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Stitch Fix Review (and My 5 Stitch Fix Tips!)

July 30, 2019 by Laurie 4 Comments This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

Stitch Fix Reviews and 5 Secret Stitch Fix Tips: try out Stitch Fix for yourself right over HERE!

July 2019 Stitch Fix Review

Here's a peek at what came in my Stitch Fix Box this month!

I debated keeping it all (a LOT), but honestly the jeans didn't fit exactly the way I wanted them to, I don't need the earrings, and the tops weren't quite perfect.

I did love this one however . . .

so I used my $25 Stitch Fix Styling Credit to keep it.

This has been a crazy month (I haven't shared a whole lot about this, but my dad passed away last week and I've been racing to keep my life together around here.) So I sent my box back without checking the prices on everything but believe the box was right around $190 for everything.

While I thought everything was cute they didn't fit just right, so I sent it back quickly just to have one more thing marked off my to-do list this month!

I will say I have loved (like, LOVED), the shorts and top that I kept from my June box, and have worn those shorts almost every other day this summer. In fact, just last week I wore the shorts with my family on the beach (along with a Stitch Fix super-cute-top that I kept last summer), and I felt so cute and pulled together without having to head out to the store.

So, I'm thankful my Stitch Fix box makes shopping and keeping up with clothes easier for me, and am so glad that most months I find a few things worth keeping!

In case you're curious, here's how Stitch Fix Works:

Sign up HERE
In the comments section, be sure to attach a link to a few pins you like on Pinterest (you can see my Pinterest Style Board HERE)
Your box will come when you schedule it
If you keep your entire box you’ll save 25% off the entire purchase
Invite friends on Facebook or via email (or even text messages) to sign up through you and you’ll get $25 in free referral credit ~ love that!

If you'd like to try out Stitch Fix too, head on over HERE. I'd love to hear your thoughts on Stitch Fix too!

June 2019 Stitch Fix Review

Here's what was in my Stitch Fix Review Box this month!

Joel Henley Top $40 ($30 if I keep the entire box)

My favorite item this month!

Finnegan Roll Cuff Shorts $58 ($43.50 if I keep the entire box)

I never where shorts . . . and wish these were a little bit longer but I might keep them (I need to try them on one more time tonight before deciding for sure!)

Macee Slider Bracelet Set $28 ($21 if I keep the whole box)

I really do love this bracelet ~ I normally wouldn't spend that much for a bracelet but if I keep everything else I know I'll love having it in my jewelry box. (I don't have much jewelry, so this would be a welcome addition to what little I do have!)

Adylee Mixed Material Top $40 ($30 if I keep the whole box)

I really do like this one too ~ just wish it wasn't quite as wrinkly feeling?(I'm afraid it'll always feel a little wrinkly and I hate ironing. Eek!)

Emory Park Short Sleeve Knit Top $34 ($25.50 if I keep the whole box)

I hate this one . . . like do not like it even one single bit. I never like this top of cut on any size or shape and know I will never wear it, so unless one of my girls just adore it, it's going back!

Honestly?

My last Stitch Fix box was a complete dud and I'd seriously considered stopping Stitch Fix forever (but this one has renewed my hope!)

But, even if it would save me money I really don't want to keep things I don't just adore. I do have some credit so keeping the entire box would only be $112.55 for me or $22 each (and I do have a few folks in mine who might just love that criss-cross top.) 🙂

BUT.

To keep everything except the bracelet and criss cross top will still cost me $99.70. Since I like the bracelet, I'm tempted to keep it all.

Hmph!

Here's the thing that I've found with Stitch Fix after doing it for a few years: if you're not really in love with it . . . SEND IT BACK FAST. I'm pretty well in love with the Joel Henley Top ~ the rest I really do like, so I'm going to give them all one more chance to try on tonight when I'm not in a hurry ~ then I'lll make a final decision tomorrow.

(Keeping that top alone will be free for me thanks to my Stitch Fix Credit. And remember, if you get a Stitch Fix box there's a $20 styling fee that works towards anyone item ~ so if you like just one thing in the box it's usually worth it to hold onto that one item!)

That makes at least one thing an easy choice, but the rest is up for decisions.

April 2019 Stitch Fix Review

Here's what was in my Stitch Fix Review Box this month!

Tinsel pink and blue flannel top $38 or $28.50 if I keep the whole box

Bay to Baubles Silver Earrings – $22 or $16.75 if I keep the whole box

Market & Spruce Jacket $88 or $66 if I kept the whole box

Democracy Jeans $68 or $51 if I keep the whole box

Striped Arnold Raglan Top $38 or $28.50 if I keep the whole box

Stitch Fix Outfits Decision Time….

So if I keep everything from Stitch Fix this month, I'll pay $199.50, and I'm lucky enough to have enough Stitch Fix credit to cover the entire box.

Not gonna lie, I'm keeping it all.

That makes each item $40 per piece, and while I wouldn't spend that on the earrings or probably tops for sure, I totally would on the jeans and jacket, and the fact that they sized me right up and delivered exactly a few pieces I can use that fit perfectly without me every stepping into a dressing room is pretty fantastic to me.

As I shared in the video, I would never ever never have done tried out Stitch Fix in our early penny pinching days.

At that point I shopped Walmart and Goodwill, wore hand-me-downs and didn't splurge on clothes all that often.

But as a busy working mom having someone shop for me (and style me!) is an incredible gift, and for this season it's totally worth it to me.

So, there you have it ~ I'm keeping it all this month and am wearing these cozy jeans and flannel even as I type from this side of the screen. 🙂

How Stitch Fix Works:

Sign up HERE
In the comments section, be sure to attach a link to a few pins you like on Pinterest (you can see my Pinterest Style Board HERE)
Your box will come when you schedule it
If you keep your entire box you’ll save 25% off the entire purchase
Invite friends on Facebook or via email (or even text messages) to sign up through you and you’ll get $25 in free referral credit ~ love that!

If you'd like to try out Stitch Fix too, head on over HERE. I'd love to hear your thoughts on Stitch Fix too!

February 2019 Stitch Fix Review

Here's what I got in my Stitch Fix Box this month!

Classic Alargata Toms Shearling Lined Suede Flats $70 – $52.50 if I keep the whole box

Micki Stretch Fleece Graphic Top $58 – $43.50 if I keep the whole box

Corinna Brushed Dolman Knit Top $38 – $28.50 if I keep the whole box

Gabrielle Pre Layered Necklace $28 – $21.00 if I keep the whole box

Kallon 1 Pocket Hooded Knit Top $38 – $28.50 if I keep the whole box

I honestly haven't quite decided what to do as far as keeping these. Ugh!

Update: I ended up keeping the Toms and the black sweatshirt. I love them both!

If I keep the whole box my cost would be $174 – AND to make life a wee bit sweeter, I have $250 in Stitch Fix credit (they sent it to me as a gift ~ I was so thankful!)

$174 split five ways is $34.80 per item and really not all that awful to have someone shop for me. I normally wouldn't consider it but I hardly have any more casual (trendy!) things and we're coming up on soccer and track season for my girls here in Ohio. It would be so nice to have a few things that felt cozy but still cute . . . so I'm considering keeping the box (and would love to hear your thoughts!)

And while I would never normally pay that much for those Toms, a sweet girl that I used to have in my youth group messaged me on Instagram after seeing mine and said they were her favorite pair of shoes of all time ~ until they got stained (they're suede and need to be sprayed if I'm going to keep them.) That alone was pretty convincing, so I'm leaning towards keeping the box.

Um, what would you do? Please leave a comment to let me know (and realize I totally get that I'm paying for convenience – but I have no time to shop and do like feeling a little pulled together when heading out the door!)

January 2019 Stitch Fix Review

Here's what I got in my Stitch Fix Box this month!

Sabrina Scarf $38 (if I keep everything in the box, $28.50)

Daniela Distressed Boyfriend Jeans $58 (if I keep everything in the box, $43.50)

Hayley Button Down Top $68 (if I keep everything in the box, $51) ~ honestly, I LOVE this one because it feels amazing ~ it's super light weight and just lays well but $51 is a LOT OF MOOLAH for a top for me even after the 25% off. Ugh!

Josslyn Cotton Blend V Neck Pull Over $68 (if I keep everything in the box, $51)

Nouri Textured Cardigan $48 (if I keep everything in the box, $36)

The two things I LOVE from the box are the jeans and the flannel. The rest of it I can take or leave, but since you save 25% on everything if you keep the entire box, I'm tempted to consider it!

So my plan is to let my girls look it over tonight when they get home (they'd look great in the sweaters I think!) and if they love them I might keep the entire box. If not…. I might send it all back (to pay $126 for just the top and jeans feels way too high to me, and if I'm going to have to go shop anyways I think I might be able to find those for less!)

BUT, I really do feel pretty cute in the whole box ~ I'm just not sure if I need any of it. Honestly, if I didn't do Facebook Live every day (I'm always struggling with what to wear!) and have a few conferences coming up I wouldn't consider Stitch Fix at all, but for busy working women who have no time to shop Stitch Fix is an incredible gift because not only do they send you clothes, they shop for you and style you.

So hmph. We'll see ~ I'll let you know what the verdict is after my girls check them out tonight (I'd love to hear your thoughts too ~ leave a comment to share!) 🙂

How Stitch Fix Works:

Sign up HERE
In the comments section, be sure to attach a link to a few pins you like on Pinterest (you can see my Pinterest Style Board HERE)
Your box will come when you schedule it
If you keep your entire box you’ll save 25% off the entire purchase
Invite friends on Facebook or via email (or even text messages) to sign up through you and you’ll get $25 in free referral credit ~ love that!

If you missed my Facebook live you can watch it HERE.

December 2018 Stitch Fix Review

Soooo… this month my Stitch Fix Review Box was a wee bit different.

My husband's Christmas office party is next week, and while I have plenty of clothes in my closet right now I need a new dress to wear to the party.

So I let my Stitch Fix stylist know that's what I needed, and they sent me a few dresses to try as well as a coat to wear to the party too.

Take a peek . . .

I'm trying to decide between these two (the length on the one on the left is just a little short for me, and I'm not so sure how I feel about sleeveless dresses in the winter?) but both are great options I think (I'm planning to show them to my hubby and girls tonight to see what they think too.)

As far as pricing goes ~ I think for four dressy dresses and a coat the totals weren't too bad. The cost would have been $284.50 for me to keep everything (but I really only need one dress ~ I bought a very similar coat at Old Navy years ago for $2 on clearance, so one dress is all I'll be keeping!)

So Is Stitch Fix Worth It? (3 Reasons it may be…)

As I’ve shared before, there are 3 types of folks that I feel like need to consider a trying a Stitch Fix Box:

those who have $20 to try it out as a gamble (the $20 will go towards any item you keep) and have enough self control to say NO to things that aren’t really awesome in their box (right now they’re offering a free styling fee, so you just need enough self control to send it back if it’s not in your budget and you don’t love what you get!)
moms who work outside of the home and need to feel pull together enough for work
anyone who needs a decent pair of pants or jeans that fit perfectly (they have the best jeans EVER, if you struggle with finding pants Stitch Fix is worth a shot at least one time!)

October 2019 Stitch Fix Review

Not gonna lie . . . today was not my favorite Stitch Fix Box.

I only kept one thing.

(That cute sweater above because I used my $20 styling credit towards that!)

The whole box would have cost me $136 . . .

but it just wasn't all that great. 🙁

So, before I even had a chance to consider things that I really wasn't in love with, I sent the things I wasn't so sure on back.

In the last year since getting Stitch Fix, this was probably my least favorite box, but I love that they make it so simple for me to try on a few new things and see how they work.

While Stitch Fix isn't for everyone (for sure!) for me it (normally?) is an amazing way to feel pulled together, knowing I'm paying not only for the clothing but to have someone who knows what they're doing style me too.

Stitch Fix Review and 5 Secret Stitch Fix Tips

Last month I LOVED Stitch Fix though…

September 2018 Stitch Fix Review

I lovvvvvved my Stitch Fix Box this month!

Like, loved it. 🙂

Stitch Fix Pricing + What I Kept

Because I'm racing against time tonight (wayyyy too much to do and never enough hours!) I'll be fast and furious about why I'm keeping allll the Stitch Fix Stuff + pricing details.

All five items were $167.24 after my 25% savings since I kept all 5 items.
That included two sweaters, a cardigan, the navy sleeveless knit top and cargo pants
I loved those cargo pants with the denim jacket and tee shirt (I love that tee and haven't figured yet what to wear it with!)
I love that now I have some perfect outfits for fall, and for $33 per piece I'm feeling pretty good about this one!

5 Secret Stitch Fix Tips

I also got this Stitch Fix question from a reader today, and goodness, I've heard it from quite a few folks so thought I'd answer it once and for all for everyone!

Here's what PPP reader Carolyn asked:

Hi Laurie! I have been following Passionate Penny Pincher now for about two months and I am loving it! As a busy mom of three and working part time I really enjoy all the tips, tricks, and encouragement, so thank you for that! I have a random question for you.. I have received two boxes from Stitch Fix and have not liked either of them! I was so excited to to get them because I also have no style and trying to shop with my three little blessings is well just kinda impossible.

So I wanted to ask you if you could share with me what style you actually chose and maybe price range because I have loved everything you have gotten! Our styles seem similar I am a plan down to earth busy mama who is ready to try to look put together after a rough year last year (went through a bilateral mastectomy and hysterectomy at the age of 35). Thank your for your smiles and encouragement! Have a blessed day!

So first, goodness Carolyn, I'm sooooo thankful for you and feel so thankful that you take time to keep up with PPP!

Here are my 5 Stitch Fix Tips to get the BEST experience:

Pin everything you love to a Pinterest board (you can follow mine here and see ideas!)
Send a message to your Stitch Fix stylist and tell them to look at your Pinterest board (you can even send them mine – ha!) 🙂
Try things different ways. IT TOTALLY MAKES A DIFFERENCE that I try things on in front of a few hundred folks on Facebook Live. 🙂 For example today, someone mentioned a way to wear the navy top a way that I would NEVER have kept (I wouldn't have kept the navy top because I didn't know to tuck it in and belt it, but it looks so stinkin' cute done the right way!) Definitely watch those Pinterest boards too for style because that helps a ton!
Ask for the cheapest boxes in the settings – I definitely do that!
Remember it takes a little while. My boxes get better ALL the time, and I know it's because they're till figuring me out! I always give as much feedback as I can, which definitely helps!

How Stitch Fix Works:

Sign up HERE
In the comments section, be sure to attach a link to a few pins you like on Pinterest (you can see my Pinterest Style Board HERE)
Your box will come when you schedule it
If you keep your entire box you’ll save 25% off the entire purchase
Invite friends on Facebook or via email (or even text messages) to sign up through you and you’ll get $25 in free referral credit ~ love that!

Past Stitch Fix Reviews:

Dollar Tree Vases: Easy Lemon DIY

June 25, 2019 by Laurie Leave a Comment This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

Dollar Tree Vases

Looking for an easy Dollar Tree Vase idea that looks amazing but is still pretty penny-pinched?

Then this idea is just for you.

I absolutely love Dollar Tree Vases because they always have a great selection, they're easy to find, and, well, they're a DOLLAR. 🙂

But, I never want my vases to “look” like just a dollar, so this magic trick fixes that right up!

While the Dollar Tree has oodles of great vases usually in stock, my absolute favorite Dollar Tree vase is a tall slender shape like the one I used HERE as well as the water pitchers that I've used before too.

(You can even use Dollar Tree mason jars, salt shakers, or vinegar jars in the housewares department as vases too.)

Here's all you need for this simple project:

Dollar Tree vase
a few lemons
hydrangea or other flower either from the grocery store or cut from your yard
a gallon plastic bag

(This picture is super grainy from Instagram ~ see exactly how I did it by clicking this post right over HERE)

And here's what you need to do . . .

Slice lemons in thin slices.
Put gallon bag inside vase and fill with water (by putting the water in the bag first, you'll easily keep the lemons in place as you work).
Place lemon slices all over vase starting at bottom and working your way up.
Fill vase with flowers and enjoy!

There are so many great ways to use vases from the Dollar Tree, so if you're looking for an easy (frugal!) way to fluff up your home right now this is an easy one that won't break the bank.

And if you're looking for more Dollar Tree ideas, here are a few more of my favorites:

I'd love for you to join me over on Pinterest (I love that place!) If you have a blog and have done a little fluffing in your home, I’d love to see it, so leave your link in the comments section. Also, if there’s a craft you’ve seen on a website that you’re hoping to make, feel free to share that link as well (I’m always looking for new ideas!)

See previous “Fluff Up” hom projects and ideas . . . and Happy Fluffing!

5 Day Mini Summer Ultimate Home Challenge: Days 1-5 + New Video

June 15, 2019 by Laurie Leave a Comment This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

Head on over HERE to order your magnet pack (remember, these will deliver as soon as TOMORROW from Amazon if you order soon ~ use the code PPPSAVE10 to get the best price today!)

5 Day Mini Summer Ultimate Home Challenge Day 4 & 5 Update

Did you join me for the 5 Day Mini Summer Home Challenge?

I've gotten so much more done this week and I know it's because I've kept up with my list each day!

Here's a peek:

Yesterday after checking off my daily chores I cleaned the screens and tackled the paperwork in our home (this set of bookshelves always is the clutter zone in our house!)

And just that 15 minutes of work made a huge difference in our space.

On Thursday I washed all the sheets, and goodness, having a fresh cozy bed to climb into at night is just about the best thing ever.

It really is amazing what can get done just by checking off a list, and truly my home feels soooo much better for the tiny bit of work I've put in.

Would you love to join in too? Here's all you need to do . . .

If you'd like, get the Ultimate Home Challenge Checklist Magnets including THE NEW KIDS CHECKLIST AND MENU PLAN on Amazon i (use the code PPPSAVE10 to get the best price ~ I just checked and some will deliver TOMORROW from Amazon if you order today!) Even if you don't get the magnet pack you can join in the fun, it's just going to make keeping up with your home SO MUCH EASIER forever!
BEGINNING TODAY ~ our goal is to check off EVERY SINGLE ITEM ON THE LIST for 5 full days. I'll be on Facebook Live each morning at 9AM Eastern Time tackling these projects too! (This list will help you menu plan SAVING YOUR BUDGET, help you clean your kitchen, have clean sheets, and get you exercising too.)
IF YOU GET THE MAGNET PACK ~ AS SOON AS YOUR MAGNET PACK GETS TO YOUR HOUSE TOMORROW OR THE NEXT DAY ~ you will have a little tiny piece of paper inside of the magnet pack to get your free bonus pack ~ WHEN YOU SIGN UP YOU'LL BE ADDED TO OUR PRIVATE PPP ULTIMATE HOME CHECKLIST GROUP ~ this group alone is worth the cost of the magnets.. you will love the encouragement in this group and you'll get lifetime access to it when you sign up!

I adore my home and family, but in the summertime I struggle with my budget (eating out too much ~ eek!), my home, exercising regularly and managing the mountain of laundry in our home. This simple system really helps.

If you struggle with managing your home, this simple strategy has changed thousands of people's lives, and I know it can change yours too. You'll also be included in our PRIVATE PPP ULTIMATE HOME CHECKLIST GROUP ~ I know you will love this group!

Here's exactly what you get if you order your magnet pack (remember, these will deliver as soon as TOMORROW from Amazon if you order soon ~ use the code PPPSAVE10 to get the best price today!)

4 ULTIMATE HOME CHECKLIST MAGNETS (the quality on these is amazing!) including . . .
1 ULTIMATE HOME CHECKLIST MAGNET FOR YOUR DAILY CHORES ALREADY PLANNED FOR YOU SO YOU FINALLY KNOW EXACTLY WHAT TO DO EACH DAY TO MANAGE YOUR HOME
1 ULTIMATE HOME CHECKLIST KIDS CHORE CHART MAGNET FOR YOUR KIDS (if you don't have kids, share this with a friend who does
1 MENU PLANNING MAGNET to keep on your fridge
1 BLANK CHECKLIST SO YOU CAN CREATE YOUR OWN TO DO LIST EACH DAY TOO
LIFETIME ACCESS TO THE ULTIMATE HOME CHECKLIST FACEBOOK GROUP ~ you will LOVE LOVE LOVE this group and they will motivate you to totally tackle your home too!

5 Day Mini Summer Ultimate Home Challenge Day 3 Update

So far I've cleaned a few bathrooms,

re-stocked the TP in the bathrooms,

put out fresh bathroom towels,

and shined up the kitchen sink.

WHEW.

5 Day Mini Summer Ultimate Home Challenge Day 2 Update

It's day two, and I'm still feeling like a rockstar over here. 🙂

Here's what we did today . . .

Cleaned the fridge
Mopped the floor using my new awesome mop
Wiped down the microwave
Finished the regular Ultimate Home Checklist daily morning tasks (exercise, shower, made beds, started laundry, cleaned bathroom sinks, planned dinner, loaded dishwasher, cleaned countertops, wipe ddown kitchen sink and tidied main living space ~ whew!)

WOOHOOO!

If the magnet pack is outside of your budget right now, JUST SKIP PAST THE AMAZON LINK and make a list at home yourself. (I promise!) You can still tackle the home chores and make your list at home . . . this is just an extra resource if you need it to make managing your home a wee bit easier.

If you're joining me, would you hit the reply button to let me know? I'd sure love to hear so let me know. I'm cheering for you!

5 Day Mini Summer Ultimate Home Challenge Day 1 Update

I spent about 30 minutes this morning (while on Facebook and Instagram live ~ y.i.k.e.s. ) tidying up my space and goodness, it felt so good to get back on track today.

My list is checked off.

Dinner is started.

(Update . . . dinner is MADE thanks to my Eat at Home Freezer Meals ~ delish!) 😉

A load of laundry is folded while all the rest of the laundry is filling up the machines and washing right along.

Success.

P.S. If you've been waiting for the kids checklists, take a peek at the new magnet pack (I AM IN LOVE with the kids chore chart!) Use the code PPPSAVE10 at checkout to get yours!

Grove Collaborative: FREE Spring Gift Set ($32 Value)

April 27, 2019 by Laurie 1 Comment This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

Grove Collaborative Free Gift Set is BACK!!

I'm so excited to share this with you!

Right now you can snag a COMPLETELY FREE Mrs. Meyer's Spring Seasonals Welcome Kit from Grove Collaborative 🙂 (HOW. FUN?!!?)

Last year I scored a deal on Mrs. Meyer's hand soap and absolutely fell in love, then tried Mrs. Meyer's Dish Soap next and I was hooked. Right now my fave is the Cream Cleanser – it's amazing!

So I'm thrilled that you get to try out a few Mrs. Meyer's Product for FREE! (This Peony scent is sooooo pretty, I promise!)

For a few days only, Grove Collaborative is offering a FREE Spring Seasonals Gift Set for trying out the Grove!

This set includes a Mrs. Meyer's Hand Soap + Dish Soap + Multi-Purpose Spray + Bubble Up Soap Dispenser and Scrub Brush + Walnut Scrub Sponges (WHEW!) – all FREE with your first order of $20 from Grove Collaborative!

This Mrs. Meyer's Spring Seasonals Kit Includes quite a lot:

Mrs. Meyer's Spring hand soap ($5.30 value)
Mrs. Meyer's Spring dish soap ($5.30 value)
Mrs. Meyer's Spring multi-surface spray ($5.30 value)
Grove Bubble Up Soap Dispenser & Brush Set ($12.95 value)
Walnut Scrubber Sponges 2-pk ($3.95 Value)
FREE Shipping + FREE VIP Trial
= $32.74 Value!

*** If you’re an existing customer, you can use this link to get a free set of Grove walnut scrubber sponges

Here's Step-By-Step how to get yours!

1 . Sign up for Grove Collaborative Here. You'll receive the Mrs. Meyers Spring Seasonal bundle for FREE + FREE Shipping when you sign up. Just add $20 of other items to your cart to get this offer.

2. To receive this offer, your order needs to be a minimum of $20. Choose the combination of products and scents you love and receive your first box within a few days.

3. You made it! Click Finish & Pay and place your order.

Not sure what to order to get up to $20? Grove puts some suggested items in your cart – but you can change them out for things you really want. Here's a sample scenario!

All of the first 5 are freebies that will be in your cart from the start:

Mrs. Meyer's Spring hand soap – FREE (reg $3.89)
Mrs. Meyer's Spring dish soap – FREE (reg $3.89)
Mrs. Meyer's Spring multi-surface spray – FREE (reg $3.89)
Grove Bubble Up Soap Dispenser & Brush Set – FREE (reg $12.95)
Walnut Scrubber Sponges – FREE (reg $3.95)
FREE Shipping + FREE VIP Trial

And to get up to your $20 you can add:

Mrs. Meyer’s Hand Soap – $3.89
Mrs. Meyer’s Dish Soap – $3.89
Mrs. Meyer’s Multi surface Cleaner – $3.89
Mrs. Meyer's Cream Cleanser – $3.99
Method Glass Cleanser – $3.99
Bon Ami Powder Cleanser – $1.49
Total for all 11 items = $21.14 (*includes free shipping for the next 60 days!)

That makes each item just $1.92, SHIPPED TO YOUR DOOR!
.

Easy peasy!

And even if you weren't getting any free gift guys – these prices are about the same as what we normally see on Amazon.

Although Grove is a monthly subscription program, you can cancel at anytime, and you can change your delivery schedule if you'd prefer to receive it every few months. You'll receive an email 7 days before your next box ships reminding you about it and asking you if you're still happy about what's coming your way.

I LOVE that!

My friend Staci LOVES Grove and has been a member for some time – she told me it makes her so happy when the monthly box of cleaning products shows up at her door. 🙂

I think of Grove Collaborative as being similar to Amazon Prime – but for plant-based, sustainable products. So if you go through a lot of these products on a regular basis, it's something to consider because it easily gets you the very best price on all natural cleaners, cosmetics, paper products and more.

Hurry – this offer ONLY lasts while supplies last ~ get yours here!

Dollar Tree Jars DIY: Simple Easter Centerpiece

April 12, 2019 by Laurie Leave a Comment This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

Do you feel like you just need to hang out today with folks who feel like a little bit of sunshine?

Me. too.

Perhaps because it's my son's nineteenth birthday today (CRAZINESS) I've been a little on the soft-hearted side lately around here. (This ends “birthday season” at our house when all 3 of our kids age up in six weeks ~ this year that means I have a new driver, a new 19 year old, and a cute fresh new 12 year old who feels like she's really 29. Ahem.)

I don't think it's made me sad, but maybe just . . . ummmm . . . aware? of how quickly each day races by right now.

And, way too rarely these days do I take time to just stop and behave like some sunshine myself.

Over here at PPP I've been in kind of in a whirlwind since 2019 began. There are so many fun things going on behind the scenes that are just around the corner . . . but all of that hustle has worn me down a bit some days.

I'm betting there's a chance you feel just like me today. Maybe you need to feel like a little sunshine, behave a little happier, and remember that life really can be simply Easter Peeps and fresh flowers on a plain old Friday too.

Even when the hustle and busy-ness are all so very good, they can still feel exhausting every once in awhile.

If you're feeling like me, maybe take a few minutes to be just silly and craft a fun Dollar Tree Jar to make your home happy today too.

(At the very least, snatch up some fresh bright flowers and plunk them down in a Dollar Tree Jar Carafe – they are my favorite thing ever I've found at the Dollar Tree!)

If you have 30 minutes today I encourage you to stop, take a deep breath, and love on your home for just a few minutes today. Pick some fresh branches from your yard, pull out a Spring wreath for your front porch, or light your favorite candle.

Be encouraged that a little happy can go a long way, and maybe become the sunshine for someone else today. Praying a beautiful weekend for you ~ and oodles of sunshine too.

(By the way – use the code PPP30 to snag any shirts over HERE for 30% off. Take a peek at all the cute styles available ~ I love the Mama Bear one!)

See more previous Friday Fluff Up projects and ideas . . . and Happy Fluffing!

Interact with 9736+ Penny Pinchers on Facebook and Twitter or Subscribe to Passionate Penny Pincher by email to keep up with all the penny pinchin’ deals!

30 Deals You Need to Buy at the Dollar Tree {the Easter Edition}

April 5, 2019 by Laurie Leave a Comment This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

UPDATE: PPP reader Anita just found these Rachael Ray Dishes for ONE DOLLAR at her local Dollar Tree, and they're available online as well! Thanks so much for sharing Anita ~ what a deal!

Okie dokie folks, y'all know I love shopping The Dollar Tree for just about anything! There are a ton of things you need to look for at Dollar Tree before paying more elsewhere, so here's a quick list of things to consider before heading out!

Easter baskets can get pricey fast, so swinging by the Dollar Tree for the basics is a great way to pinch a penny and stock up. Since Dollar Tree typically sells out of their holiday selection, I'd recommend going soon to get the best selection!

Here's what to watch for . . .

1. Easter Baskets

2. Fillable Easter Eggs (regular and bunny, duck, carrot shapes)

3. Eraser Basket Stuffers

4. Bubble Basket Stuffers

5. Jump Rope Basket Stuffers

6. Stuffed Animal Basket Stuffers

7. Easter Candy to Fill the Eggs

8. Puzzle Basket Stuffers

9. Painting Basket Stuffers

10. Easter Front Door Displays

11. Easter Front Yard Signs

12. Easter Crafting Supplies

13. Easter Garland

14. Easter Ribbon

15. Easter Paper Plates

16. Easter Plastic Knifes, Forks, Spoons

17. Easter Napkins

18. Easter Platters

19. Easter Tablecloths

20. Easter Florals of All Kinds

21. Bunny Ears

22. Bunny Sunglasses

23. Easter cards priced either 2/$1 or $1

24. Easter Chair Covers

25. Easter Window Stickies

26. Easter Dish Towels

27. Easter Candles

28. Wrapping paper

29. Tape

30. Aluminum storage containers (these are great for taking to parties and come 3 to a pack for the smaller containers)

Love decorating at the Dollar Tree? See a few ways I've used Dollar Tree finds in our home:

How To Shiplap On A Budget

March 19, 2019 by Laurie 3 Comments This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

This is a guest post from my friend Misty & Tim who created this faux shiplap wall in their family room. I LOVE this idea! Here's a peek at how they transformed their space for under $150.

Let me start by saying that we have lived in our current home for almost 14 years. Two years ago we changed out our dark kitchen counters for a light granite, and I just loved how much it brightened up the space!

Since then I've been trying to decide how to change up the look of our family room that is open to the kitchen. I'm always slow to make these decisions because I don't want to get it wrong then have do more work to fix it.

I'm a huge fan of home makeover shows, and my favorite (of course!) is Fixer Upper. If you've ever seen it, you know all about shiplap! I finally made up my mind that I wanted to find a way to add the look of shiplap to my room and keep it on a budget I could live with, just in case I ended up hating it. I decided that doing just the one wall behind our entertainment center would be perfect because that's where everyone is usually looking anyway.

I did a lot of research online for faux shiplap and found a bunch of tutorials and different methods. I kind of combined several different ideas and went with it1

Finding the kind of plywood sheets that I wanted was the first step in the process. Also, I wanted to have the sheets cut into strips at the store to save on time at home. Depending on the store you may have to pay a small fee for this, but it may be worth it for you.

The main thing to consider about the wood is the thickness. If you have crown molding and/or baseboards, you will want the thickness to match up the best you can. I wanted boards that were about 1/4 inch thick.

Measure the area of your wall to determine how many sheets you need, and measure the height of wall to determine how wide to have the strips cut. Most likely your strips will not work out to be a perfect fit from top to bottom. I had the majority of ours cut into 6 1/2 inch strips, but the bottom row was only 5 1/2 inches. Always put the oddball strip at the bottom because your eye will not be drawn to it as much. I found the perfect wood at my local Home Depot. I bought 9 sheets at $11.99 each. This took us 2 trips because I measured incorrectly & didn't buy enough the first time. The employees were more than willing the cut the sheets and didn't even charge for the cuts! Here is a picture of the sticker on the back of the wood.

Besides the wood, the other tools we needed were a nail gun with 1 1/4 inch brad nails, and a saw to cut the boards to length. We used a circular saw. You can use a hammer and nails if don't have a nail gun. We also used a stud finder & level to mark the studs to make sure we nailed into them as much as possible. Some people use an adhesive on the backs of the boards, but we didn't want to do that.

To start the application, we used a full length strip at the top of the wall just below the crown molding. We used nickels for spacers between each row of boards. When we got the to end of the first row, we needed to make our first cut. As we continued down the wall, we made sure to use cut boards in a staggered pattern so that the seems on each row did not match the seems above or below it.

One more thing you need to think about when doing this kind of project is that your outlet plates will not fit with the extra thickness of the wood. You will need to get outlet spacers. I found these at Home Depot for about $3. They were hard to find in the store so take the picture with you! You can also order them here.

Once the wood was on the wall the real battle began! My husband and son wanted the keep the wood it's natural color. It did have a very nice look, but I really wanted a lighter, whitewashed finish. So I did a few test boards and the boys decided they could live with it:)

Here are the products I used to create the finish. I used cheap white craft paint with water for the first layer. Then went over that with this Waverly liquid wax to add a protective coating. I applied all of the layers with a soft cloth. You can get all of these products at Walmart in the craft section. The large wax was about $9 and the smaller was about $5.

I used a combination of clear & white because my store only had one bottle of white. Here's a close up of the finish. I love how it has an aged look, and you can still see the wood grain!

Easy DIY Gnomes

March 7, 2019 by Cheree' 3 Comments This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

EASY DIY GNOMES

Y'all, I can't even wait to share this little DIY Gnomes craft with you! I'm gonna be honest, I've never bought a gnome, made a gnome, had a gnome in my home (ha!), nothin…..but, I'm OBSESSED with these little fellas!

**Update – made this little fella for St. Patrick's Day and wanted to share with y'all because there are just SO many opportunities to make gnomes all year round!

I wanted to make mine for Valentine's Day (and of course got a really late start on it, yikes!). So, my fuzzy sock selection was very limited. 🙁 To save you time, go straight to Walmart for fuzzy socks (they were the only store in my area that still had a small selection).

Supplies you'll need to get started:

2 pair of fuzzy socks (for the body and hat)
craft fur (for the beard)
rice or dry beans
wood beads or knob (for the nose)
pom poms (for the tip of the hat)
variety of embellishments (I used some felt hearts I had on hand)
hot glue gun and glue sticks
rubber-bands

How to Make the Easy DIY Gnomes

Add about 1 pound of rice to a jar and stretch the sock over the jar to fill (or use less rice if you don't want your gnome as chubby). 🙂 Secure a rubber-band around the top as pictured.

Next, take another fuzzy sock and place over your body until you are satisfied with how it looks. You can roll some of the top sock under to make it shorter if you prefer your hat smaller.

For the girl gnome, I cut 2 pieces of fur and hot glued it on along with the wood bead centered between the fur. For the guy gnome, I cut 1 piece of fur (eye balling it) so it would cover his bottom half from side to side. Then, hot glued his nose on in the center of his beard.

The fun part is embellishing the gnomes to give them personality. I hot glued a pom pom onto her hat and tied up her beard into pony tails! So cute! 💗

and just for kicks, I tied her hat in a few spots and added more pom poms.

I added a tad of blush to their sweet noses so they have a bit of a flushed look. 🤗

💜💜💜

Such a fun craft to do with the kids and can be used for any holiday or season by switching up the socks. Love that!!!

I've wrapped up a few for my fellas to give to their special gals and goodness, complete CUTENESS OVERLOAD!!

and….because the PPP Team is full of awesome creatives, we made this happy little printable for you to use as well!

You can wrap them up and give to your special Valentine with this simple Gnomes Valentine printable that can be printed off in color OR in black and white.

PRINT HERE

I have “gnome” doubt that your Valentines are gonna ❤️ these cuties!

Looking for a bit more DIY inspiration??? Here you go:

Valentine White Trash Candy

Valentine Juicebox Printable (Great for Classrooms with Food Allergies!)

3 Quick and Easy DIY Valentine Crafts

DIY Dollar Tree Candy Jar

Dollar Tree Valentine Project

Valentine's Dollar Tree DIY

(FREE!) DIY Valentine Tree

DIY Wood Bead Garland

Painted Pinecones

February 28, 2019 by Laurie 2 Comments This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

Note from Laurie: My friend Cheryl made this amazing craft with her daughter, and I'm so-so-so in love with it! I also love that this is a great craft to do with your kids (and now I can't wait to try it with my girls.) Thank you so much Cheryl for sharing ~ it's perfect!

I fell in love with this idea when I saw it HERE and knew we had to try it!

I showed my 9 year old daughter and she couldn't wait to get started. We had the best time finding pinecones … and choosing colors … and painting … and talking. I just love the way they turned out and how they bring a little spring to our cold February days.

Bonus? Easter centerpiece is done. 🙂

First I found the perfect bowl in Hobby Lobby's 80% off section.

Then gathered up the rest of my supplies.

Supplies:

Pinecones
Paints (we used acrylics but any paint will do)
Paintbrush

I used bunched up paper towels in the bottom of the bowl to help the pinecones sit up right.

And we added our extra pine cones in a clear glass bowl.

Done!

Have you found any spring crafts to make this Spring? I'd love to hear what you're making! Leave a comment to share.

I’d love for you to join me over on Pinterest (I love that place!) If you have a blog and have done a little fluffing in your home, I’d love to see it, so leave your link in the comments section. Also, if there’s a craft you’ve seen on a website that you’re hoping to make, feel free to share that link as well (I’m always looking for new ideas!)

Looking for more penny pinched projects? Here you go . . .

DIY Wood Bead Garland

February 18, 2019 by Cheree' Leave a Comment This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

DIY WOOD BEAD GARLAND

I just love a good garland! Anyone with me??

This DIY wood bead garland has got to be the easiest and most versatile garland I've ever made. 🙂 (I mean – compared to the 3-hour Fall Paper Garland… whew! This one was a walk in the park!)

Honestly, this little garland can really fluff up your space. I love moving mine around when I get the hankering for changing out my decor.

Supplies you'll need:

20mm wood beads (I used about 40 beads)
Jute twine – I found mine at the Dollar Tree
Scissors

There are really endless ways to make the diy wood bead garland, but here's what I did.

How to make the DIY Wood Bead Garland:

To make the tassels, wrap the jute around the palm of your hand a good 12-15 times and cut.
Wrap another piece of jute around your tassel (about 1/4″ down) and tie it off once you are pleased with the way it looks.
Cut a piece of jute a little longer than your desired length for the wood bead garland and thread it through your loop. Be sure to tie it off before you start adding your beads.
Start threading on your beads. I found it helpful to wrap the end of the jute with a piece of tape so it wouldn't fray as bad.
Repeat the process for making another tassel. Carefully tie the end tassel onto the garland (make sure to knot the end so the beads don't slip off). Cut the looped end of your tassels and you're done!

This diy wood bead garland is so simple, but really makes a BIG statement in my decor ~ I just love it!

Just a few examples of how I've used it in my home… 🙂

This little guy just makes me smile! 🙂

If you're looking for some more DIY inspiration, here are a few of our favorite garlands:

Fall Paper Garland

How to Make Burlap Garland

No Sew Pennant Banner

Christmas Paper Garland

Grove Collaborative: FREE Mrs. Meyers Gift Set is BACK! (LAST DAY!!)

January 31, 2019 by Laurie 4 Comments This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

Free Mrs. Meyers Gift Set is BACK!!

UPDATE: This is the LAST DAY you can snag this fantastic gift!!

I'm so excited to share this with you!

Right now you can snag a COMPLETELY FREE Mrs. Meyer's New Year New You Welcome Box from Grove Collaborative 🙂 (HOW. FUN?!!?)

If you missed my FB Live you can watch it here.

Last year I scored a deal on Mrs. Meyer's hand soap and absolutely fell in love, then tried Mrs. Meyer's Dish Soap next and I was hooked. Right now my fave is the Cream Cleanser ~ it's amazing!

So I'm thrilled that you get to try out a few Mrs. Meyer's Product for FREE!

Right now at Grove Collaborative, when you place your first order of $20 you’ll receive a free Mrs. Meyer’s trio + caddy + walnut scrubber sponges to help you kick off the New Year strong.

The Mrs. Meyer's Gift Set Includes:

Mrs. Meyer's Hand Soap
Mrs. Meyer's Dish Soap
Mrs. Meyer's Multi-Surface Spray
Grove Collaborate Cleaning Caddy
Grove Collaborative Walnut Scrubber Sponges 2pk
= $30 Value!

Bonus tip: If you spend $39, you’ll get a beautiful stoneware tray for free! It’s perfect for corralling dish soap and a sponge to keep your countertops tidy.

*** If you’re an existing customer, you’ll get a free set of Grove walnut scrubber sponges!

Here's Step-By-Step how to get yours!

1 . Sign up for Grove Collaborative Here. You'll receive the FREE Mrs. Meyers Gift Set + FREE Shipping when you sign up. Just add $20 of other items to your cart to get this offer. (You'll also get a FREE 60-Day VIP Trial, so if you decide to order next month's box, it ships free as well.)

2 . Answer 4 brief questions about your home. (It helps Grove make some initial suggestions for your box.)

3 . Finalize your basket. Add or Remove items. Browse your favorite brands to create a box you'll adore!

Here's a sample $20 scenario to get you thinking (But feel free to choose other products to get to $20!)

1 Mrs. Meyer's Hand Soap, regularly $4.99 – FREE
1 Mrs. Meyer’s Multi Purpose Spray, regularly $4.99 – FREE
1 Mrs. Meyer’s Dish Soap, regularly $3.89 – FREE
1 Grove Collaborative Cleaning Caddy, reg $17.95 – FREE
2 Grove Walnut Scrubber Sponges, reg $4.95 – FREE
1 Mrs. Meyer’s Hand Soap – $3.89
1 Mrs. Meyer’s Dish Soap – $3.89
1 Mrs. Meyer’s Foaming Hand Soap – $3.99
1 Mrs. Meyer’s Multi Surface Cleaner – $4.99
1 Mrs. Meyer’s Cream Cleaner – $3.99
Total = $20.45 (*includes free shipping for the next 60 days!)

That makes each item just $2.04, SHIPPED TO YOUR DOOR, compared to $4-$7 per item at Target or Amazon.
.

TIP: Keep an eye out for items already marked down up to 50% OFF! They have Burt's Bees products, Alba Botanicals and tons of other skincare lines as well.

And even without the free gift guys ~ these prices are about the same as what we normally see on Amazon.

I LOVE that!

I've been using Grove for about a year now – and it makes me so happy when the monthly box of cleaning products shows up at my door. 🙂

I think of Grove Collaborative as being similar to Amazon Prime – but for earth-friendly, natural products. So if you go through a lot of these products on a regular basis, it's something to consider because it easily gets you the very best price on all natural cleaners, cosmetics, paper products and more.

Hurry – this offer is ONLY good this week – get yours here!

Ultimate Home Checklist: Quick Drawer Makeover (Kon Marie Style!)

January 18, 2019 by Laurie 2 Comments This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

I'm a wee bit excited about 30 minutes well spent this week! It may not look all that awesome, but it’s a tiny miracle around here.

With all the fun we've had talking about the 2019 Home Checklists, I've been super motivated to keep up with our home and I'm loving feeling more organized. I also watched some of the KonMari show on Netflix after hearing a few friend's mention it (I've read parts of the book before), and decided to try her magic folding method out too. (So far so good ~ I'll let you know how it goes!)

My daughter Reagan’s drawers are always a MESS. My other kids are pretty great little organizers and minimalists by nature… this girl is NOT.

So when I realized school was cancelled due to frozen roads on Wednesday (and I didn’t want to see her watching TV or on her iPod all day), I grabbed her before I sat down to work to get this marked off our list.

BEFORE . . .

DURING . . .

AFTER . . .

It’s not perfect, but OH MY GOODNESS ~ it is BETTER.

(Even she said “wow. My drawers are so much easier to open now!”)

I've been putting off this job for months, but I’m so glad I decided to re-arrange my schedule since we could both work on it together for a bit!

(She now has ROOM IN TWO DRAWERS which is craziness to me!)

We even pulled together a donation box and got rid of everything that didn't fit.

If you have an overwhelming corner of your home, see if you can carve out just 30 minutes today. Set your timer, get to work, and see what you can get done in just a short amount of time.

It feels AMAZING and was the best thing I’ve done for myself this year (besides cleaning out our pantry, eek!).

And, if you're interested you can still go HERE to check out the checklists I'm using in our home in 2019, and see how we're getting our home and finances in order this year. I'm cheering for you!

Our First Home (and How All This Penny Pinching Began… )

January 12, 2019 by Laurie 7 Comments This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

Note from Laurie: I shared this over in the 2019 Ultimate Home Challenge Group (remember, that group closes down tomorrow night!) but thought it might be a blessing here too. If you'd like to join us, print your 2019 Home Checklists right over HERE before the pricing goes up tomorrow too. I *promise* this will be the best $12.95 you will spend in 2019 (the folks who've join us have just loved it so far ~ and I know this home organzing/cleaning/budgeting system will work for you too!)

IN CASE YOU FEEL LIKE EVERYONE ELSE'S HOME LOOKS FANCIER THAN YOURS HERE…

Do you see what's missing in almost all of these pictures?

****Furniture.****

I wanted to share this, because this is our first little home starting way back in 1997 when I was just 21 and James was 25.

We had a *ton* of student loan debt and were trying to live on one income (I never made more than minimum wage), and I remember being the happiest girl ever sitting on the back stoop the first day we drove up ~ brown paneled walls, brown carpet, brown linoleum and everything.

WE PAINTED EVERYTHING (EVERYTHING) WE COULD POSSIBLY SLAP PAINT ON WHITE. 🙂 Our next house was worse than this one, so for the first 7 years of our marriage we pretty much lived covered in white paint.

We lived without any furniture for 3 years, and it really wasn't until our current house that we've spent money on furniture at all. (See the ladder in the Christmas tree pic? That's because someone gave us Christmas decorations but we didn't have anything to put it on! The following year for Christmas when I opened my ski coat we had wallpapered the dining room but still couldn't afford furniture ~ until we got the dining room set James's grandparents had. We just sold that a month ago after waiting 23 years to buy our own!)

I'm on the floor with the dog bc the only couch we had was pretty awful, and I refused to let James put it in the family room because I knew then we'd get content and never fight for a decent couch 🙂 (I was seriously the worst wife. Bless that poor boy. We eventually got the plaid couch for $300 and I remember feeling like the richest girl on earth just staring at my beautiful stuff!)

Here's the thing. We LOVED what God had blessed us with. We cared for it. We didn't spend oodles on anything. (Most of the paint was even from the mismatched paint section, and those paneled walls took exactly 7 coats to cover. YIKES!)

And do you know what? That girl back then was no more or less valuable than the girl who sits on real furniture in a little bit nicer home today.

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE – take pride in the home you've been given *exactly* the way it is.

Clear off the countertops.

Go to Goodwill and find a new to you piece of decor to fill up a space (you'll be amazed at what you can find if you happen in on the right day!)

Grab some paint in the mismatched bin and fluff up a cabinet with some fresh paint. (Hint: use KILZ PRIMER first – or chalk paint is AWESOME and super cheap at Walmart!)

DO NOT FEEL LIKE ANYONE ELSE IS EVEN ONE SINGLE OUNCE BETTER THAN YOU if their kitchen is cuter than yours. James and I were just as awesome back then as we are now, 🙂 no matter what our home looked like (and honestly, those were the sweetest days!)

And the truth? You (and your exactly-perfect-for-you-right-now home) are crazy awesome today too.

I pray this weekend gives you some time to love on your space a wee bit ~ I'm cheering for you!

Would you like to join me in 2019 using my Ultimate Home Checklist? Here's a peek at what we've done this week:

Day 1: The pantry

Day 2: Dinner, sinks, laundry & vacuuming

Day 3: Struggling today? This is just for you

Day 4: Bathrooms, TP stock up & dinner done too

Day 5 & 6: Electronic screens, cleaning up the paperwork, fluffing and more!

Go HERE to check the checklists out, and leave me a comment button if you have any questions at all. Thank you so much for allowing me to be a small part of your journey ~ I'm praying a beautiful 2019 for you!

The Ultimate Home Checklist: Day 5 & 6

January 11, 2019 by Laurie 2 Comments This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

Are you joining me for our Ultimate Home Checklist Challenge this week? Here's everything you need to know!

Through 1/11/19 we'll do a Facebook Live between 9 and 9:30 AM Eastern Time each weekday tackling a few chores on this checklist ~ go HERE to get yours
Each day we'll do the daily chores + AM tasks while on Facebook Live
Each afternoon we'll meet up here (and I'd love to hear if you're joining in too!)
Each week in the challenge throughout 2019 is one BIG task (the pantry this week!) along with simpler daily tasks to manage each day. You can do that task any time in the week, I just wanted to get this one out of the way. 🙂

Here's what we tackled today. . .

(Don't have a printer but really want the list? Go HERE to learn how to print these lists at home without spending too much.)

The paperwork (this is the “junk area” of our kitchen where stuff winds up all week . . . and apparently longer because I found this coupon for free Skittles that I requested back in November and totally sadly forgot to redeem!) 🙁

Getting a few items mailed that have been waiting for weeks (I am the worst at mailing things ~ for whatever reason it makes me crazy!)

(All tidied up!)

Dinner . . .

Cleaning all the electronic screens . . .

And checking the daily things off my list!

I also fluffed up my office a bit (my sweet husband sent me flowers. Not gonna lie ~ it's been a bit of an exhausting weekend at our house so these totally made my day ~ my favorite flower has always been tulips!)

I also really really love the private PPP Home Checklist Facebook group ~ if you've been on the fence about joining us and printing your own 2019 Home Checklist, I promise these sweet ladies will make it worth every penny. (Truly, it will be the best $12.95 you spend in all of 2019!)

If you missed my FB Live you can watch it HERE.

And, if you missed it, in the craziness of this week I didn't get to add in Day 5, but here's a peek at me tackling my favorite chore of the week yesterday!

If you missed yesterday's FB Live you can watch it HERE.

Go HERE to check out the checklists, and leave me a comment button if you have any questions at all. Thank you so much for allowing me to be a small part of your journey ~ I'm praying a beautiful 2019 for you!

Ultimate Home Checklist Day 4: Bathrooms, TP, and Dinner Done Too!

January 9, 2019 by Laurie 2 Comments This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

Are you joining me for our Ultimate Home Checklist Challenge this week? Here's everything you need to know!

Through 1/11/19 we'll do a Facebook Live between 9 and 9:30 AM Eastern Time each weekday tackling a few chores on this checklist ~ go HERE to get yours
Each day we'll do the daily chores + AM tasks while on Facebook Live
Each afternoon here (and I'd love to hear if you're joining in too!)
Each week in the challenge throughout 2019 is one BIG task (the pantry this week!) along with simpler daily tasks to manage each day. You can do that task any time in the week, I just wanted to get this one out of the way. 🙂

Here's a peek at what we tackled today in the Ultimate Home Checklist Challenge today ~ I seriously am loving this list! (Don't have a printer but really want the list? Go HERE to learn how to print these lists at home without spending too much.)

Here's what I finished up today . . .

And, I'll pick two lucky winners who sign up for the PPP 2019 Ultimate Home Checklist today to win one of the binders that I put together on Facebook Live, so if you've been debating this one, today is the day!

Go HERE to print your checklists and join our 2019 Home Checklist Private Facebook Group too ~ I promise you will love this!

(Also, this is just a random pick of a new pillow and some of my other decor I shared over on my Instagram story today – if you're on Instagram, I'd sure love for you to follow me there)!

If you missed my FB Live you can watch it HERE.

Go HERE to check the checklists out, and leave me a comment button if you have any questions at all. Thank you so much for allowing me to be a small part of your journey ~ I'm praying a beautiful 2019 for you!

Ultimate Home Checklist Day 3: Struggling today? This is just for you.

January 8, 2019 by Laurie 4 Comments This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

Are you joining me for our Ultimate Home Checklist Challenge this week? Here's everything you need to know!

Through 1/11/19 we'll do a Facebook Live between 9 and 9:30 AM Eastern Time each weekday tackling a few chores on this checklist ~ go HERE to get yours
Each day we'll do the daily chores + AM tasks while on Facebook Live
Each afternoon here (and I'd love to hear if you're joining in too!)
Each week in the challenge throughout 2019 is one BIG task (the pantry this week!) along with simpler daily tasks to manage each day. You can do that task any time in the week, I just wanted to get this one out of the way. 🙂

As I was walking around my tidy-picked-up-home after really focusing on these 2019 Home Checklists the last few days, I was reminded of just how much God cares for us each moment of our lives, every step of the way.

Growing up my mom worked full time as a single mom, in addition to caring for myself, my three brothers, and our aging grandmother.

On Saturday mornings she often worked, and at a very young age I started making Saturday morning chore charts (way before Pinterest-ed chore charts even existed), for myself and my brothers to tackle each Saturday.

(You can bet they thought I was super awesome as I handed them their lists.)

(*Ahem.*)

I don't remember the lists perfectly, but here's what I do remember always made the list:

Tons of glass & a large bottle of Windex. We lived in Florida, and had a Florida room with large glass doors, which needed to be cleaned top to bottom just before being smudged up again in a minute or two. (Those doors had a little flower on them so you wouldn't walk right through the glass ~ anyone remember those?)

The Pepto Bismol Pink bathroom (well, all the bathrooms made the list, but that Pepto one always comes to mind first.) 🙂 We shared a pink tiled bathroom and I remember scrubbing that pink pepto-bismol tub 'til it shined underneath years of grit.

The blessed Pledge dusting. Oh my goodness. I have always always always adored the smell of Pledge. Pretty sure I went through an entire canister at least once a month, and found wayyyy too much joy inhaling that yellow can's fumes. 🙂

The vacuuming.

Tidying up the kitchen.

Taking out the trash.

And of course, the laundry, which I'm pretty sure never got done. (I don't think I did much laundry ever. Pretty sure I've always hated that one and it's still my least favorite now.)

It would be easy to be super impressed with this 9, 10, 11 and 12+ year old girl who hopped up pretty eagerly on Saturday mornings to start tidying up the house, but the truth is, I simply have always loved a list.

I was also pretty overweight from a very young age (more on that here), didn't have oodles of friends or family connections, and was just a pretty awkward-lonely-not-at-all-confident kid.

So for me, cleaning on Saturday mornings and checking off a tidy list let me at least feel accomplished that day.

There were so many hard, oh-so-hard things during that season for me, and a few too many tears cried as a kiddo who didn't have exactly the same experiences as many other kids did.

(Because of family I won't share too much, but they were just difficult years.)

However I'm thinking God used that season of so many sad days to secretly prepare me for exactly today.

And I believe He does that for each one of us, every step of the way.

I want to encourage you today.

I don't care if you join me for a little home organization in 2019.

I don't care if you ever load your dishwasher, ever wipe down your kitchen sink, or if you leave that kitchen sink filled to the brim with 82 plates of scraped-on-soaked-in-crud.

I truly don't care if you hop up to exercise, prep one single meal, or run one load of laundry today.

But I do care about this just for you.

I want you to know that right-now-in-this-moment-today, whatever mess you're in, whatever sadness or hardship or just-not-so-awesome stuff you're walking through right now, God has a perfect exact purpose in what you're surviving today.

I promise.

It didn't occur to me until today when I walked through my spotless-tidy-happily-fluffed-up-kitchen, that this little-handy-easy-to-use checklist was really just a little girl's dream that started during a rocky season too.

And if He was watching out for me way back then (and could mold even this mess of a momma!), I have absolutely no doubt that He's right there hanging out with you too.

(And by the way . . . if you are looking for some motivation this year to tidy up those hidden spaces, get dinner made, work out a bit and enjoy a sparkly clean kitchen, I truly believe this list might just what you need today. Go HERE to print your checklists and join our 2019 Home Checklist Private Facebook Group too.)

If you missed my FB Live you can watch it HERE.

Go HERE to check the checklists out, and leave me a comment button if you have any questions at all. Thank you so much for allowing me to be a small part of your journey ~ I'm praying a beautiful 2019 for you!

Ultimate Home Checklist Day 2: Dinner, Sinks, Laundry and Vacuuming is DONE

January 7, 2019 by Laurie Leave a Comment This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

Are you joining me for our Ultimate Home Checklist Challenge this week? Here's everything you need to know!

Through 1/11/19 we'll do a Facebook Live between 9 and 9:30 AM Eastern Time each weekday tackling a few chores on this checklist ~ go HERE to get yours
Each day we'll do the daily chores + AM tasks while on Facebook Live
Each afternoon I'll update you with a blog post including what we've worked on each day (and I'd love to hear if you're joining in too!)
Each week in the challenge throughout 2019 is one BIG task (the pantry this week!) along with simpler daily tasks to manage each day. You can do that task any time in the week, I just wanted to get this one out of the way. 🙂

It's day two of the 2019 Ultimate Home Checklist Challenge (I'll be sharing my updates each day throughout this first week), and I am LOVING feeling so accomplished today!

I have one sick kiddo home + had some kind of sad news this morning, and realized I can't control so many things in my life each day, but at least for the most part, I can control my home.

And feeling like it is under control just makes life on the tough days a wee bit easier to take.

This morning we cleaned the countertops (I'm leaving our “travel tree” up in the corner . . . I'm never quite ready to let Christmas go and it's all that's left of our Christmas decor!) . . .

Started dinner . . . (thanks to my Eat at Home Plans ~ I'm making the Stir Fry Broccoli Pork from our November Freezer Challenge ~ use the code NEW if you'd like to save 30% on Eat at Home menu plans right now! )

Did a little dusting and vacuuming . . .

And wiped up the bathroom sinks + finished the rest of my checklist too.

(Honestly? My favorite part was reading Ruth 2. I am loving having one chapter of the Bible to check through each day to manage and think I may actually stick with this one because there's just something about a checklist!) 🙂

Success.

If you missed my FB Live you can watch it HERE.

If you need some encouragement to tackle your home too, I'd sure love for you to join me!

Right now, get access to ALL THE ROTATIN G HOME CHECKLISTS FOR 2019 FOR JUST $12.95 (regularly $19.95) and join me.

YOU'LL ALSO GET ALL MY BUDGETING SPREADSHEETS + DAILY SCRIPTURE READING THROWN IN FOR FREE TOO.

And?

YOU'LL BE INCLUDED IN OUR PRIVATE FACEBOOK GROUP FOR 2019!

Craziness.

HERE ARE THE TWO OPTIONS YOU CAN GET TODAY ONLY AT THESE PRICES:

—->>> PDF PRINTABLE VERSION $12.95 TODAY ONLY (FOR YOU TO PRINT ONLY – WILL *NOT* BE SHIPPED ~ REGULARLY $19.95)

~~—->>> SPIRAL BOUND PRINTED VERSION $29.95 TODAY ONLY(SHIPPED TO YOU ~ REGULARLY $34.95 but we don't have many of these at all so order soon if you're interested in this one!)~~ SOLD OUT

Go HERE to check them out, and hit the leave a comment button if you have any questions at all. Thank you so much for allowing me to be a small part of your journey ~ I'm praying a beautiful 2019 for you!

My August Stitch Fix Box

August 29, 2018 by Laurie 3 Comments This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

I'm not going to lie, I love my Stitch Fix Box opening day every single month!

I love that they make me feel kind of cute as a forty-two-year-old-mom-of-three-with-one-kid-in-college by sending items that I would never pick myself and are a wee bit fancy for me. 🙂

I love that they force me a wee bit to step outside of my comfort zone.

And I love that someone else does all the shopping for me, and everything fits just right.

BUT.

They are kind of pricy.

They're not always totally perfect.

(Like this blouse. It's way too fussy with too many buttons and ties, and a little too low/big for me.)

I TOTALLY know that I'm paying for them to style me.

And for convenience.

And at this season of my life I absolutely love it and I will clip coupons every single day if it means I can splurge on something so frivolous.

However, there is no way on earth I would have splurged so big. for the first forty-ish years of my life

So, this one's not a passiontely-penny-pinched deal.

Or some crazy amazing sale.

It's just one honest girl's thoughts on a serious splurge today.

Here's what I got this month . . .

White Kerianne Tie Back Halter $48 or $36 if you keep all five items after 25% off savings – I kind of like this one but don't think I'll really wear it? My 15 year old wants to try it out so we'll see . . .

Blue & White Tie Front Knit Top $38 or $28.50 if you keep all five items after 25% off savings – I LOVE THIS ONE!

Kellan Wide Leg Pant $90 or $67.50 if you keep all five items after 25% off savings – these are the coziest pants I've ever worn in my life but that is wayyyy too much for me since I'm not sure I'll wear them right now

Maroon Morocco Wrap Front Top $38 or $28.50 if you keep all five items after 25% off savings – I didn't like this one at all

Mackenzie Split Neck Sleveless Top $38 or $28.50 if you keep all five items after 25% off savings – I really like this one but they sent me a really similar one a few months ago that's not sleeveless, so trying to decide if it's worth keeping or not?

And, in all honesty . . . I'm thinking I may only keep the tie knit front top and send the rest back (since I need to use my $20 styling credit on something, that one is perfect to keep.

Because we've got some dream-crazy-big-now financial goals, I can live with just one fun little splurge, and send the rest back today. I definitely did love them all (at least a little!), but I'm okay without them all right now.

As I’ve shared before, there are 3 types of folks that I feel like need to consider a trying a Stitch Fix Box:

those who have $20 to try it out as a gamble (the $20 will go towards any item you keep) and have enough self control to say NO to things that aren’t really awesome in their box (right now they’re offering a free styling fee, so you just need enough self control to send it back if it’s not in your budget and you don’t love what you get!)
moms who work outside of the home and need to feel pull together enough for work
anyone who needs a decent pair of pants or jeans that fit perfectly (they have the best jeans EVER, if you struggle with finding pants Stitch Fix is worth a shot at least one time!)

If you’d like to try out Stitch Fix, here’s exactly how it works:

Sign up HERE
In the comments section, be sure to attach a link to a few pins you like on Pinterest (you can see my Pinterest Style Board HERE)
Your box will come when you schedule it
If you keep your entire box you’ll save 25% off the entire purchase
Invite friends on Facebook or via email (or even text messages) to sign up through you and you’ll get $25 in free referral credit ~ love that!

Past Stitch Fix Reviews:

Crazy Clutter Challenge Days 4 & 5: I’m (ALMOST?) Done!

August 4, 2018 by Laurie Leave a Comment This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

I'm soooo stinkin' excited about this!

Last weekend after cleaning out my in-laws home (as well as while listening to a Present Over Perfect on Audible . . . ) I was completely inspired to really do a serious clean out in our home.

I had no time for it, no energy for it, and truly no business tackling it during such a crazy busy season.

(Um……. I have an 18 year old heading to college in 10 days, a fifteen year old heading back to high school next week and an eleven year old beginning middle school . . . and I had just gotten home from a 17 day road trip.

Clearly I'd lost my mind.)

But I know all too well that once I get the itch to start de-cluttering nothing else will do, so I went ahead, let my work (and laundry!) pile up all around me, and decided to just go.

I (think?!) I'm so glad I did.

I spent about 1-2 hours each day (so much more time than I had!) and cleared out the dining room, the kitchen, the pantry (my girls helped with that!), the basement kitchenette, the basement storage area, entertainment center and guest bedroom closet . . .

. . . and goodness it feels so good.

THIS MORNING . . . YIKES! For the record ~ my crazy girls do gymnastics on those pitiful mattresses ALL WINTER LONG. I made the mistake of letting them do that the first year we moved to Ohio, and they pull them out and play on them ALL the time. I did let go of the queen set today but am keeping the twin mattress ~ and am going to try to find some regular mats for them to do gym on from now on because it would be worth the expense (I'm afraid they'll hurt them selves on those after seeing how pitiful they were today!)

DURING

After

I still need to finish up the bedrooms and our linen closet, but realized my sanity (well, my husband's sanity), probably couldn't take it if I didn't take a week bit of a break for a few days first. 🙂

Here was my 2-step rules to tackle the STUFF each day:

Choose 100 items each day for 5 days to get rid of in my home (these could be thrown away, donated, or given to a friend
Keep only things in my kitchen that were either glass, metal, white or pale blue ~ all other colors are gone (except for water bottles and plastic cups, because my family would kick me out if I got rid of those too!)

As penny pinchers, de-cluttering is hard.

Being frugal by nature, I constantly think that I might be able to use whatever that thing is . . . an old apron that's covered in stains, an extra rubbermaid container that doesn't have a lid, that Dollar Tree container that doesn't hold anything any more.

I struggle with letting go of things, because I worry that I may not have enough money in the future to replace it if I need it one day.

And there's complete value in re-purposing our stuff when we can.

But.

Just because something has value, doesn't make it valuable to me right now.

So I let (a LOT) of stuff go.

I got rid of pillows I've decorated with in the past but really no longer love.

I donated dishes that no longer matched my style.

I passed on chairs that I've picked up at Goodwill for the last few years but no longer use.

WOO. HOO. 🙂 🙂 🙂

(Sidenote: I struggled with whether or not to donate or sell these things especially if I thought I could sell them if they had a little value, and then a sweet PPP reader mentioned that these things might be a treasure to the person who came upon them at the thrift store, so I decided some lucky person out there might just consider my donation a little gift, and that just made my day.)

Having the abundance of space in a few cabinets is glorious.

Finding a few things my son can use at college that we won't have to purchase is just lovely. (I found storage bins, a nightstand, a printer and several stacking baskets plus a huge stockpile of TP, Clorox Wipes and paper towels. SUCCESS!)

It.

feels.

so.

good.

Can I encourage you to consider purging a wee bit too?

If you struggle like I think most of us do with too much stuff, take an hour each day this week and tackle your home.

Throw out things that no one can use at all.

Share with someone else anything that no longer hold value to you (even . . . especially? if they might hold more value for someone else.

And get rid of the clutter that's overwhelming you today too.

(Here's a peek at what I've cleared out this week all in one place!)

If you’re new to the challenge learn more about what I’m up to over HERE, and if you’re like me and could use a little less clutter in your life, I encourage you to take on the challenge with me. It’s such a simple way to feel better about space (and really, just about everything), and I am so glad I decided to get started as soon as I got a little motivation to get to work. Leave a comment and let me know if you’re joining me ~ I love hearing from you!

More updates:

Crazy Clutter Challenge Day 3: De-Clutter 100 More Items

August 1, 2018 by Laurie 6 Comments This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

Crazy Clutter Challenge Day 3

If you missed my FB live you can watch it here.

It's day 3 of our Crazy Clutter Challenge ~ I'm feeling soooooo much lighter!

Today I tackled my kitchen, and have a whopping 300 items gone.

I'm racing against time today so I won't type too much more, but here's a few pics to give you an idea . . .

Before . . .

. . . just one of 82 million kitchen cabinets after . . .

What the countertops looked like during (EEK!)

And kitchen after . . .

My girls even joined in and cleaned out some loot in their bathroom too. 🙂

And here's my 300 items ready to donate (this doesn't include things going to the food pantry or some anything that made it directly to the trash can, but it gives you a good idea of the craziness we have going on over here!)

If you're new to the challenge learn more about what I'm up to over HERE, and if you're like me and could use a little less clutter in your life, I encourage you to take on the challenge with me. It's such a simple way to feel better about space (and really, just about everything), and I am so glad I decided to get started as soon as I got a little motivation to get to work. Leave a comment and let me know if you're joining me ~ I love hearing from you!

More updates:

Not sure what to do with all the stuff after you declutter? Check out DeClutter and get paid in cash for old CDs, books, phones and more the day after your items are received. Go HERE to learn more!

Crazy Clutter Challenge Day 2: De-Clutter 100 More Items (+ I found $30!)

July 31, 2018 by Laurie 1 Comment This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

It's day 2 of our Crazy Clutter Challenge, and I'm a wee bit excited about all I accomplished today (I seriously wish I could spend a full day doing nothing but de-cluttering, because I feel like I'm getting so much done . . . this may extend all month long at the rate I'm going!) 🙂

Today I tackled our mudroom, and easily came up with 100 more items to donate or throw away. I keep a “donation bin” of items that I find cheaply to donate to our local food pantry, that had that's turned into a donation nightmare in our back closet . . . here's a peek . . .

Before ~ and our donations all gathered up (I should have taken a better picture but have been racing today!)

And after. (Just look at that lovely floor!)

And here's our wayyyyy too full area by the back door that keeps kids school papers, magazines, junk and more . . .

And after.

WOOHOO!

Last but not least this is where I stored ooodles of just junk, and now this area is all cleared out too.

Success!

I'm making room for some glassware that my girls really wanted from my husband's parents home (remember, we're de-cluttering in some way to make room for a few more precious treasures), so I'm thrilled to have some new space.

I just love that.

The best part?

As I was de-cluttering I found $10 in rebates and $20 in Amazon Gift Cards ~ I basically got paid $30 to de-clutter my own stuff. (Can I just tell you how very happy that makes me?) 🙂

If you're new to the challenge learn more about what I'm up to over HERE, and f you're like me and could use a little less clutter in your life, I encourage you to take on the challenge with me. It's such a simple way to feel better about space (and really, just about everything), and I am so glad I decided to get started as soon as I got a little motivation to get to work. Leave a comment and let me know if you're joining me ~ I love hearing from you!

Crazy Clutter Challenge Day 1: De-Clutter 100 Items Every Day For 5 Days?

July 30, 2018 by Laurie 12 Comments This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

If you've hung out long at all on PPP, you know I love a good challenge.

And a de-cluttering-let's-get-rid-of-all-the-excess-stuff-becuase-it's-making-me-crazy challenge?

Sign me up for that. 🙂

So, for the next five days, I'm challenging myself to get rid of 100 items every single day, meaning by Friday I'll have a whopping five hundred items in my house gone.

WOOHOO!

The biggest reason I was inspired to declutter this week is because we spent the weekend at my in-laws house going through 60 years of stuff.

And I want to make a wee bit of extra space to bring some of the really good stuff in without feeling overly cluttered too.

We found the neat glass price list from my husband's grandfather's barn (he was a glass cutter in the fifties), and I brought home a jug my mother-in-law has had in her basement since I've been in the family.

(I need to clip some fresh greenery for the jug ~ that's on my to-do list but it's been raining out today!)

We also brought home a few special silverware pieces, and I realized that I've had tons of stuff in my own home that I really don't love, so I wanted to make room for things I really do love in our home right now.

Dining room drawers before and after ~ I promise the pics don't show just how much better it is in there!

I gave away most of the glass and silver platters we received as wedding gifts but haven't used a single time in 22 years.

But I hung onto the kids faux silver tea set because my kids always loved a good dress-up-tea-party when they were little, and I wanted to hang onto the memories of the things we really do use.

I also went through a ton of books and really pared them down too.

And while I was cleaning, I found this happy little plain white milk jar and fun wooden spoons I've had forever and added them to my little coffee corner. I didn't spend a penny, but they've made me happy all day long as I've walked by!

If you're like me and could use a little less clutter in your life, I encourage you to take on the challenge with me ~ it's such a simple way to feel better about space (and really, just about everything), and I am so glad I decided to get started as soon as I got a little motivation to get to work. Leave a comment and let me know if you're joining me ~ I love hearing from you!

FREE Mrs. Meyers Gift Set from Grove Collaborative ($28 Value)

July 9, 2018 by Laurie 1 Comment This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

FREE Mrs. Meyer's Gift Set from Grove Collaborative!!

I'm so excited to share this with you!

Right now you can snag a COMPLETELY FREE Mrs. Meyer's Gift Set from Grove Collaborative 🙂 (HOW. FUN?!!?)

If you missed my FB Live you can watch it here.

Last year I scored a deal on Mrs. Meyer's hand soap and absolutely fell in love, then tried Mrs. Meyer's Dish Soap next and I was hooked. Right now my fave is the Cream Cleanser – it's amazing!

So I'm thrilled that you get to try out a few Mrs. Meyer's Product for FREE!

For a few days only, Grove Collaborative is offering a FREE Mrs. Meyer's Summer Gift Set – which includes Mrs. Meyer's Hand Soap + Dish Soap + Lotion + Grove Cleaning Caddy with your first order of $20 from Grove Collaborative!

That means you could buy sunscreen or multi-surface cleaner or makeup – and take home this AWESOME free gift!

The Mrs. Meyer's FREE Gift Includes:

Mrs. Meyer's hand soap ($5.30 value)
Mrs. Meyer's dish soap ($5.30 value)
Mrs. Meyer's Hand Lotion ($5.30 value)
Grove Cleaning Caddy (IT'S BACK! $7.95 value)
FREE Shipping + FREE VIP Trial
PLUS – some readers are reporting getting a FREE Bonus at checkout!

= $24 Value!

*** If you’re an existing customer, you’ll get a free set of Grove walnut scrubber sponges

Here's Step-By-Step how to get yours!

1 . Sign up for Grove Collaborative Here. You'll receive the Mrs. Meyers Summer Gift bundle for FREE + FREE Shipping when you sign up. Just add $20 of other items to your cart to get this offer. (You'll also get a FREE 60-Day VIP Trial, so if you decide to order next month's box, it ships free as well.)

2. To receive this offer, your order needs to be a minimum of $20. Choose the combination of products and scents you love and receive your first box within a few days.

3. You made it! Click Finish & Pay and place your order.

Here's a sample scenario to get you thinking (But feel free to choose other products to get to $20!)

Mrs. Meyer's hand soap ($3.89 value)
Mrs. Meyer's dish soap ($3.89 value)
Mrs. Meyer's Lotion ($4.99 value)
Grove Cleaning Caddy ($14.95 value)
FREE Shipping + FREE VIP Trial
+
(2) Method Anti-Bac Bathroom Cleaner – $2.99 ea
(2) Mrs. Meyer’s Multi surface Cleaner – $3.89
1 Mrs. Method All Purpose Cleanser – $3.99 *New Honeycrisp Apple scent!
1 Method Glass- Cleaner – $3.99
Total = $21.74 (*includes free shipping for the next 60 days!)

That makes each item just $2.17, SHIPPED TO YOUR DOOR, compared to $4-$7 per item at Target or Amazon.
.

5 . Lastly…. Check out and finish – your Grove Collaborative free gift set is on its way!

Easy peasy!

And even without the free gift guys – these prices are about the same as what we normally see on Amazon.

I LOVE that!

My friend Staci LOVES Grove and has been a member for some time – she told me it makes her so happy when the monthly box of cleaning products shows up at her door. 🙂

Hurry – this offer ONLY lasts while supplies last ~ get yours here!

4th of July Decorations: Star Wreath and Kids Firecracker Craft

June 28, 2018 by Cheree' Leave a Comment This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

4th of July Decorations

Hey guys, Cheree' here! I just love to fluff up my home a bit as the different holidays roll around. This year I added a couple of frugal 4th of July Decorations that are so easy and fun to make. 🌟

The first one is this Star Wreath. The idea came to me to use paint sticks as my “star” and when I got to Home Depot and found out they had 5 gallon paint sticks, I knew I was on the right track.

Bigger is always better, right???? 🙂

DIY 4th of July Decorations – Star Wreath

Here are the supplies you'll need to make this Star Wreath:

5 paint sticks – you can use the normal size, 5 gallon size, or for a ginormous star, try using wooden yardsticks – these are $.98 for a pack of 3 of the bigger size, so you'll need 2 packs. Or you might be able to nicely ask and get them for free. I used the 5 gallon sized ones.
Stain or paint (and brushes)
Metal or wooden star (or some other fun decoration to hang from the middle of your star)
Hot glue gun and glue sticks
E-6000 glue or wood glue
Patriotic Ribbon
Red, white and blue berries (I took apart a garland and that worked great)

Directions for making your 4th of July Decorations – Star Wreath:

Stain or paint your paint sticks (I stained mine with some leftover stain we had from our front door). But, I think it would be really cute to use red, white or blue chalk paint. Let dry.
Assemble your paint sticks into a star shape. I started with the tops overlapping like a teepee, added the cross bar and then finished it off with the last two pieces to complete the star. Just make sure all of your little triangles are about equal size and you have a sort of pentagon in the middle and you'll be good to go.
Carefully add a dollop of glue underneath each point. Clamp into place and let dry. I found some mini clamps my husband had and I used some chip clips as well and those worked great.
Tie your little metal or wooden star to hang in the middle. I painted a metal star I found from the Dollar Tree on my first one, but ended up gluing a cute wooden star from Hobby Lobby on my second star. I also added a few ribbons to my star for some fun color.
Hot glue your berries in sort of a fan like fashion and adjust them as needed until you get it the way you like.
I glued one of my stars to a really cute ship-lap board my sweet hubby made me and hung another one from a ribbon on my back door using a command hook.

This was the one I made on facebook live here:

This is the one I made after the star from the facebook live dried..

The fairly lights added such a whimsical touch to this star! I just love it! 😍

I was super pleased with how they turned out. There are just endless ideas for how to decorate your star. I really even loved it just plain. I'm planning to make some of these around Christmas as well. I think those could be super cute! 🌟

DIY 4th of July Decorations: Kids Firecracracker Craft

If you have bored kiddos at home this summer, this next craft will be something fun to keep them entertained for a bit. These Firecrackers use supplies you might already have on hand.

Here are the supplies you'll need to make these 4th of July Decorations – Firecrackers:

Toilet paper rolls, paper towel rolls, Pringles cans, anything cylinder shape will work.
Scrapbook paper
Mod Podge
Sponge brush
Paper trimmer or scissors
Jute twine
Hot glue gun and glue sticks
Sparkly 4th of July picks

If you missed my facebook live you can watch it here.

Directions for making your 4th of July Decorations – Firecrackers:

Cut scrapbook paper into 1-inch strips. Spread mod podge onto the front and back of the strips.
Press wet strips onto your cylinder form until it is completely covered; let dry.
Trace the opening of your cylinder to make a circle, cut it out and cover with mod podge. While it is wet, poke a small hole in the center for your wick. Carefully press on top of your firecracker and let dry.
Cut a small piece of twine (for the wick) and cover with mod podge. Wrap twine around a pencil and let dry. When dry, carefully poke it into the center of your firecracker.
Other alternatives for the middle of the firecrackers are sparkly picks, berries, sparklers, etc.
Decorate your firecrackers with ribbon, washi tape, stickers, etc. to add more flare.

These would be adorable to decorate your kitchen table or picnic table for the 4th of July or to use on a mantel or other tabletop. 🙂

Snap, Crackle, Pop…..these Firecrackers are on fire! 🔥🔥🔥

These 4th of July Decorations really fluffed up my mantel.

I'm so excited to celebrate 4th of July with my family and am so very thankful for the freedom we have in America!

You might also be interested in these posts:

Patriotic Bandana Wreath DIY

4th of July Decorating On A Budget (At the Dollar Tree)

DIY Spring Wreath

Burlap Wreath

7 (Savings) Secrets You Need to Know Before Shopping Hobby Lobby

25 Days Frugal Summer Fun Day 1: Summer Bucket List

June 4, 2018 by Laurie Leave a Comment This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

Who's ready for summer to really start? For the next 25 days we're going to be bringing you some fun and inexpensive ideas for traveling, celebrating, and DIYing this Summer!

This DIY Summer Bucket List is a great way to get summer started and let your kids have some input on how to make the most of it! Don't forget to include ideas for rainy days also.

What ideas will be on you summer to do list this year? I'd love to hear them! You can also check out my summer fun board on Pinterest for more summer fun ideas.

Fruit of the Spirit Jar

May 25, 2018 by Laurie 9 Comments This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

A few years ago, I shared my friend Melody's idea for a “Fruit of the Spirit” jar that we used over the summer to help teach our children a small lesson in the fruits of the Sprit each day. At that time all three of my kids (then ages 11, 8 & 4) worked on learning Galatians 5:22:

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.”

Even though my kids have grown quite a bit since then, we still (of course!) have moments where we struggle with discipline. I happened to remember the Fruit Of The Spirit jar again (somewhere it had been stuffed back in a cabinet. . .) so I'm pulling it out again to encourage a little positive behavior in our home.

(PRINT YOUR FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT LABEL HERE)

It (obviously!) is pretty simple to make. I used a mason jar (an empty spaghetti jar would work too), some clearance Easter jelly beans (I really liked the idea of using Runts since they’re shaped in fruit shapes – you can pick those up at the Dollar Tree!) and labeled the jar with the verse.

Our original Fruit of the Spirit jar from 2011. Any mason jar and jelly beans will do!

I try to keep my ears alert for moments when they model the fruit of the spirit. If Jackson does something sweet for one of his sisters, I’ll ask which fruit he’s displaying and he picks a candy from the jar. (Folks, even at just-turned-15-yesterday, candy is highly motivating.) 🙂 If Caroline manages to show patience when she really just wants to hurry, she’ll choose a treat. And, when Reagan manages to make it down the stairs for school without any griping or complaining, she might get a treat too. I also ask them to share again what the fruits of the spirit are before they get their treat.

I am simply amazed at how much more effective positive motivators work in our home, compared to all my efforts at hollering, griping, and whining-to-the-point-of-exhaustion to encourage my children. Yesterday my daughter was so pleased with herself when she earned a fruit of the Spirit for helping make my bed without being asked. . . because that one definitely exemplified some goodness on her part, and made me much kinder to boot!

If you've been looking for a way to positively encourage your kids as well as teach them the values of the Fruits of the Spirit, take a peek at how we set up our Fruit of the Spirit Jar to work in our home. I'd love to hear what other tips you have on teaching biblical principals as well as encouraging good behavior in your kiddos, as summer is just a few weeks away and I have a feeling I'm going to have to be on top of this one again this year!

$2 Goodwill Menu Board: Supper’s (Almost?) Set for Summer!

May 11, 2018 by Laurie Leave a Comment This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

$2 Goodwill Menu Board

I'm a wee bit excited about my little project today (and a whole lot excited about our challenge next week!)

I used the printable labels from our Supper's Set for Summer Eat at Home Freezer Challenge starting next week, and made a little menu board using a $2 Goodwill bulletin board.

If you missed my FB Live you can watch it over HERE.

Success!

If you'd like to join us for our SUPPER’S SET FOR SUMMER CHALLENGE, here are all the details:

Freezer Cooking Challenge begins Monday, 5/14/18 at 9:30 AM Eastern Time and runs through Thusday, 5/18/18
Each morning together on Facebook live at 9:30 AM you and I will prepare 6 freezer meals, so we'll get 24 meals done over the course of the week
To join us, you'll need to order the Eat at Home Meal Plans ~ use the code PPP30 at checkout to save 30% (I promise, these are worth every penny!)

BONUS! If you want to be included in our first ever PPP Eat at Home PRIVATE group, sign up for the annual plan (these are as low as $1.20 per week, and I guarantee you will get your money back in savings the during this challenge alone, AND you'll get an entire YEAR worth of grocery list and menu plans. YOU WILL LOVE THIS!

Here's the schedule for next week's freezer challenge:

Monday, May 14th – We'll be working on the April Freezer Meal Plans (Taco Soup, Chicken & Rice Over Gravy, BBQ Chicken Fajitas, Apricot Soy Ginger Pork Chops, Pesto Tomato Chicken, Italian Beef)
Tuesday, May 15th – We'll be working on the May Freezer Meal Plans (Sweet & Sour Meatballs over Rice, Sunday Dinner Chicken, Easy Shredded Taco Beef Over Taco Salads, Peach BBQ Sliders, Ravioli, Garlic Chicken with More Garlic)
Wednesday, May 16th – We'll be working on the June Freezer Meal Plans (Barbecue Beef Sandwiches, King Ranch Chicken, Honey Mustard Pork, Chicken Bacon Ranch Sandwiches, Chicken Fajitas)
Thursday, May 17th – We'll be working on the July Freezer Meal Plans (Teriyaki BBQ Chicken Legs, Smoky Chipotle Tacos, Pesto Tomato Chicken, African Pulled Beef Sandwiches, Tangy Sweet & Sour Pork Chops)

We’ll be using these menu plans to cook through, so you’ll want to snag yours while they’re on sale at this price!

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

See more previous Friday Fluff Up projects and ideas . . . and Happy Fluffing!

Interact with 9736+ Penny Pinchers on Facebook and Twitter or Subscribe to Passionate Penny Pincher by email to keep up with all the penny pinchin’ deals!

HOT Sale On Blue Host Just $2.95 Per Month: Start Your Blog Today!

March 12, 2018 by Laurie 4 Comments This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

If you've ever considered starting a blog (or website for your business), don't miss this.

Right now, Blue Host is offering their web hosting for just $2.95 per month (which is an incredible deal.)

This is oh-so-worth it if you think blogging may be for you! I cannot begin to tell you how thankful I am for blogging (it's how I make a full time income as a stay at home mom), and I highly recommend it not only as a source of income, but even just as a place to keep an online journal of your every day life. Honestly, I never dreamed I would love blogging the way that I do but I'm completely hooked!

Curious why I think blogging is worth it? Here are my top 5 reasons to blog:

To earn an income from home. (Honest. I make a full time income here on PPP which is beyond crazy to me. Learn more HERE.)
It allow you to interact with other folks across the internet, and create a little “home base” online for family photos, stories and more.
It helps you become a better writer. I am so not someone who would consider themselves a writer, but blogging each day makes me re-think the way I use words. While writing still isn't my strongest gift, working at it each day stretches my mind creatively.
It creates a place for you to think of others. I love that blogging (especially for a profit), forces me to think of ways every day to help other people outside of my home. I know that PPP is a better blog to follow when I write posts that really do benefit my readers, so I'm more creative in coming up with helpful content each day. (I love that!)
It builds your confidence. I struggle so much with having self-confidence, but blogging has helped me realize I'm really good at things that I never even knew existed. It's taught me business strategies, internet savviness, social media awareness, and so much more. I love the marketable skills blogging has given me, and would never in a bajillion years thought I would love it the way that I do!

Once you've signed up with Blue Host, check these posts out:

Let me know if you have any questions ~ so excited to for you to get started!

This post contains affiliate links. See my disclosure policy to learn more.

DIY Hoop Wreath

March 2, 2018 by Cheree' Leave a Comment This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

DIY HOOP WREATH

Note from Laurie ~ I absolutely LOVE this wreath and brought the supplies home to make one myself (since the wreath made up wouldn't fit in my suitcase on the flight home!) I'm so thankful for such a sweet group of ladies to work with every day, and absolutely adore this cute craft we made together!

Laurie and I thought it would be so fun for our whole PPP team to do a group craft when we were recently all together in Nashville. (This was the very first time for some of us to meet and we had soooo much fun, ate waaaay too much chocolate and stayed up much toooo late!)

Anyway, we needed something that could be made quickly and with minimal supplies. 🙂 So, when Laurie mentioned she had been wanting to make a DIY Hoop Wreath, I thought that would be the perfect project for our sweet PPP team.💗

If you missed our facebook live you can watch it here.

Here's how to make this DIY Hoop Wreath:

DIY Hoop Wreath Supplies:

14 or 19 inch steel ring (or you could use a small hula hoop from the Dollar Tree)
Gold spray paint (or any color you like)
Floral wire or sticks
Greenery (we used dried silver dollar eucalyptus, artificial eucalyptus, lavender bush and some airy fern type greenery)
Wooden or chipboard word
Fishing line
Ribbon
Scissors and wire cutters
Hot glue gun and glue sticks

Instructions:

Spray paint your ring and wording in any color you choose. We used gold for the hoop and glitter gold for the words.
Cut your greenery into desired lengths and lay on your wreath (moving them around until you get the look you want). We all kind of went for the asymmetrical look with our wreaths.
Next cut some floral wire or sticks into about 3 or 4 inch pieces.
Start wiring your greenery onto your ring, wiring as needed every few inches. Tip: wire your greenery on one side and then go ahead and find your ending spot and wire your greenery where the greenery (not stems) are facing out on the other side. Continue until you meet in the middle. Depending on which type of greenery you use, you may need to clip a few pieces and hot glue them to cover your stems and wire for a more finished look.
Decide how far down you want your word to hang and cut the fishing line to the desired length. Attach your word to the hoop by tying on the fishing line using small knots. Cut away excess fishing line after you tie your knots.
Finally, add a piece of ribbon to use for hanging your wreath. I attached mine to my back door using a command hook at the very top of the door and letting my wreath hang from it.

As you can see, everyone's wreaths are a bit different. This DIY Hoop Wreath really has endless possibilities to customize to your personal taste.🌺

We all ADORE how Shannon's turned out! I mean seriously, that is one cute wreath and even cuter kiddo! Shannon surprised her daughter Faith with her own personalized “faith” wreath and she was thrilled! 😍

This ended up being a really great group project! I feel so very grateful to be a part of such a sweet bunch! We figured our total cost per wreath was about $7 and that made our penny pinching hearts happy! 🙂

Jamie decided to put a different spin on hers with a St. Patrick's Day theme. How cute is that?? I sent her home with another wooden word so she can change it out after the holiday. Such a fun idea!

I just LOVE how all the girls on the PPP team put their own unique style on their wreath. We had so much fun making this DIY Hoop Wreath!

Looking for a bit more DIY inspiration??? Here you go:

Upcoming Penny Pinching Coupon Class In North Alabama (3/8/18)

February 23, 2018 by Laurie Leave a Comment This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

UPDATE: Can't attend the course in real life? Assuming everything works, we'll be streaming via Facebook Live as well and would love for you to join us. Mark your calendar!

Looking for a fun Girls Night Out? Come join Laurie and Shannon Thursday March 8, 2018 at 6:00 PM Central Time to learn how to use coupons strategically, and save over 70% on your grocery bill every week!

We're so excited about our upcoming coupon class that we will be teaching Thursday March 8, 2018 at 6:00PM Eastern Time at Crosspointe Church address is 78 Hughes Rd Madison, Al (childcare not provided :(). We'll discuss how to save money at Aldi, Publix, Kroger & Target, as well as share basic information on drug store coupon policies. We'll also talk about how to organize your coupons, what all those crazy abbreviations mean, and where to begin if you're a new couponer.

Please register over HERE! If you're a new couponer (or even have been at this penny-pinching stuff for awhile . . . ) we'll hopefully teach you a few new tricks, and promise to answer all your questions.

Not in the North Alabama area? Check out the list of beginners tips and videos, and as always, feel free to ask questions in the comment section or on the PPP Facebook page. We're always happy to help!

5 Ways To Save On Your Internet Bill (& How I Made $485 In 20 Minutes)

February 21, 2018 by Laurie 4 Comments This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

If you're like me you may just be overwhelmed at how expensive your internet bill can be every month, but there are a few ways to easily save that are worth trying out. I managed to save a whopping $480 this morning after a twenty minute phone call, and know that you can save big too with a little work. Check out these 5 ways to save on your internet bill:

1. Call your current provider and ask for a lower rate.

This is by far the easiest way to change your internet fees, and all it takes is a little patience in dealing with your internet company on the phone. In twenty minutes this morning I called my company and cut my bill by $15 a month, added in a landline which we didn't have before, and they gave me a $300 Visa Gift Card to stay with the company. Here's the math on my savings:

$15.46 x 12 months = $185.52
$300 Visa gift card
Total saved = $485.52 in a 20 minute phone call ~ not a bad hourly rate!

When talking to your service provider be sure to ask these questions BEFORE making any changes:

What will my total be AFTER TAXES AND FEES?
Will I need to re-start a contract?
Will there be any initial “start up” fees for changing my plan?
How long is this price guaranteed for?
Will I lose any of my current services?

2. Contact your internet provider via Twitter or Facebook.

If you didn't have any luck lowering your bill when calling your internet provider, try tweeting them on Twitter or leaving a message on their Facebook page. Let them know that you received a better offer from a competitor, and ask them to find you a better price or you'll cancel. Odds are you'll hear back from them fairly quickly – and it never hurts to ask!

3. Know what you're getting compared to a new customer.

I checked on our internet service, and our provider (Time Warner Cable) was charging us $183 per month after taxes for internet service and cable. We do pay extra for faster internet because I run a home based business, but they were offering new members the price of $89 per month (before taxes and fees – which of course are some pretty significant taxes and fees and can easily add a whopping $50 per month!) By knowing what their “best” price was compared to my current bill, I was able to negotiate a better price.

Note: I'm not a huge fan of Time Warner Cable, however they're the only service providers in our area so they're our only option. We've been most pleased with pricing and service that we've had from AT&T Uverse, so if you're looking to switch to a great plan I'd recommend them!

4. Cancel extra services you don't really need.

Do you really need premium internet speed for just managing emails and checking out updates on your Facebook page? Probably not. Make sure you don't overpay for faster internet service if it's not really necessary for you when you use it daily.

Also, give up extra services like an included DVR if you don't use it, and consider purchasing your own modem rather than renting one from your internet company. You can purchase your own modem saving you an additional $8-$10 per month, and probably get a better product.

5. Take advantage of places that offer free wifi.

If you really want to drastically cut your internet bill, skip paying for home internet completely and take advantage of free wifi at your local library or even Starbucks. While it's not the most convenient option, if you really need to pinch those pennies for the long term things you really want (instead of what you want right now), this sacrifice might just be worth it!

Have you found other ways to save on your internet bill? Leave a comment to share, and let me know if any of these tips have worked for you!

Here are a few more posts you may also want to check out:

Grove Collaborative: FREE New Year New You Gift Set! ($30 Value)

January 12, 2018 by Laurie 2 Comments This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

Grove Collaborative Free Gift Set is BACK!!

I'm so excited to share this with you!

Right now you can snag a COMPLETELY FREE Mrs. Meyer's New Year New You Welcome Box from Grove Collaborative 🙂 (HOW. FUN?!!?)

If you missed my FB Live you can watch it here.

Last year I scored a deal on Mrs. Meyer's hand soap and absolutely fell in love, then tried Mrs. Meyer's Dish Soap next and I was hooked. Right now my fave is the Cream Cleanser – it's amazing!

So I'm thrilled that you get to try out a few Mrs. Meyer's Product for FREE!

For a few days only, Grove Collaborative is offering a FREE New Year, New You Gift Set – which includes Mrs. Meyer's Hand Soap + Dish Soap + Hand Lotion + Grove Cleaning Caddy + Grove Walnut Scrubber Sponges with your first order of $20 from Grove Collaborative!

The Mrs. Meyer's New Year New You Kit Includes:

Mrs. Meyer's hand soap
Mrs. Meyer's dish soap
Mrs. Meyer's hand lotion
Grove Collaborate Cleaning Caddy
Grove Collaborative Walnut Scrubber Sponges 2pk

= $30 Value!

*** If you’re an existing customer, you’ll get a free set of Grove walnut scrubber sponges

Here's Step-By-Step how to get yours!

1 . Sign up for Grove Collaborative Here. You'll receive the Mrs. Meyers New Year New You bundle for FREE + FREE Shipping when you sign up. Just add $20 of other items to your cart to get this offer. (You'll also get a FREE 60-Day VIP Trial, so if you decide to order next month's box, it ships free as well.)

2 . Answer 4 brief questions about your home. (It helps Grove make some initial suggestions for your box.)

3 . Finalize your basket. Add or Remove items. Browse your favorite brands to create a box you'll adore!

4 . To receive the Mrs. Meyer's New Year New You Welcome gift, you'll need to add $20 worth of items to your box.

Here's a sample scenario to get you thinking (But feel free to choose other products to get to $20!)

1 Mrs. Meyer's Hand Soap, regularly $4.99 – FREE
1 Mrs. Meyer’s Multi Purpose Spray, regularly $4.99 – FREE
1 Mrs. Meyer’s Hand Lotion, regularly $3.89 – FREE
1 Grove Collaborative Cleaning Caddy, reg $17.95 – FREE
2 Grove Walnut Scrubber Sponges, reg $4.95 – FREE
1 Mrs. Meyer’s Hand Soap – $3.89
1 Mrs. Meyer’s Dish Soap – $3.89
1 Mrs. Meyer’s Foaming Hand Soap – $3.99
1 Mrs. Meyer’s Multi surface Cleaner – $4.99
1 Mrs. Meyer’s cream cleanser – $3.99
Total = $20.45 (*includes free shipping for the next 60 days!)

That makes each item just $2.04, SHIPPED TO YOUR DOOR, compared to $4-$7 per item at Target or Amazon.
.

5 . Lastly…. Check out and finish – your Grove Collaborative free gift set is on its way!

Easy peasy!

And even without the free gift guys – these prices are about the same as what we normally see on Amazon.

I LOVE that!

My friend Staci LOVES Grove and has been a member for some time – she told me it makes her so happy when the monthly box of cleaning products shows up at her door. 🙂

Hurry – this offer ONLY lasts until January 14th – get yours here!

Dollar Tree DIY

December 6, 2017 by Laurie 1 Comment This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

Dollar Tree DIY

Grab my list of 101 Stocking Stuffers under $1 or less over HERE!

If you missed my FB Live you can watch it over here (I love reading the comments – that makes it so much more fun for me on this side of the screen and probably you too!)

Looking for a penny pinched Christmas craft? These are so simple, that anyone can do (and your kids can help too!)

Today on Facebook Live first I made this super simple Snowman Candle using a candle from the Dollar Tree ~ perfect for your kids to make and attach a small gift card too as a teacher gift this year . . .

And then I tackled this mass of ornaments. 🙂

As you can see in the video, to make this wreath I just used ornaments I'd gotten last year for 90% off at Target, along with a wire hanger.

Above is the picture of the one I made today on Facebook Live using just the wire hanger and ornaments (definitely the easiest, but you really do need to glue the ornament hooks to the ornaments so they don't fall off!)

And here's one I made a few years ago using a hot glue gun and wreath form instead. (I honestly think that one looks a little better, but I spent oodles more time on it – learn how I did that one over HERE.)

Looking for more Christmas fun at the Dollar Tree?

See more previous DIY projects and ideas . . . and Happy Fluffing!

Easy Farmhouse Christmas Sign

November 2, 2017 by Cheree' 6 Comments This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

Easy Farmhouse Christmas Sign

Note from Laurie: my friend Cheree made this DARLING sign for Christmas and I'm completely obsessed with it! Here's how you can make it too.

I've been searching for a farmhouse style craft for the holidays and found just what I needed on Pinterest ~ I was just in love with this idea!

So, I headed to Hobby Lobby and bought a pre-made board, but realized I really wanted it a wee bit bigger!

Thankfully, my sweet husband mentioned SHIPLAP, and I realized that was what I wanted, so off we headed to Home Depot.

Now, if the idea of cutting and nailing involved scares you, just skip on over this part and get yourself a pre-made board like this one right HERE.

It's okay to give yourself a little grace on that part. 🙂

Here's what you'll need to get started for the Easy Farmhouse Christmas Sign:

Supplies:

8 foot Shiplap board
8 foot 1 x 2 inch board
1 inch finishing nails
Ivory chalk paint (or acrylic) and dark wax (or brown acrylic) and brushes
Red acrylic paint
Small grapevine wreath
Christmas greenery pick (or you could totally use fresh greenery from your yard)
1.5 inch wired Christmas ribbon
Jingle bells or an ornament you may already have

My husband cut the SHIPLAP into 4 equal pieces and did the same for the 1 x 2 piece.

Piece your shiplap together (you'll need to cut off one end where the shiplap has a little tongue groove so the board will be even).

Turn it over and place your 1 x 2 inch pieces evenly across the back and start nailing. Be sure to hold the board tightly together so it will be straight.

Next, give your board a good 2 coats of chalk paint (or acrylic or whatever type you prefer). I used some chalk paint in an ivory color that I already had on hand.

Learn from my mistake here and wax or dry brush on a darker color at this point BEFORE you stencil on your J and Y.

Trust me on this (especially if you are using wax). Wax and acrylic paint do not mix, just fyi! I used dark wax I had leftover from another project.

I made my own stencil letters out of poster board and it worked ok, but not great. I ended up having to really clean up my letters after I stenciled them. (I wonder if a Silhouette Cutting machine would come in handy for those letters???)

For the wreath, I happened upon a piece of grapevine on clearance at a local decorating store. You might be able to find something similar at the Dollar Tree. I really LOVE this little wreath, it just makes me happy!

I cut the grapevine and formed it into a circle and hot glued in a cute Christmas pick I found at Hobby Lobby. I wired on a simple bow and an adorable jingle bell ornament, hammered in a small nail and hung the wreath.

I'm just tickled with how this Easy Farmhouse Christmas Sign turned out!

Looking for a bit more Christmas inspiration???

How Cleaning Out A Closet Saved Me (At Least) $100

September 13, 2017 by Laurie 11 Comments This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

This is a re-post of one of my favorite closet cleanouts ever from way back in 2013, as I'm hoping it'll inspire me to tackle a little more cleaning out this week. See more about how Reagan's tiny room became a favorite spot in our home, and what we've done to frugally fluff it up.

Okie dokie folks, if you need some serious motivation to get a closet in your home cleaned, here you go.

I'm determined to get through all the closets in our area before Thanksgiving (because even here in Alabama we need to pull out those winter clothes!), so this weekend I tackled my daughter's closet and bedroom.

I procrastinated for several weeks on this one, and every time I walked into her room I was completely (seriously) overwhelmed.

I even considered buying her new clothes because I had absolutely no idea what she had in hand-me-downs for winter, but the room was in such bad shape I didn't know where to begin.

Now, in my defense, I had pulled down the winter clothing boxes from the attic a few days ago, and of course when Reagan saw those boxes she had to attack. 😉 So, her room normally isn't (quite?) so bad? And, a few weeks ago she and her big sister decided they were going to start rooming together so they had moved her mattress. Puh-lease tell me I'm not the only one whose children have a tendency to move furniture without their mother's permission . . .

Before (seriously, hanging my head in shame as I show y'all this stuff ~ eeeeeeek!)

After (ahhhhh, so much better!)

So, how did cleaning out that one closet (you can see the actual closet pics HERE) save me $100?

Simple!

After doing that cleaning I realized that Reagan had every thing she needed for winter, so I don't need to buy her a single thing. (Unless it's really cute, and in the budget, right?)

The best part is I have so much more peace each day when picking out her clothes for school. . . why on earth didn't I get started sooner?

This is all the stuff that managed to get donated or given to friends ~ whew! My husband just couldn't give up the horse though (reminds him of our kids being little, so it's making it's way to the attic) 🙂

Do you have a closet or two in your home that could use some serious TLC? Join me this month as we get them cleared out . . . I'll post any updates as I do them, and would love to hear any tips that you have on organizing kids clothes too!

Looking for more tips on organizing? Here are a few posts from last year's organizing series that might help get you motivated:

Dollar Tree Centerpieces for Fall

September 8, 2017 by Laurie 2 Comments This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

These Dollar Tree centerpieces were sponsored by Dollar Tree – but all opinions are 100% my own (goodness, I really do just love the Dollar Tree!) 🙂

Dollar Tree Centerpieces for Fall

Good.

gravy.

I just love the Dollar Tree. 🙂

I love how easily you can make Dollar Tree Centerpieces.

Using tons of Dollar Tree candleholders.

All for just $1.

{Since at the Dollar Tree everything really is just a dollar.} 🙂

With fall just around the corner (and it already feeling a bit like fall here in Ohio!), I made a trip to the Dollar Tree earlier this week and of course fell in love with a few of their deals.

I found all these fun Dollar Tree candles and Dollar Tree candle holders . . .

and with just a little hot glue and coffee beans turned them into these.

I used a simple grapevine wreath for just $1 and was able to add $1 berries and $1 burlap ribbon to make a cute wreath.

I used a simple Dollar Tree vase, some Dollar Tree candy corn, a votive and ribbon to make a simple little candle setting.

And I used a few of my all time favorite burlap pumpkins from the Dollar Tree and plopped them one right on top of the other some fun little happy fall decor.

If you love fluffing for fall but don't want to bust your budget, seriously, check out the Dollar Tree before paying too much.

The best thing about Dollar Tree DIY projects is that if you don't love them in a few years, you haven't spent a bundle to create the project. These are definitely some of my favorite projects each year, and it's so worth a trip to your local Dollar Tree to see what they have in store.

And, don't forget you can order online at the Dollar Tree too ~ they have $4.95 flat rate shipping, and so many items available online that you may never find in your store. Go HERE to take a peek, and if you have something that you just love to buy at the Dollar Tree, leave a comment to share with me too!

Looking for more ideas like Dollar Tree Centerpieces?

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Jul 30, 2018

Crazy Clutter Challenge Day 1: De-Clutter 100 Items Every Day For 5 Days?

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Jul 09, 2018

FREE Mrs. Meyers Gift Set from Grove Collaborative ($28 Value)

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Jun 28, 2018

4th of July Decorations: Star Wreath and Kids Firecracker Craft

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Jun 04, 2018

25 Days Frugal Summer Fun Day 1: Summer Bucket List

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May 25, 2018

Fruit of the Spirit Jar

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May 11, 2018

$2 Goodwill Menu Board: Supper’s (Almost?) Set for Summer!

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Mar 12, 2018

*HOT* Sale On Blue Host Just $2.95 Per Month: Start Your Blog Today!

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Mar 02, 2018

DIY Hoop Wreath

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Feb 23, 2018

Upcoming Penny Pinching Coupon Class In North Alabama (3/8/18)

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Feb 21, 2018

5 Ways To Save On Your Internet Bill (& How I Made $485 In 20 Minutes)

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Jan 12, 2018

Grove Collaborative: FREE New Year New You Gift Set! ($30 Value)

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Dec 06, 2017

Dollar Tree DIY

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Nov 02, 2017

Easy Farmhouse Christmas Sign

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Sep 13, 2017

How Cleaning Out A Closet Saved Me (At Least) $100

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Sep 08, 2017

Dollar Tree Centerpieces for Fall

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