Returning to My First Love ~ Homemaking

October 21, 2016 By Deanna Piercy 8 Comments

Many of my earliest memories are of “playing house”, a child’s version of homemaking. I loved nothing better than to set up a corner of my grandmother’s den as my “house” and play with my cousin who claimed another corner as hers. We “cooked” and played with our dolls and visited one another. My childhood was mostly spent playing house or reading. Come to think of it, that’s not too much different from much of my adult life.

I’ll never forget how happy I was to set up the first home David and I shared. It was a tiny, one-bedroom apartment and we had very little with which to begin housekeeping. But I didn’t care. I was just so happy to be married and to finally have a home of my own. We may not have had a sofa but I could serve dinner on our pretty wedding china.

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for supporting Life With Dee!

In the years since, we have lived in four more places, including our current home. Each one has been vastly different but in each I’ve done my best to create a home.

Over the past few years other pursuits have taken up much of my time. Volunteer work, music promotion, blog-related work…I truly enjoy all these things but I must admit that I miss the time I used to spend on homemaking.

My house is clean…enough. I keep up with the laundry and prepare nice meals. Truly, it’s all…fine. I guess.

But I miss puttering about, rearranging decorative items, organizing closets and cupboards, and polishing furniture until it gleams. I miss baking bread regularly and making homemade yogurt. I miss reading books about homemaking.

How I Plan to Make Homemaking a Priority Again:

1. Better time management

This probably speaks for itself. In order to have time to really get into my homemaking groove I need to do a better job managing my time. This is something I’ve been working on for quite sometime. I just need to continue my efforts.

2. Less time on social media

Facebook and other forms of social media can be a huge time suck. This one is challenging for me, largely because I have legitimate reasons to be on social media. Not only do I use it to promote this blog but I also manage pages and groups for other entities. For instance, I am a page administrator for our local volunteer fire department, homeless services organization, a local restaurant, and our music promotion foundation. I also operate a very busy Facebook group for local events.

The challenge is to handle my duties on my pages and groups without getting sucked into reading the newsfeed. One thing I’ve done recently is remove the Facebook app from my phone. I have the Pages and Group apps so I can still handle those duties from my phone but it removes the option of just mindlessly scrolling the feed. I also have created lists for family and close friends so that I can keep up with those closest to me without wading through the vast wasteland of the general newsfeed.

3. Scheduled times for homemaking

I’ve been in the habit of focusing on my work first and leaving homemaking tasks until later in the day or trying to fit them into small breaks in my day. That leaves me feeling rushed and doesn’t allow time to actually enjoy what I’m doing. I know not everyone enjoys cleaning or other homemaking tasks but the truth is I actually do. When I have time, that is.

I’m still working out the details but I’m going to make scheduled homemaking times a regular part of my day. And I’ll make them long enough that I can include some of the fun parts like redecorating a table or arranging a bouquet of flowers.

4. Adjust my attitude

I think homemaking is like anything else…it’s largely a matter of attitude. You can view it as something distasteful and rush through to get it done or you can learn to embrace each task as part of an overall desire to make home a pleasant place to be. One of my issues with The FlyLady is the emphasis on hurrying through tasks so quickly that there isn’t time to enjoy the process.

I also think it helps to do more than the absolute, bare minimum. And that’s where spending MORE time on it can make a difference. Consider the task of dusting. Now, I’m going to be honest here and admit that this is probably my least favorite chore. It was one of my jobs as a kid and dusting was no quick and easy task in our house. I’ve mentioned previously that my mom was/is no minimalist. Every flat surface in our house was liberally decorated. And a quick dusting around the edges was not an option. No, I had to take off every item and dust thoroughly.

In my own home I make use of a high quality feather duster and don’t remove every item from every surface every week. Considering the size of our house and my own non-minimalist tendencies this is a reasonable choice. But there’s something about taking the time to remove everything from our large coffee table, polish it with my favorite lavender-scented beeswax furniture polish, and then perhaps rearrange the items or redecorate for a new season.

5. Seek inspiration

I’ve shared some of my favorite homemaking books in this post. I’ve read all of these numerous times. I think I need some new inspiration. Here are some I am considering:

More Homemaking Inspiration

I’m a longtime fan of Brocante Home. It’s time for me to re-read some old favorites and download some new ones.

This list would not be complete without Alexandra Stoddard’s books. I have most of them and always find such inspiration within their pages.

Finally, I’m going to be seeking out some cosy, home-based fiction. I adore Rosamunde Pilcher novels for that very reason. Reading a Pilcher novel makes me long for an Aga stove (totally impractical in Oklahoma) on which to always have a tea kettle ready to boil. If you have any similar books to recommend please leave me a comment. I’d also love to hear your thoughts about homemaking. Do you enjoy it? If so, why? If not, is there something that would make it more pleasurable for you?

And now I’m going to go start dinner and bake some homemade chocolate chip cookies. Because nothing makes a home quite so welcoming as the smell of something delicious in the oven.

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You may also enjoy these posts:

“If you leave off the radio/stereo/television/phone, housework is contemplative work;
it allows you to think about things, argue in your head and give your gut a good hearing.
I need that.”

Why I’ll Never Be a Minimalist

October 7, 2016 By Deanna Piercy 13 Comments

Let’s just get this out of the way from the beginning. There are some aspects which appeal to me but unless something within me does a major shift, I’ll never be a minimalist.

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for supporting Life With Dee!

Minimalism ~ A Definition

While the dictionary definition of minimalism refers to a trend or movement related to music and art, the current popular use of the word is different. Minimalism is a lifestyle in which excess is avoided, clutter is eliminated and an effort is made to live simply.

The Minimalism Trend

The interest in minimalism is growing by leaps and bounds. There are countless books, magazines, blogs and articles devoted to this trend. While it may seem like a relatively new fad, there have always been those who embraced this philosophy, Thoreau being an obvious example. Still, in terms of widespread appeal, minimalism is a fairly recent phenomenon.

My Thoughts

I’ll be the first to admit that there are indeed aspects of the current minimalism trend which do appeal to me. I have a fairly strong anti-consumerism streak and I honestly don’t get a big thrill out of shopping (except for books). I am generally a pretty contented person and don’t need a lot of “stuff” to be happy. I like a relatively tidy home and I despise not being able to find things. I also like the idea of an easily cleaned and maintained home.

On the other hand, when it comes right down to it, I simply do not like minimalist spaces. They feel cold and austere to me. And a little boring.

I’m sure part of it has to do with the homes I grew up in. My mom is about as far from a minimalist as you can get without crossing the line into hoader-land. Every flat surface in my parents’ home is liberally decorated (no doubt why I grew up hating to dust). The other homes in which I spent a lot of time tended to be rather “full”, too. So I suppose that is partly responsible for my distaste for sparsely decorated spaces – they just feel foreign to me. Or like a hotel room.

And then there’s my penchant for reading cosy, homey British novels with their descriptions of crackling fires, tea kettles whistling on Aga stoves, chintz-covered sofas and chairs, books stacked on tables, and “wellies” in a row by the door.

While I do like a tidy home, I also like a home which feels warm, cosy and comfortable. There’s a difference between “littered” and “lived in”.

Littered: Dirty socks on the floor, a sink full of dirty dishes, piles of items which belong elsewhere.

Lived in: A couple of books sitting next to a favorite chair, a puzzle in progress on a table, a letter on the entry table that needs to be mailed, sheet music open on the piano, a warm afghan draped over the arm of a chair or sofa.

I love lots of artwork on my walls, stacks of books, plants, candles, fresh flowers, cosy afghans on every chair or sofa, and most of all…evidence that life is being lived in my home. And that is why I’ll never truly embrace minimalism.

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What about you? Are you a minimalist or want to be? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Here are some resources you might find interesting:

Books About Minimalism

Clutter’s Last Stand

I have a copy of this which I bought and read many, many years ago. It does have a lot of helpful information and ideas.

The Joy of Less

I haven’t read this one but it kept popping up on “best books about minimalism” lists.

Essentialism

This one happens to be one of the October LWD book club selections which you may find surprising consider my stance on minimalism. However, my understanding is that this book deals more with a simplified approach to productivity rather than just suggesting you get rid of everything you own. I haven’t read it yet but after I do I’ll probably write a review about it.

The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up

Is there anyone left who hasn’t read this one? This is the book which has launched minimalism into pop culture status. Personally, it didn’t do much for me so I gave away my copy. It simply did not resonate with me on any level.

Walden

“I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately…” Even though minimalism isn’t my thing I’ll have to admit that Walden DOES speak to me. Simplicity, time alone, nature…

Blogs About Minimalism

Video

For a look at extreme minimalism check out this video:

Articles about Minimalism

Is Minimalism Just Another Trend?

10 Reasons Why Minimalism is Growing

Why Millennials are Trending Toward Minimalism

Other Views

The Oppressive Gospel of ‘Minimalism’

Top Designers Debate Minimalism vs. Maximalism

Cluttered is the New Clean

Things I Need After Watching Obsessive Compulsive Cleaners

September 23, 2016 By Deanna Piercy 10 Comments

I love the British series, Obsessive Compulsive Cleaners. I like it even better than How Clean is Your House? and that was a favorite. I know the point of the show is to highlight that both ends of the spectrum are dysfunctional but I have to admit a certain amount of admiration for the compulsive cleaners. Don’t get me wrong, I understand that OCD is a serious disorder and I wouldn’t want to feel compelled to clean 15 hours a day. However, I’m impressed by some of their cleaning methods and tools.

Every time I watch an episode I find myself wishing I had a bacteria tester. Hmm…maybe I shouldn’t admit that.

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for supporting Life With Dee!

If you’ve never seen an episode of Obsessive Compulsive Cleaners, here is a short excerpt:

Many of the OCD cleaners use a steamer to clean and disinfect everything from toilets to mattresses. I’m rather intrigued and this is now on my Amazon wishlist:

Steam Cleaner

About a year ago I mentioned my desire for a steam mop on Facebook. I actually planned to buy one but when I started researching which one to buy I got confused over all the different brands and just gave up. And then a couple of weeks ago a friend asked if I’d ever bought one. When I told her no she insisted that I borrow hers to see what I thought of it. I loved it! Guess what? She insisted on giving it to me because she hadn’t used it in ages. The best part is that it leaves the floor almost dry so I don’t have to try to keep everyone and the dog out of the kitchen until the floor dries.

Steam Mop

Okay, this next one is totally over the top. Especially the price. Good grief! This handy little gadget is a mere $1179.00. At least the shipping is free.

Handheld bacteria tester

What about you? Have you ever watched Obsessive Compulsive Cleaners? Do you have a steam cleaner or steam mop? If the bacteria tester were a more reasonable price would you want one or would you rather not know the bacteria count on your household surfaces?

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You may be interested in these posts, too:

Coming soon!

Downloadable cleaning, organizing and decluttering resource

Getting a Head Start on Christmas

September 21, 2016 By Deanna Piercy 6 Comments

The world seems to be divided into two groups – those who don’t want to think about Christmas until after Thanksgiving and those who start humming Christmas carols in July. I lean toward the first group. I like my holidays one at a time. However, the reality is that if I wait until after Thanksgiving to start getting ready for Christmas there’s a good chance I may end up *directing traffic in my nightgown somewhere around December 20th. I’d rather not add that to the collection of stories people tell about me so this year I am focusing on getting a head start on Christmas NOW.

Let’s take a look at some resources which can help us make a plan for the holidays.

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.

Getting a Head Start on Christmas

1. The FlyLady

Many years ago, back in the days before social media, Yahoo Groups were a big source of information and social interaction online. I won’t admit how many groups I was in but one of them was The FlyLady’s mentor group. That was back in 2000 and well before she started her website. It was also the year she created a plan to help people prepare for the holidays. She refers to her regular household notebook/planner as a “control journal” so her Christmas planner is called the Holiday Control Journal:

FlyLady Holiday Control Journal

It’s a free 25 page download which includes pages for gift lists, grocery lists, recipes, family traditions, decorating checklists and more. The FlyLady starts this journal by encouraging the reader to play a little game in which you pretend that you are leaving December 1st for a three-week cruise. In order to enjoy your vacation you’ll need to have all your holiday prep done before that date.

I can’t say I’ve ever followed this plan 100% but perhaps this will be the year!

2. Holiday Grand Plan

You may have heard of The Cleaning Grand Plan. It’s been around since the early 90s and is a week-by-week detailed cleaning plan. The Holiday Grand Plan is a companion program which:

“combines holiday prep, home organizing and cleaning components. Each week, the Plan focuses on one room or area. Beginning just as the summer ends, you’ll work week-by-week to declutter, clean and organize each room in your home.

Along the way, the HGP tackles holiday preparations, too. Whether it’s gifts, decor or holiday meals, you’ll be organized and ready for the holidays before they arrive.”

There is a downloadable calendar and oodles of holiday planning pages which you can download for free. There is also a mailing list as well as a Facebook page:

Grand Plan Calendar

Holiday Planner Notebook

Grand Plan mailing list

Facebook

3. Brocante Home Christmas Planner

This final resource isn’t free but at only $5 it’s a charming choice for Christmas planning. Not only does it include the usual lists for gifts, cards, groceries, etc., in true Brocante Home fashion there are also several delightful additions to encourage you to make your home and the holiday season warm and cosy.

My Plan:

Many years ago I designated a 3 inch binder as my Christmas planner. It is still full of pages I printed years ago, including all three of the resources I have mentioned above. Some are filled out and some are blank.

My goal this coming week is to update my planner. I’ll print new copies of the pages which I’ve filled out in the past. And because pretty is better, I’m going to insert Christmas scrapbooking paper in the front cover of the binder and put some Christmas stickers in the inside pocket so I can use them to decorate some of the pages.

One thing I’ve already done is purchase my Christmas cards and matching address labels. I always do a 4-page newsletter which I include with the cards and I’ve even started making notes for that. I’m going to do some type of Life With Dee Christmas card exchange this year so keep an eye out for more information about that in the near future.

I’m also going to decide on one or two homemade gift ideas for the holidays and start picking up supplies soon. Here’s a great list of ideas:

25+ Homemade Christmas Gifts

Finally, in order to make all of this planning a reality a good daily routine is vital. I’m currently working through Crystal Paine’s course, Make Over Your Mornings. Again. In order to add some accountability and make it more fun I’ve started a Facebook group:

Make Over Your Life With Dee

If you’d like to join you are most welcome. We’ve already started but you can join in at any time. Later on we’ll be doing other courses in the group, all with a focus on time management, productivity and personal development. I’ll be sharing articles, books, blog posts and other resources which I think the group will find helpful and I encourage group members to do likewise. I hope you’ll check it out!

I’d love to hear your thoughts. Do you try to get an early start preparing for the holidays? And while my personal focus is on Christmas I know there are other winter holidays. If you celebrate something other than Christmas I’d love to hear about your traditions. Leave me a comment.

*I have borrowed that delightful description from Crazy Aunt Purl. She no longer blogs which is a damn shame because she is hilarious.

~~~~~

Looking for help in making
Christmas a less stressful time?
Check out this new eBook!

I’m Giving the FlyLady Another Chance

August 31, 2016 By Deanna Piercy 9 Comments

Note: I am currently leading a 31 Day FlyLady challenge in my Facebook group, Make Over Your Life With Dee. You are welcome to join. We started Friday, April 13, 2018 but you can still join. I’ll be putting each day’s task/lesson in the group files so you can read them at any time.

This post contains affiliate links.

I first discovered The FlyLady many years ago, before she even had her own website, and have been a follower off and on throughout the years. I’ve read her book, Sink Reflections, and at various times signed up for her email reminders. I’m currently working on getting my household cleaning routines in place for the fall so I’m revisiting my old friend, The FlyLady.

The FlyLady can be somewhat polarizing. Some people almost worship at her feet (which are firmly ensconced in lace-up shoes!) while others find her and her numerous emails quite annoying. I fall somewhere in between.

Some of her methods are excellent. I’m especially fond of using a timer for certain tasks and the daily bathroom “swish and swipe” is a great idea.

I’ve shared my thoughts about the pros and cons of her methods on a post I wrote for The Glamorous Housewife.

*note: The Glamorous Housewife website is no longer online (sadly). I have republished my article here:

Yesterday I wrote about using my Happy Planner and mentioned that I was working on creating a housekeeping schedule:

I don’t plan to follow every aspect of The FlyLady “flight plan” but I am embracing the spirit of it. I’ll have short morning and evening cleaning routines, certain tasks for each day and follow her “Zone Cleaning” system.

I’ll share more details about my personalized version of The FlyLady routines as soon as I get them all set up and working. I may even create downloadable routines and checklists if anyone is interested. Leave me a comment if you are.

Oh, and in case you’re wondering…I WON’T be exchanging my Birkenstocks for lace-up shoes, no matter what The FlyLady says.

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Here are some helpful resources if you need help setting up housekeeping routines:

FlyLady phone app:

The FlyLady has also partnered with Cozi, a shared calendar app:

“This is a web-based calendar and organizer program that will allow you to schedule, plan,
have time-zone-specific reminders, shopping lists, to-do lists,
a family journal section that you can even opt in to post to Facebook, and more!”

I signed up for Cozi years ago although I never used it. But David and I now find ourselves in need of a shared calendar system so I revisited Cozi yesterday. I think it’s going to work beautifully for us – I’ll let you know after we’ve used it for awhile. David, of course, won’t have any interest in the FlyLady lists but since we both end up booking bands for events we absolutely have to have a place where we can see what the other one has booked. Plus we can input our meetings, travel schedules, appointments and anything else that we both need to be aware of. Like date nights, for instance! Speaking of which, we are reinstated a weekly date night. I’ll share more about that later.

Sink Reflections by Marla Cilley

Getting Started With The FlyLady

Crisis Cleaning

Create a Beautiful Life With a Morning Ritual

August 8, 2016 By Deanna Piercy 2 Comments

A beautiful day starts with an intentional morning ritual. This is something I’ve been working on for quite awhile. My morning ritual isn’t perfect yet but I’m making progress.

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.

Dee’s Morning Ritual

This is what my morning looks like when all goes well…which is about once a week. But hey, you’ve got to start somewhere.

Set daily intention before getting out of bed

I take a few minutes while still lying in bed to think about my day. I consider the specific challenges ahead and then decide on my focus for the day. For instance, today’s focus phrase was “steady and productive”. I had a lengthy to-do list which I really wanted to power through because I’m planning to take Friday off. That’s right. I’m going to cross something off my Summer Fun list and spend the entire day just reading!

Turn back the bed covers

I make the bed every day but I let it air first. I turn the covers back, move the pillows and lightly spray the sheets with my homemade lavender linen spray.

Go downstairs, weigh myself and drink a glass of water

I haven’t been drinking enough water lately so I’m making an effort to include more in my daily routine. I know some recommend only weighing once a week but I feel like I get a better sense of what affects my weight if I monitor it daily. FYI: eating a banana split as a late-night dinner isn’t a good idea if you’re watching your weight.

Take my hot tea to the library

My sweet husband makes my tea for me every morning and puts it in an insulated Klean Kanteen so it stays hot. I take it and one of my china cups and saucers to the library, get comfy in my chair and finish the rest of my morning ritual.

Meditate

I’ve been rather hit-or-miss with this but I find when I meditate consistently, my days go better. I may do a group challenge soon so stay tuned.

Read

I’m trying not to get sucked into Facebook during my morning routine but to spend that time reading something more worthwhile. As I shared in my post about My Morning Basket, one of my morning reads is Sarah Ban Breathnach’s book, Something More: Excavating Your Authentic Self. It’s written in short sections which lend themselves perfectly to daily reading. I also read a bit from the Harvard Classics and from my grandmother’s Bible.

Listen to a podcast

Right now I’m taking an intensive personal development course which includes a short audio lesson each morning. Otherwise I enjoy watching Crystal Paine’s morning Periscope sessions or listening to one of my favorite podcasts.

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And that’s my ideal morning ritual. Well, for now. There are other things I’d like to include:

Yoga – sun salutations in particular
Morning Pages – I’ve done these off and on.
Piano

For now, though, my current ritual is enough. Once I’m doing it consistently I’ll add something else.

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If you’re interested in creating a morning routine which works for you and sets you up for having a beautiful and productive day, I can’t say enough about Crystal Paine’s Make Over Your Mornings course. I’ve gone through it twice already and am going to do it again soon. If this sounds like something you might be interested in click below for more information or to purchase.

I also recommend the Make Over Your Evenings course. I don’t promote anything here on Life With Dee unless I stand behind it 100%. I’ve purchased both of these courses myself and highly recommend them.

Organization Videos – A Few of My Favorites

July 28, 2016 By Deanna Piercy 5 Comments

I LOVE to watch cleaning, decluttering and organizing videos. I also enjoy the occasional episode of Hoarders or Obsessive Compulsive Cleaners. Okay, maybe more than “occasional”. 😉

I find these interesting and often inspiring. And I’ve learned some good tips from watching them.

I’m about to embark on a decluttering and organizing challenge of my own so I have been watching videos on these topics the past few days. I thought I’d share a few that I’ve found helpful and inspiring.

Organization Videos

This first one is the start of a 31 day decluttering program. It’s a good place to begin.

2. This next one left me in awe. I can’t imagine finding the time to organize my entire house to this level but it would be awesome!

3. A fairly short overview of 5 easy ways to declutter:

4. Once your house is clean and organized, you’ll want to keep it that way:

5. How about a 12 day clutter-busting plan? Here is Day One:

There are multiplied thousands of similar videos on YouTube. Enough to keep me watching rather than doing for ages!

I’ve found that the best way to make myself stick with something is to get others on board with me and hold myself accountable to them. I’m sadly lax about letting myself down but quite good at keeping my commitments to others.

So here’s the deal. I’m going to be starting a decluttering/organization challenge soon. I’m still working out the details but as soon as I have it all fleshed out I’ll let you know. I hope a number of you will decide to do this with me.

In the meantime, if you have any favorite decluttering and/or organizing videos or other online resources to recommend, please leave me a link in the comments.

The Conquer Your Clutter bundle before it expires on Monday, January 30th at 11:59 PM EST!

Get yours now: Conquer Your Clutter Super Bundle

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Mid-Year Review

July 15, 2016 By Deanna Piercy 4 Comments

Here we are…half way through the year. How did that happen? I have decided to do a mid-year review of my goals and an evaluation of my productivity methods. I have added a few things to my life which make it essential that I make productivity a priority.

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.

I’ve mentioned before that The Productive Woman is one of my favorite podcasts. She recently did a podcast on this topic:

Doing a Mid-Year Review

I highly recommend listening to this podcast if you are interested in doing your own review. She also includes a link to her Step-by-Step Guide to Doing a Mid-Year Review.

I’ve printed out my copy and will be going through it this weekend.

One thing I know for sure, the planner I bought for this year isn’t working for me. There isn’t anything wrong with the planner itself. Somehow, though, I find myself having not even looked at it for several weeks. I’m not ready to say it’s a failure just yet. Perhaps I just need a different way of using it. That’s something I’m going to be looking at this weekend.

I’m also going to be looking at a couple of digital task managers. Sometime last year I read (or rather, listened to the audio version of) Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity by David Allen.

I think I may be ready to seriously consider the GTD (Getting Things Done) method. At first it sounded a little more complicated than I need but since I now have a more complicated life, it’s worth trying. A friend of mine who is a GTD aficionado, wants to form a local GTD user group. Now we just need to find a few others to join us. I’m also trying to talk him into writing a guest post on the topic for Life With Dee.

So, if I determine that GTD is something I want to try I will need to decide how to implement it. Paper? OmniFocus? Nozbe?

I’m also rather intrigued by Bullet journals.

I’d love to hear your thoughts. Do you use a task manager? If so, which one. Are you a paper or digital type? Let’s talk about this in the comments. I’m open to all suggestions.

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Recommended Online Courses (I’ve purchased all three of these personally.)

Morning and evening routines are essential for high productivity. Here are two online courses I highly recommend to help in developing these routines:

If you need help setting goals, I recommend this course:

Make Over Your Year

My Favorite Home Design Blogs

June 21, 2016 By Deanna Piercy 3 Comments

I’ve been interested in home design ever since I was a tiny little girl “playing house” with my dolls. In junior high I sent away for information about becoming an interior decorator. So it should come as no surprise that some of my favorite blogs focus on design.

My Favorite Home Design Blogs

Here are a handful of terrific home design blogs. Enjoy!

Do you like to read design blogs? If so, do you have any favorites not on my list? I’d love to take a look so leave me a link in the comments.

Dee’s Homemaking Posts ~ All in One Place!

April 6, 2016 By Deanna Piercy 1 Comment

Here are my homemaking posts, all in one place for easy reference!

I’ve been blogging for about a decade and have amassed quite a lot of posts. When I started Life With Dee, I transferred something like 1700 posts from my old blogs, Tea With Dee and Dee’s Kitchen. I had high hopes of going through all of those old posts, categorizing, updating and adding pictures. Well, that’s just not going to happen anytime soon (Who am I kidding? It’s never going to happen – ha!)

Despite wonky formatting issues and the fact that we didn’t always include pictures (or very good ones) back in the old Blogger days, some of my old posts may still be of interest to y’all. If for no other reason than curiosity. So I’ve included those old posts about homemaking in this collection, in spite of their flaws.

Dee’s Homemaking Posts

These are roughly in reverse order of original posting dates, with newest posts first. As I write more posts on this topic I will add them so you might want to bookmark this post or save it in some fashion to check back periodically. I have done a little updating or formatting for a few of the older posts. If I see some of them getting a reasonable amount of traffic then I’ll take the time to polish them up a bit and add better photos or graphics. Otherwise, consider them a bit of blogging nostalgia. 🙂

Make Over Your Life With Dee: A New Facebook Group

I’m Giving The FlyLady Another Chance

How To Create a Weekly Menu Plan

Homemaking: A Personal History

Organization Videos: A Few of My Favorites

Why I’m Bringing Back the House Dress

Time Management Toolbox

Organizing With Bankers Boxes

Spring Cleaning ~ Tips and Motivation

La Maison ~ Home, the French Way

Creating a Beautiful Life ~ My Bedside Table

Company Ready in 5 Easy Steps