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I am a big fan of the Dollar Tree Store. In just one place you can find such a wide variety of items for a great price (that price being $1, of course)! I think it is a great place to buy items you might already need to purchase but at a much lower cost than most stores.

The Dollar Tree is certainly full of some of the basics that you might expect to find including: paper goods, party supplies, toiletries, candy and various food items. In fact, that’s just the very start of the expansive list of products you can find at the Dollar Tree.

Today I want to share 5 unexpected items you will find at the Dollar Tree.

Wall Decals

People are loving wall decals these days. You see them a lot in children’s rooms and baby nurseries, but they have also become quite popular in the main spaces of the home. You can buy expensive decals or you could pop into the Dollar Tree, and choose from their wide selection of decals for any wall in your home. You can also think outside the box and create framed art using these decals.

Books

Did you know you can find books at the Dollar Tree? They have children’s books, books for teens and adults, cookbooks, coloring books, word searches and other activity books. You never know what you might find. I have yet to find a cook book at my store, but popular books are often snatched up quickly. Next time you’re at the Dollar Tree take a look at the book section, you might just find a hidden gem.

Teacher Supplies

Before having children I was a classroom teacher. Teacher supplies can be pricey, so it’s nice to have a place where you can buy needed items inexpensively. You can find certificates, banners, posters, flashcards, motivational stickers, mini-whiteboards, and many, many other options perfect for the classroom. These can obviously be used in your home, day care or church as well.

Accessories

When it comes to accessories, the Dollar Tree has you covered. You can find sunglasses, fashion scarves, socks, winter hats and gloves, headbands, bows, and clips. (I know I’m forgetting something.) Our family favorite in this category is probably anything hair-related. I have purchased many a head band and hair-tie for my daughters from the Dollar Tree. I will also say that their hats and gloves have held up over the course of a couple winters. Check out the numerous accessories the next time you are at the Dollar Tree.

Name Brands

I think some people steer clear of the Dollar Tree because they think everything sold in the store is an off-brand. That’s not true! The Dollar Tree is full of name brands including (but certainly not limited to): Almay, Betty Crocker, Bic, Brillo, Campbell’s, Colgate, Crest, Dial, Goya, Hanes, Lays, Scotties, and Softsoap. If you see a name brand you like and normally purchase, scoop it up and save yourself some money. It’s also pretty cool when you can match up a name brand item with a coupon. Hello, free (or almost free)!

What about you? What items do you like to purchase from the Dollar Tree? Have you found any unexpected items while shopping? Share in the comments below. I would love to hear from you!

Until next time,

Charissa

2 weeks ago I shared 2 of my goals for 2017. I also shared 2 extra goals which were less concrete than the first 2 but probably more important. One of those goals was: More Gratitude (Less Complaining).

I find myself quick to complain. Many times this complaining is just done in my own head, but then it eventually spills over affecting my words and my actions. I decided that this year I want to make the intentional choice to be thankful when tempted to complain.

There’s so much I could complain about:

• the weather
• how I feel
• a sleepless night
• a cold cup of “hot” tea
• a missed opportunity
• a misunderstanding
• a hole in my favorite sweater
• a missing item
• a scratch on the hood of my car

Of course, that’s just the start of the list. Let yourself get into it and each of us could probably complain all day, every day.

I could complain all day or I could Choose Gratitude.

There’s so much to be thankful for:

• my loving husband
• my energetic children
• lifelong friends
• new friends
• eggs and toast
• a text message received at just the right time
• a quiet morning
• a long walk on a warm afternoon
• my favorite robe
• an encouraging conversation

This year I want more gratitude (less complaining).

This shirt is a great reminder. When I saw it among the selections at   Cents of Style I knew it was the one for me.

Today through 1/22 Cents of Style’s Inspirational Tees are on sale.         Use code INSPIRE17 to take 50% off lowest marked price + free shipping!!

So many fun and meaningful options! Which one is the tee for you??

Choose Gratitude is mine because there is always a choice.

I can choose to get upset, complain and grumble or I can choose to be thankful and grateful for the moments, the day, and this life.

What about you? How can you choose gratitude today?

Until next time,

Charissa

(This post contains affiliate links, so thenotsobusymom receives a very small commission if you make a purchase through these links.)

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In my Goals Post for 2017 I shared that one of my goals for this year is to exercise for 30 minutes each day. Today I am going to share a bit more about the whys and hows of this goal.

Let’s get moving in 2017!!

Why this goal?

The number one reason I include exercise in my life and in my goals for this year is for my health. I want to be healthy. I want to take care of my body. When I take care of myself physically it positively affects many others areas of my life.

Options for exercise

The options for exercise are endless. I am choosing to share a few general options here.

1. Join a gym. I have not been a part of a gym since my college years, but it was a good fit for me then. A gym can be a great option for someone who is motivated by having to get up and get out of the house to exercise.
2. Classes. Classes are a great way to try something new. Most recently I took a class at a fitness center, and I had so much fun challenging myself by working out in a small group setting.
3. Outside. Getting outside for movement is a great option for exercise. You can walk, hike, bike or run. The movement plus the fresh air results in a refreshing workout.
4. At home. It is possible to work out at home. If you have a basement or spare room with exercise equipment working out in that space is obviously a great option. I don’t have room for large equipment in my home, so I choose to use DVDs or online workouts to “get my sweat on” at home.

Ways to stay motivated

Let’s be honest, we can get all pumped up to exercise and be fit, and then life happens. We can quickly lose motivation, so I wanted to share some simple ways to stay motivated.

1. Write down your goals. Write down your goals in a notebook or a journal. Writing them down makes it “official”, if you will. Then you can add your exercise task to your calendar. Check it off as you complete it each day, and stay motivated to continue down the healthy path.
2. Work out with a friend. I took an exercise class with a friend this fall. I try to walk with my mom once a week. If you know someone is expecting you to join them for a work out, you are far less likely to skip it.
3. Change up your work out. One day you can take a class. The next day you might go for a long walk. Later in the week you might run with a friend. Changing what you do helps keep the task from feeling stale.
4. Don’t change up your work out. For some changing up what you do will be the motivating factor, but for others, if you don’t change it up (but instead keep it the same), you will find more success. Keeping it the same keeps it simple, and for some that’s just what is needed to stay motivated to exercise each day.
5. Listen to music or podcasts. I love to listen to podcasts. I am also a big music fan, but I like to listen and learn while I work out, so that’s why I choose podcasts over music. Whatever you choose, listening to something while exercising takes your mind off the hard work and helps the time pass quickly and enjoyably.

A few of my favorite podcasts:

The Simple Show, http://theartofsimple.net/thepodcast/

Sorta Awesome, http://www.sortaawesomeshow.com/

The Dave Ramsey Show, http://www.daveramsey.com/show/home/

Final word of encouragement

Don’t be discouraged!

Oh, boy, is it easy to get discouraged. You miss a day or 2 of exercise, or a week…or even a month, and you think, “What’s the point?”. Please, don’t get discouraged! Throw on your shoes that next day and give it a go. Don’t beat yourself up over yesterday or the past few months. Look forward and keep moving!

What about you? How are you going to get moving in 2017? Leave a comment sharing some of the ways you move for exercise!

Until next time,

Charissa

Continue reading “Let’s Get Moving in 2017”

(A big thanks to my husband for his help on this mini-project.)

I think we all have an area (or maybe many areas) in our home that could use a little decluttering and organization. I find that one of the ways my life becomes just a little less busy is by bringing order in the places and spaces within my home. When there is order, searching for an ingredient, item or tool happens rather quickly and without much hassle. Remember the famous quote from Benjamin Franklin? “A place for everything, everything in its place.” Good advice.

This week we were able to bring some needed order to a small space in our home by providing a little help for the hall closet.

The Before

We live in a small home and have fewer closets than most. In our hallway we have one closet that houses our washer and dryer. We also have a small closet which was probably originally intended to be used as a linen closet. We don’t have or need many extra linens, so we have used the closet to store toiletries and pantry items. The closet has served its purpose, but it was definitely in a need of some help.

The Process

We cleared the shelves.

We moved out items that needed to live in a better place.

We threw out unused or expired items.

We cleaned the shelves.

We covered each shelf with contact paper.

We reorganized the shelves.

We found containers around our home that could help store items.

We bought a few more containers.

We replaced items in an orderly and organized manner.

The Products

Contact paper. We bought a floral print at a local store, but Amazon has more options than you could ever want or need. Here’s a floral choice.

Containers.We had a few dollar tree storage options that we were no longer using, so we re-purposed them.

We also bought some refrigerator organizer bins and thought they might work well in the closet for some of our go-to items that we want to easily see and access. These are similar to what we found at our local store.

Total cost: Just about $13

The After

Our hall closet is now a cleaner, prettier and more organized space. I’m happy with how it turned out. What do you think?

My Advice

One Project at a Time. It’s easy to look around your house and get overwhelmed or discouraged. Maybe your kitchen cabinets are cluttered. Perhaps there is a large stack of mail on your table. Do you have a shoe pile spilling into numerous rooms? Maybe your dresser drawers won’t close anymore. Don’t try to tackle everything at once because if you do then nothing will get done. Pick a project and take a step forward. Work on it for 15 minutes today and tomorrow and so on.

Enlist Help. My husband helped me get focused and stay motivated to complete this project. Working with him was super helpful because we could split tasks and bounce ideas off each other.

Let Go of Perfection. Is this closet perfect? No. I have seen many prettier closets, but you know what? I’m okay with that. We tackled the project and the space is better than it was before.

What about you? Do you have an area of your home that could use a little help?

Until next time,

Charissa

(This post contains affiliate links, so thenotsobusymom receives a very small commission if you make a purchase through these links.)

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I love a good goal, and the start of a new year is a great time to set a goal… or ten. You can clearly set a goal any time of the year, but the fresh start that a new year brings seems like the perfect time to reflect on the past year and consider the coming one.

Why I Set Goals Each Year

Goals motivate me. They push me the in the direction I am hoping to head. Goals help shape many of my every day decisions and activities.

Last year my husband and I set a big financial goal. We didn’t end up reaching the goal, but we got very close. Am I discouraged? No. In fact I am quite happy. I don’t think we would have made the progress we did if we had not set the goal. We are encouraged to once again dream big, set motivating goals and work hard towards them.

As you consider setting goals for the year, (and no, you’re not too late) consider various areas of your life including:

• marriage
• children
• job
• health/fitness
• finances
• service/community life
• hobbies

I have chosen a handful of goals for 2017, but today I am sharing just 2 of them.

2 of My Goals for 2017

1. Get moving for 30 minutes each day. And by moving I mean moving for exercise. I might choose: walking, running, biking, exercise video, a class at the gym. The “what” I do doesn’t matter. I just need to do it for 30 minutes. I am also very happy to do it for a full 30 minutes or break it into smaller time frames based on my day (like 2, 15 minute sessions). Sometimes you just have to make it work.

2. Sleep 7-8 hours each night. Sleep is beyond important to me. When I sleep I am a clear-minded, kind, energetic wife, mother and friend. I have recently developed the bad habit of staying up way too late as I work on growing my blog, but it’s time to get back on track. Warm bed, here I come!

 

I want to end today’s post with 2 goals that are certainly not concrete because their progress is not easily measured. And yet, I have been thinking about these for awhile and will be striving to grow in these particular areas, so I thought I would share them with you now.

2 More “Goals” for 2017

More Gratitude (Less Complaining)

Ok, confession time. I can be negative. A lot of this negativity is internal. There’s this negative reel that just runs through my head affecting my mind and attitude. I find that some things trigger the negativity (like lack of sleep). I want to break free from my negative thoughts and choose gratitude. There is always something to be thankful for!

Goal 2: Make Time for Simple Memories with My Family

Ok, confession time (again). I am too easily overwhelmed. I get caught up in my thoughts and emotions, and sometimes miss out on beautiful simple moments. I say “no” to these moments when I should be saying “yes”.

This year I want to take a deep breath and jump into the special moments that will remain with my children for years to come. I’m looking forward to more spontaneous dance parties, game nights, t-ball in the front yard, and adventurous walks in and around town.

What about you? Have you set any goals f0r 2017? I’d love to hear about them!

Until next time,

Charissa

Continue reading “Why I Set Goals Each Year + 2 of My Goals for 2017”

I didn’t wash my hair today…or yesterday. And I won’t be washing it tomorrow. I know. It might seem a bit odd, but I have found that I only need to wash my hair two times a week. It’s a simple way I make my life a little easier.

Today I want to share with you why and how I wash my hair just 2 times a week.

The Why

It makes my life just a little less busy. Instead of washing my hair 7 times a week I wash it 2 times. Instead of blow drying my hair 7 times a week I air dry it 2 times. Time that would be spent washing and drying my hair can be spent in other ways.

It keeps me from over-drying and over-styling my hair. My hair is in better condition than it would be if I washed and dried it 7 days a week. The two times a week I do wash it I find it to be quite smooth and manageable.

Each day my hair looks better than the day before. I know this might seem impossible, but it’s true. When I washed, blow dried and styled my hair each day it was a long process, and my hair always looked just okay. Now I find that Day 2 hair is better than Day 1 hair and Day 3 hair is better than Day 2 hair and so on. Yes, this positive trend does eventually end, but I can honestly say I have even gone a whole week without washing my hair, and it still looked (and smelled) good!

The How

The Products

Shampoo. I use Pantene Pro-V Smooth & Sleek with Argan Oil. I have used a variety of shampoos over the years; I like to change it up.

Hair Styling Creme. I picked up Pantene Pro-V Ultimate 10 BB Creme a number of months ago because it was on clearance. This product leaves my hair super smooth. I air dry for a bit, add the cream and let it finish drying.
Flat Iron. I’ve owned the Nume flat iron for about 6 months or so. It doesn’t seem to get great reviews on Amazon, but I have been very happy with it. I previously owned the CHI brand. I was also pleased with the way it worked on my hair. I use my flat iron to add curl and waves to my hair more than I use it to straighten.
Dry Shampoo. It’s hard to wash your hair just 2 times a week without dry shampoo. I am a huge fan. Right now I am using Loreal Blow Dry It Blow Out Longwear Spray, but I have also used and liked many other brands.

Finishing Product. When I purchased my NUME flat iron I also received this Argan Oil , so I have been using it after styling my hair and for refreshing it on subsequent days.

The Process

• Day 1. Wash hair and air dry. Pull back in ponytail if necessary.
• Day 2. Straighten hair or pull it back.
• Day 3. Add body to hair by using flat iron to make curls or waves in hair. Use dry shampoo if necessary.
• Day 4. Comb out hair a bit. Use dry shampoo and a little argan oil to revive hair. Wash hair that evening.

(This is not a rigid process. I wanted to give you a basic example of how I handle my hair over the course of 4 days.)

Even though I am not washing my hair each day I am showering! A ponytail and a shower cap do the trick!

Some Pictures

A couple side notes

This might not be a good option for you if:

• You do a hard core work out every morning. (Although I will say, you probably could get away with a little dry shampoo and a wash every other day.)
• You have short hair. I find the longer my hair the better this technique works.
• You are grossed out by not washing your hair every day!

I would still challenge you to give this method a try even if you fall into one of the categories listed above. Maybe it won’t be the best option, but you won’t know unless you experiment a bit. I have not been doing this forever. I have slowly eased into 2 times a week washing with great results.

What about you? Do you wash your hair every day?

Until next time,

Charissa

(This post contains affiliate links, so thenotsobusymom receives a very small commission if you make a purchase through these links.)

 

Continue reading “Why (and How) I Wash My Hair Just 2 Times A Week”