I have found several websites that I read often for tips on saving money and keeping things organized. I thought I'd share them, and I will update the list from time to time:

The Simple Dollar
Being Frugal
Get Organized Now
LifeHacker

I got most of my container herb garden planted, with a good early start this year, unlike last summer when I started in mid-July, which was just too late. I planted tomatoes and parsley in two pots that are outside the office window in the front yard. I planted oregano, chives and thyme in another large container, bell peppers in another. I planted some coleus, which is attractive and easy to grow. I re-potted an aloe plant that is currently in the office on the filing cabinet. I still want to get an avocado seed or two. I need to get more pots to plant the rest of my herbs. It feels so good not to have all of my plants on a cramped patio. Most of the pots I used yesterday are in the back yard.


Jay did some caulking around the two doors we had widened; still need to paint them. He got a lot of unpacking done this past week while he was on break. We decided to do the planting in the garage, so he moved the card table out there, and we shut the girls up in the house so they wouldn't get out; we had the garage door open for extra light. Jay came in to get some water, and I heard him talking to Darla. I had done some laundry, and left the empty laundry basket on the floor. She had turned it upside down on top of herself, and she was effectively in jail.

I made a comment to a friend recently that perfectly sums up what is happening with regard to getting settled in our home. I said, "It's just like the nesting instinct expectant mothers get...without a baby." Jay is on Spring Break this week, and when he is not studying for a test coming up next week, he is unpacking, cleaning, and working in the yard (once it dries out; we've had some rain.) Yesterday, he unpacked five or six large plastic crates and several boxes. It is so nice not to have to walk around those.

Speaking of babies....Lauren just called and said her visit with the OB/GYN went well. She had a sonogram, and her due date is October 20. She had thought it would be in December, and I thought it would be in November. The baby is doing well, and in several more weeks, we will know its gender. Dylan and Ryan both have well-child checkups (and shots for Ryan) today.

Last summer, not long before we started working on buying our home, I decided it was time to get organized. I wrote about making a household notebook. That was the beginning of an ongoing (and surprisingly pleasant) process. I have decided to turn my attention to the paper that comes into the home. There is a constant flow of paper and mail in every household, to one extent or another. Maintaining control of this flow is imperative if the goal is to get organized and stay organized.

I have set up a filing system in our home to manage the bills, household records and other documentation that needs to be retained. The bills go into a cubby on my desk as they arrive, and the receipts for them are filed in a folder as they are paid. Any correspondence that needs immediate attention is dealt with promptly, and all of the documents related to the home itself are in an (ever) expanding file of their own. I do not let mail just sit on my desk or the nearest flat surface for days on end. It is much easier to just "do it" and get it done. All paper that does not need to be kept is recycled. Yes, it demands discipline, but I find a few minutes per day is really not too difficult. Besides, this system eliminates the "now, what did I DO with that piece of paper I had last week?" syndrome. When I cleaned out and organized my desk yesterday, I made sure my husband knows where to put the bills and other mail needing attention. He has been responding very well to my efforts to stay on top of things, which makes our home much less stressful.

I handle my e mail in a similar manner. I read it as soon as possible, and delete the messages I don't need. I file the others, and go through the folders and delete the older filed ones. If I don't use them, out they go.

Having a home office is not vanity. It is simple necessity. We had a "computer room" in the apartment, but it really was not much of an office. I do not use my computer in our bedroom, specifically because it is a place of rest. We have three bedrooms in our home, which is perfect for our needs. We have a guest room, and we created a home office in the third bedroom.

As you enter the room, there is an erst-while microwave stand that I converted to storage space for materials I don't access often but choose to keep. This stand, until last night, had been used as a television stand in the living room. We were given a smaller entertainment system than the one my Dad gave us, so we put the television, the DVR/VCR and some of our DVD and VHS collection in it. Then the stand could be moved into the office. We bought a three shelf bookcase (assembly required, but not difficult to do), and took the smaller bookcase into the living room. Fair trade, and it gave us more space for work, reference, and computer books. In the corner, we placed a cherry-wood four drawer filing cabinet that we purchased right after we moved in. Next, along the wall perpendicular to the window is my new computer desk. My CPU is on a shelf to my right, beside my desk. Jay's collection of games will go into the corner between our desks. He put a small plastic table under the folding table he uses for his computer, so his history references are handy yet out of the way. Jay's workspace is in front of the window. All in all, it is a very comfortable work environment.

We took time today to organize the office. I cleaned and sorted out my desk, and Jay set up his desktop. He's been using his laptop, but he has more options.

This summer, I decided to get better organized. I got tired of not being able to find my manuals and user guides for our appliances, few though they were. I got a few supplies together:

-- a large looseleaf binder
-- page protector sheets
-- a zippered pouch for pens and small items
-- dividers for the binder
-- lined paper for extra notes

Then I set to work. I gathered all of our aforementioned manuals and user guides and tucked each of them into sheet protectors. Now if I need to refer to one, I know just where to find it.

I also included some organizer forms:

-- for meal planning, menus, and shopping lists
-- for phone numbers and addresses
-- for the vet records for the cats
-- and more.

This notebook is so easy to use and keep updated. No more missing instructions for appliances, and it can be customized in any way needed. It was handy even before we bought the house, and now it is indispensable.

We have a master list set up on a legal pad, with sections for each room in the house, plus sections for the yards and the garage. We have made lists of items we plan to get for each room, and we will check them off as they are obtained.

I've also set up files for our mortgage, taxes and insurance information, and for bills needing to be paid, as well as for receipts. Should be helpful at tax time.

My idea for a window covering for the front door is a big success. Jay got a magnetic cafe curtain rod, and a fabric shower curtain (a replica of the Texas State Flag). He hung the curtain rod at the top of the door on the inside, and I put the curtain on the rod, accordion style. It isn't a bit too long, and it covers the window quite well while still admitting some light. So now it feels more private and looks just fine. It is a plus too, that when the curtain gets dirty it can be washed easily and hung up again to dry. The whole project cost less than $30! I am quite happy with it. I just love finding creative and inexpensive ways to make our home comfortable.

Our front door has a beautiful oval glass that covers the center of the door. Since I do not care for the idea that people on the street could possibly look in on us without my awareness, I've been trying to figure out a way to cover the glass in a way that would not detract from the attractiveness of the house from either inside or outside. I don't sew, and do not own a sewing machine, nor do I have a lot of money. So I've been puzzling over this since we moved in.

Today, I had a brainstorm. The door is steel, so I'm going to buy two magnetic curtain rods and a fabric shower curtain in colors that complement or contrast. Then I will just thread the hooks of the curtain onto the top rod and make an opening in the hem of the shower curtain for the bottom rod to fit through. I will gather the curtain so that it is full; if it is too wide, I can cut it slightly, but I don't think I will need to cut it much if at all.

It should work really well, and it won't be too expensive.