Anti-Procrastination Challenge: Clean out your Spice Cabinet

Today's challenge should be pretty quick and easy.  I'm not asking you to organize your spices (although you certainly can if you want to!).  I just want you to go through and throw away anything that is old or that you do not use.  There is no sense in letting things you do not use take up room and make it harder to find the ones you do use.  Old spices lose their flavor and basically do you no good anyway. 

 If this is your first time visiting The Imperfect Homemaker, you may be wondering what The Anti-Procrastination Challenge is.

Basically, I challenged myself at the beginning of the year to complete one task every day that I would normally put off until all of my “regular cleaning” is done.  I've done things like clean out a drawer, vacuum under the couch, clean out my coupons, etc.  Just recently, I realized that maybe some of you are like me and do better when you have a little nudge, so I decided to start posting a challenge for you to complete every day as well.  If you go here, you can see all the challenges I've posted so far.

Be sure to subscribe to email updates or follow me on Facebook so you won't miss any of the challenges! 

This post may be linked to one of these parties.

15 Self-Directed Activities for Toddlers

One of the biggest challenges I face while making dinner is how to keep the children busy.  They are constantly hanging on my legs and telling me they're hungry.  They don't seem to understand that the more they whine the longer it will be before I can get dinner finished and they can eat.

That's why I started having them sit at the table to work on an activity while I cook.  I have a cabinet that has fun things that they can do by themselves.  They only get to do these activities while I'm cooking so that they stay fresh and fun.

A lot of the things I have are educational games I have bought on clearance.  But there are a lot of different ideas around the web that you can make yourself.  I have three criteria for the activities that I choose to make or buy:

1. They aren't expensive or extremely time-consuming to make
2. They aren't too babyish for my 4 year old but not too hard for my 2 year to do by herself
3. They won't create a big mess.

Here is a round up of some ideas that meet all of those qualifications.:

Popsicle Stick Puzzles

Popsicle stick color matching

Build a cupcake

Building with velcro and craft sticks

Pipe cleaners and a spice jar

Button practice with felt

Clothespin Color Match

Weaving with pipe cleaners and a cooling rack

Practicing shapes with stickers

Popsicle Stick Shape matching

Pom poms and tweezers

Printable Sewing Cards

Block puzzles

I spy book

Magnetic items and a cookie sheet

Update:  after seeing how great a demand there is for independent activities for the little ones, I compiled a whole book of them!

These activities are all tested by kids and moms!  They're sure to keep your child's attention without requiring lots of set-up !

Grab your copy now!

Anti-Procrastination Challenge: Pinterest

I've been working you hard doing some not-so-fun tasks.  Let's do something fun today!  It's time to actually do something you've pinned on Pinterest.  Go take a look at your boards and choose one thing to do today, whether it's making a new recipe or craft, doing an activity with your kids, or whatever. Just do something!  If you can't complete a project start-to-finish today, I want you to at least write down whatever supplies or ingredients you might need on your shopping list so you can get started as soon as possible. 

I've been experimenting with some of the homemade cleaners and such that I have pinned.  I have yet to find one that I love, though.  I'm going to keep experimenting, and when I've found a recipe I especially like, I will post it here for you.

All right, time to go get busy; you've got a job to do!

If this is your first time visiting The Imperfect Homemaker, you may be wondering what The Anti-Procrastination Challenge is.

Basically, I challenged myself at the beginning of the year to complete one task every day that I would normally put off until all of my “regular cleaning” is done.  I've done things like clean out a drawer, vacuum under the couch, clean out my coupons, etc.  Just recently, I realized that maybe some of you are like me and do better when you have a little nudge, so I decided to start posting a challenge for you to complete every day as well.  If you go here, you can see all the challenges I've posted so far.

Be sure to subscribe to email updates or follow me on Facebook so you won't miss any of the challenges!

Anti-Procrastination Challenge: Attack your Mending Pile

 I worked on my mending pile a couple weeks ago, but I never got all the way to the bottom of it.  I finally finished up the mending today, but I have a half-sewn dress that I still need to finish.  I started working on it last year, but I got pregnant and couldn't finish it because I couldn't fit into it to try it on!  Now I have a few more pounds of baby weight to lose before I can finish it.  Anyway, I'm rambling.

On to your challenge for the day:

Whether you have 1 article or 10 in your mending pile, I want you to mend at least one item start to finish.

That includes putting all your supplies back away when you're done and putting the clothing back in the closet or washing it if need be.  (If it's been in your pile for a while, it may be a little dusty.  I won't tell you how I know that clothes in the mending pile can indeed get dusty.)

If this is your first time visiting The Imperfect Homemaker, you may be wondering what The Anti-Procrastination Challenge is.

Basically, I challenged myself at the beginning of the year to complete one task every day that I would normally put off until all of my “regular cleaning” is done.  I've done things like clean out a drawer, vacuum under the couch, clean out my coupons, etc.  Just recently, I realized that maybe some of you are like me and do better when you have a little nudge, so I decided to start posting a challenge for you to complete every day as well.  If you go here, you can see all the challenges I've posted so far. 

Be sure to subscribe to email updates or follow me on Facebook so you won't miss any of the challenges!

This post may be linked to one of these parties.

Anti-Procrastination Challenge: Do you Have a Will?

Today's Anti-Procrastination Challenge is something none of us like to think about.  But the truth is, all of us are going to die one day.  (Hebrews 9:27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment)

We tend to procrastinate on matters like making a will because we don't really plan on dying anytime soon.  But in reality,  none of us are guaranteed another moment.  (James 4:14  Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.) 

So let's stop procrastinating and get things in order so that our loved ones do not have extra stress should we suddenly pass away.

Obviously you may not be able to complete this task start-to-finish today, but I am challenging you to take the necessary steps to begin the process.  Contact your lawyer, or find a place online that has a fill-in-the-blanks version that you can get notarized.

We are using the service that is provided to members of the Homeschool Legal Advantage.  They have a fill-in-the-blank form that you can send to them to make any necessary corrections.  They send it back to you to get it notarized and you're done!

If anyone else has any helpful resources for getting your will drawn up I'd love for you to tell us in the comments!

And of course, be sure you're subscribed to email updates or follow me on Facebook to receive each day's new challenge!

This post may be linked to one of these parties.

10 Things Small Children Can Do in the Kitchen

My children are always begging to help me in the kitchen, but sometimes I have a hard time thinking of things that they can do.  I did a little brainstorming and compiled a list of 10 things that children as young as age 2 can do in the kitchen.

1.Dump ingredients into a bowl.  You measure it and then allow them to dump it into the bowl.

2. Stir.  Since they will probably not stir it as well as it needs to be done, you can tell them that you will start and they can finish.

3. Put toppings on pizza.  Lay out the toppings and let them have fun spreading them on the pizza.

4. Put forks, napkins, and condiments on the table.  Of course you're not going to let a very small child put the breakable dishes on the table, but they can set the forks and napkins around and help you put small items on the table like ketchup or salad dressing.

5. Sweep the floor.  A child is not going to be able to get the floor completely swept, but they will feel like such a big boy or girl using the broom.  It will probably keep them occupied for a while.  You can also teach them how to hold the dustpan for you while you sweep the dirt into it.

6. Tear up salad greens.  If salad is on the menu, you can keep children occupied tearing the lettuce.  They may even do a better job at it than you!

7. Wash dishes.  Give them a chair, a sink full of soapy water, and some unbreakable dishes, and let them have at it!  They may end up a little bit wet, and you will most likely have to re-do the dishes, but they will have fun!  They will also be developing the skills they need to wash them them right way when they get a little older.

8. Dry dishes.  If you're not in the mood for a wet kitchen, you could wash and let them dry.

9. Chop Vegetables with an enclosed chopper.  If you have a hand chopper that is enclosed, they could take a turn at chopping.

10. Help you unload the dishwasher.  Kids as young as age 1 love to help unload the silverware from the dishwasher.  They can hand you one piece of silverware at a time while you put them away.

Children will probably not do everything perfectly in the kitchen, and you may get frustrated when they use the spoon more often as a bat than as a stirring utensil. But when you allow them to help, they will develop skills that will allow them to really be a help in the future.  You are also spending valuable time with them, and they will know by the time you spend how much you love them.

 What did I miss?  I'm sure there are more things that kids can do in the kitchen that I didn't think to put on this list.