals, and planning for a few splurges.

• Basic Snacks:  Healthy snacks that provide a good amount of munchy pleasure and meet nutritional goals are essential.
• Cut up veggies and dip (Baby carrots, black olives, celery, cherry tomatoes, broccoli crowns, etc.)
• Fruit:  Clementines, apples, bananas, grapes, fruit cups
• Wasa bread or other whole grain cracker and cream cheese or hummus.
• Popcorn (invest in an air popper -- microwave popcorn is expensive and unhealthy!) 

• Splurge Snacks:  Everyone loves a treat!  The secret is to buy just a week's worth at the grocery store and avoid the convenience store trap.  If snacks are a real temptation, use 7 gallon ziplocs, and split the goodies up by day as soon as you get home. You can put a plastic spoon into a bag to portion out ice cream or pudding.
• One week supply of individual serving size bags or cans of chips.  Most grocery stores have these available either near the deli or checkout.  Avoid family sized bags -- once they're open, they're hard to resist.
• Six pack of 100 calorie mini cans or even 12 oz cans of soda.  
• Small candy bars come in a flat pack of 5 or 6 pieces for around $1, minis in a bag for about $3.
• Ice cream cups or bars (don't do the half gallon thing as a single person!) 
• Granola bars
• Pudding or jello cups

 Kitchen Management and Grocery Shopping

Grocery shop one day a week with a list and a budget.  We usually went after church midweek when the store was slow.  If money is available, ordering online for pick up may be worth your time.  Hitting a fast food restaurant once costs more than the service charge at most grocery stores.

Put away groceries as soon as you get home.

Commit to keeping the kitchen clean as you go. If you don't keep any other area of your home clean, commit to the kitchen.  Clean as you go, and always leave the kitchen shiny clean.  Even now, I go through spurts of restaurant clean and "that can totally wait until morning".  I have never regretted staying up a few extra minutes to clean the kitchen, and it's even better if I clean as I go so there's never a Swedish Chef level mess to begin with.  I have the best "luck" if I remember the Flylady mantra of keeping my sink shiny 24/7.  The rest of the apartment may look like a bomb went off, but the sink stays shiny!

Clean your fridge out every week the night before trash day.

Progress, not Perfection!  I've said this in at least 50 posts on this blog.  There's no such thing as a "perfect" week.  Do the best you can with the time, energy, and $ God has provided.  If you end up eating a Snickers and Combos for lunch once in a while, so be it.  If you have to bleach the dishes you left in the sink for 2 days, do it, and move on.  Another writer I love puts it this way:  "Something is better than nothing, but always aim for more."

I can't wait to visit your first apartment someday!

Love,

Momma

Quick Eats: Roast Beef Carpaccio

Dear Lissy,

This quick and easy salad adapted from Dorie Greenspan is probably my favorite meal right now.  Light and filling, the flavors are sophisticated and perfectly balanced.  The "recipe" would more accurately be entitled "directions"  -- simply assemble the ingredients for a great lunch.  I like to use a leftover piece of grilled steak shaved thin when deli roast beef gets too costly.

Roast Beef Carpaccio

Adapted from Dorie Greenspan's Roast Beef Carpaccio, Paris Style

Serves 1

4 oz shaved rare roast beef

1 Tbsp pesto

1/2 cup baby greens tossed with 1 tsp olive oil.   Salt & pepper to taste.

1 oz Parmesan, shaved (I use a vegetable peeler)

1/4 cup quick pickled onions

1 slice good bread, grilled

2-3 cornichon or baby gherkin pickles

Pile the roast beef onto a bread plate.  Spread with pesto.  Top with baby greens, and sprinkle with parmesan and quick pickled onions.  Place grilled bread and baby gherkins on side of plate.  

 Love,

 Momma

Cheap Eats: Grilled Pork Tenderloin/Pork & Mushroom Stew

Dear Lissy,

You've asked me to get all of my recipes onto your blog, so here goes...

Pork Tenderloins go on sale for $0.99 - $1.69/lb pretty regularly here in town.  Grilled pork tenderloin is easy enough for a weeknight dinner, and one of our family's favorite dishes.  During the winter, I pop it into a hearty stew and serve it with homemade bread.  In the summer, it pairs nicely with grilled veg or a green salad.

This picture from the Pork website shows how Pork Tenderloin looks when fully cooked.  We prefer ours a little more done than this:  the pink will only be in the very center of the meat following times and temps in this recipe.

Quick Brined Pork Tenderloins

adapted from CookSmart by Pamela Anderson

***The tenderness of the pork is directly related to the brining.  If you skip the brining, pork may be chewy or tough.***

• 2# Pork Tenderloin, trimmed of fat and cut into 1# logs.
• 1/2 cup Kosher Salt
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 Quart Water
• 1/4 cup Dijon Mustard
• 2 Tbsp. Coarsely Ground black pepper

1. Mix salt and sugar into quart of warm water in medium bowl.
2. Submerge tenderloin "logs" in water and let sit for 45 minutes.
3. Rinse tenderloin and pat dry.  Use immediately, or refrigerate up to 8 hours.  Pat dry again when ready to use.
4. Smear logs with Dijon Mustard, and sprinkle evenly with coarse black pepper.
5. Preheat grill on high, and lightly oil rack.
6. Place tenderloin logs on grill, and close the grill for 7 minutes.
7. Turn the tenderloin, close the grill, and grill for additional 6 minutes.  
8. Turn off heat under the tenderloins, leaving opposite burner running.  Close lid and cook for additional 5 minutes, or until thermometer registers 145-150 degrees F.  
9. Remove from grill and let stand 5 minutes.  
10. Slice and serve.  Interior should be very light pink just in center.

Mom's Notes:  

1. Several variations of this recipe are in CookSmart: Curried Apple, Rosemary Orange, and Sweet chili.
2. Grilled vegetables can be done during the last 5 minutes of cooking time and while the roast stands so the whole dinner comes together very easily.

Pork and Mushroom Stew

***The tenderness of the pork is directly related to the brining.  If you skip the brining, pork may be chewy or tough, no matter how long it simmers in the broth.***

• Grilled Pork Tenderloin from above, chunked
• 6 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1" chunks
• 1 small Ball Jar (12 oz size) or can green beans, drained
• 8 oz fresh mushrooms, sliced (Portabellas often show up on the out-of-date rack at our store and are delicious in this stew.)

Sauce/Broth:

• 4 Tbsp butter
• 1/2 cup flour
• 2 cups seasoned chicken broth
• 2 cups milk
• Salt and Pepper
• 1-2 Tbsp. Dijon Mustard

1. Place carrots, mushrooms, and green beans into crock pot.  Turn pot to "high".
2. Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium high heat.  
3. Whisk in flour when butter bubbles, and cook for 1 minute.
4. Add chicken broth, whisking until smooth.
5. Add milk, whisking until smooth.
6. Add 1-2 tsp. salt (or dry chicken bouillon) to taste.  Add Dijon and pepper to taste.  I generally use about 1 tsp pepper and 2-3 tsp. dijon.  Sauce shouldn't taste distinctly of either pepper or mustard.
7. Pour bubbly-boiling sauce over veg in crockpot.  Cook for 90 minutes on high or 3 hours on low until the carrots are crisp/tender.  Stir occasionally.  Sauce will thin to soup consistency as mushrooms cook down.  While veg is cooking, prepare grilled pork tenderloins.
8. Add pork chunks and stir to evenly combine ingredients.  Reduce heat to low, and cook for 30-45 minutes.  Carrots and pork should both be fork tender.

**Mom's note:  To make this stew super easy, substitute 1 family sized can of Cream of Mushroom soup and 2 cups boiling water for the sauce ingredients in the list.  Add directly to the crock pot and add about 15 minutes extra cooking time.

Love,

Momma

Mom Review: Classroom Friendly Pencil Sharpener

The holiday season is upon us, so I'll keep this short and sweet.  I was sent a free sleek black Classroom Friendly Pencil Sharpener to test, and we put it through its paces over the past three weeks.  What do we think?

Buy a Classroom Friendly Pencil Sharpener (or 3).

Why?  I'm glad you asked...

1. The CF Sharpener quietly sharpens #2 wood pencils to a long, perfect point every single time without removing any length from the pencil.   
• EVERY pencil, from the Ticonderogas to the Michael's glitter pencils.  We sharpened hundreds of pencils without a single glitch.
• EVERY time.  Perfect points.  No wood left on one side like our angsty electric sharpeners.  No  pencils nommed into nubs like our crank sharpener with the identity crisis (he thinks he's a beaver).  No ear protection required.
2. The CF Sharpener comes fully supported with faq's, videos, a PDF poster, and replacement parts on their website.
3. We purposely abused our sharpener but couldn't break it.
• We dropped the CF Sharpener from waist height several times on a hardwood floor, allowing it to fall on the crank, the metal case, and even the plexi shavings drawer.  No dents, dings, or failures.  The portability of the sharpener is an important feature for us, and we knew it would get dropped from time to time.
• We forced pencils into the hole without engaging the autofeed and turned the crank until the lead broke and jammed the mechanism.  This was a key test -- I knew one of my kids would do this at some point even though they understood how the autofeed functioned.  Following the video, I removed the crank, pulled out the burr mechanism, removed the broken piece of pencil, and had it back together and working well in under a minute.
• We sharpened things that were never intended to be sharpened in a pencil sharpener:  drawing pencils, tortillon stumps, watercolor pencils, Prismacolor art pencils, ends of paint brushes.  Not everything sharpened, but we didn't break the sharpener.  

Notice the nice sharp points on a glitter pencil, a col-erase (my favorite for maps and Bible Marking), and even a 6B drawing pencil.

Ooooo....tell me more! 

• The Classroom Friendly sharpener sharpens any wood-cased 8 mm graphite pencil flawlessly.  The lead was approximately 0.5mm thick when sharpened, and gradually wrote down to about an 0.9 mm.  No needle points, crumbly graphite (a personal pet peeve when using Japanese hand sharpeners), or rough/uneven wood grips.  The autofeed mechanism leaves behind a couple of small dents on the paint.  This is a huge money and timesaver for me.  I know I can buy or pick up a pencil anywhere and this sharpener will work.  As much as I like my little handheld German sharpeners, they are time consuming and make a mess.
• The Classroom Friendly Sharpener is portable.  The package includes a clamp which worked marginally well.  We keep it on top of the bookcase without a clamp, or pop it in my Reisenthel basket for trips to the library or other groups.
• The Sharpener is enameled metal and every part feels solid.  Even the little "ears" on the autofeed mechanism and the shavings drawer feel solid and work smoothly.  It's cute, too!
• The autofeed mechanism is ingenious.  My teenagers figured it out quickly, and a random elementary child who tested it for us was able to run the mechanism with no problems after watching the video.  
• The sharpener operates easily and quietly.  You'll have to find another way to get a workout...so sorry!
• The shavings drawer is large:  we don't even empty it once a day.
• Against manufacturer recommendations I ran over 200 colored and drawing pencils through the sharpener.  [From Classroom Friendly Supplies:  "Colored pencils are the kryptonite of most sharpeners! This sharpener works best with standard lead pencils. It does work on colored pencils but they do break off much easier and jamming can be an issue, as with most other sharpeners. It is best to tell students to only sharpen the colored pencils partially. This means only turning the crank 2-3 times. This allows for a partially sharpened tip and less jamming issues. This sharpener creates a very pointy tip and by only turning the crank 2-3 times will be sufficient. "]
• Watercolor pencils sharpened flawlessly.
• Verithin and Col-Erase pencils sharpened every time with no problems.  These two brands are what we use for all of our map and science work because we like transparent color for those purposes.
• Crayola and Roseart pencils sharpened well.
• With care (slowly, checking every 3 cranks or so), we were able to sharpen Prismacolor Premier pencils.  I had a couple of leads break, but that isn't a big deal to fix with the Classroom Friendly Sharpener. 
• With care, I was able to sharpen 2 B- 8B pencils and Sepia and White clay pencils.  The softer pencils got shortened a couple of times, and leads broke off. 
• The one pencil that absolutely cannot be sharpened in the Classroom Friendly Sharpener is the Wopex.  This pencil brand made from a PVC/wood byproduct extrusion process was a hot mess in a burr sharpener.  Several of my beloved Wopex were eaten down to 3" long and still weren't sharp.  The leads broke and crumbled.  The grip was rough and had sharp flakes of the PVC/wood casing left attached.  If you like and use Wopex pencils, stick to a hand-held blade sharpener.  

My momma recommendation...

Worth. every. penny.  I'll probably be buying another for upstairs. 

Update:  I am now an affiliate for Classroom Friendly Supplies.  A purchase of a sharpener through this link will help support Dear Lissy.  Click the ad below to go directly to Classroom Friendly Supplies.

The Classroom Friendly Pencil sharpener also makes an amazing gift.  It comes packaged in a frosted plastic box that would be pretty with just a ribbon.  I can't imagine a Sunday School teacher, Homeschool group coordinator or homeschool mom that wouldn't be thrilled to receive a Classroom Friendly sharpener.  Print out and laminate the poster, and pop it into a cute basket or bag with a bundle of pencils.  Don't be afraid of those Christmas themed pencils in the Dollar Tree or Oriental Trading Post catalog -- they'll sharpen just as beautifully as a Ticonderoga.

A shiny new baby blog

If you've been following along on Dear Lissy, check out my new nature journaling blog, Thursday's Brush.  Thursday's Brush is a collection of techniques, products, tutorials, and links as I learn how to step up my drawing, pen and ink, and watercolor skills.  Hope to see you there!

One Quick Tip: Basic Body Stewardship

Dear Lissy,


:Every 24 Hours: 

30 Minutes Brisk Walk 

+

12 Consecutive Hours Fasting 

(usually from after dinner to breakfast the following day)

+

        7-8 Hours Sleep       

= Basic Good Health

Nope, these habits won't undo a 6 hour a day screen habit, decaying teeth, or a 4000 calorie diet, BUT they will give you a shot of discipline that helps you tackle the underlying spiritual and emotional problems that caused the screen and sugar habit.

These three changes won't turn you into an athlete or reduce your age by 10 years, either.  They are BASIC MAINTENANCE.  At some point in your life you'll probably want to add in strength, stamina, balance, and flexibility exercises.  Optimal nutrition for your body can dramatically change your energy and immunity levels, too.  The hundreds of tweaks available to your health and fitness do add up, but they don't make much difference if you aren't taking care of the basics first.

As believers, we have a responsibility to steward our body.  God may ask more of us than these simple disciplines entail, but he will not ask less while we have the freedom to perform them.  If He chooses to place us where we cannot accomplish basic maintenance tasks for our bodies, He will also give the grace to accept the limitations.

 Love you to the moon and back,
 Momma

P.S.  Some basic sources for the three parts of the equation.  Most Americans are woefully undereducated on fasting.  Because fasting doesn't create income for pharmas or food companies, it gets swept out of the way as hoo-hoo witchdoctor level medicine.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  If I had to pick just one consistent health practice for the rest of my life it would be fasting.  I've successfully treated hypertension, fibroid tumors, sciatica and cubital tunnel syndrome, and even a systemic yeast infection with fasting.  Very few people would debate the benefits of a 30 minute daily walk, but most wouldn't think it was "enough."  Sleep -- well, we all pretty much know how much we need to function, but that doesn't mean we make it a priority ever night like we should.

12 Hour Eating/Fasting cycle, also referred to as intermittent fasting or eating window. Dozens of variations exist, from an 18/6 to a 12/5/5.  Extended  mutli-day fasts can heal issues that even our current pharmas and surgery cannot.  A 12 hour window is the minimum fast that had measurable results.  The No S diet we followed all through your adolescent years is a variation on the 12/5/5.
New York Times
Mercola
Healthy Living


30 Minute Walk
Tesco: 10 Health Benefits of a Daily Walk
Mark's Daily Apple  Mark is known for extreme fitness, but still recommends walking (and fasting...)
Everyday Health
American Heart Association:  Walking briskly provides the same benefits as running.

7-8 Hours Sleep
Ironically, this was the most heavily debated of the basic maintenance tasks when I wrote this.  Every source agreed on at least a 12 hour fasting window and a minimum of 30 minutes of brisk walking, but sleep times varied greatly.  Best current advice?  Go to bed at a time that allows you to wake naturally without an alarm.  Newer research even indicates sleeping a split shift might be healthier.
Wall Street Journal
Today

Human 101: Don't Be Gross

Dear Lissy,

As we settle into summer work routines, it's easy to get sloppy with personal care.  We've had longstanding routines in our home for what we dub "Human 101".   The goal is to keep every person and their personal space neat & clean.  Eventually these areas will become
a) a testimony issue when you have roommates,
b) a health/safety issue if you are neglecting these tasks,
c) relationship busters.
We want to have these habits and routines so ingrained that they are second nature to you!

Personal Care

Have you showered daily (and after work/exercise)?
Is your hair trimmed, clean, and styled?
Have you washed your face, ears, and neck carefully?
Are your eyebrows groomed?  (Sounds silly, but we've got two unibrows and three Gandalfs living here...we can get looking pretty scary)
Have your brushed and flossed at least twice daily? Lip butter?
Have you shaved?
Clothes clean and not wrinkled/pressed?
Deodorant?
Nails and toenails clean and trimmed?  No chipped polish on girls?
Clean feet?
Shoes clean and polished/brushed? Odor eaters/spray if necessary?
Taken allergy meds?

We don't include devotions, exercise, or healthy eating in this list, but if we notice a problem in one of those areas, we'll ask the person involved what their current plan looks like and help them make an adjustment.  Fail to plan, plan to fail.

Personal Space

Bed made daily and sheets laundered in the last week?
Dirty laundry in hamper?  (Workout and wet clothing has to be washed immediately.) Clothing level below lip of hamper?
Clean laundry put away?
Personal care items cleaned, dried, and stored in proper space?
Bedroom and computer stations tidy?

Daddy and I keep a running idea on these items and pull you aside if "always/usually" is slipping into "sometimes/never".  He deals with the boys, I take point with you no matter who notices the problem.  In the next couple of days, I'll write another letter about Human 102:  Live Well With Others.

 Love,

 Momma