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A behind-the-scenes look at our sensational command centre

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A behind-the-scenes look at our sensational command centre

18 months ago, hubby and I were deep in the 'planning phase' of our renovation. New kitchen, new living areas, new master bedroom - it was all happening, and both exciting and stressful as so many decisions lay before us. 

One thing I was adamant about putting into our plans the entire time was a family command centre. In my last post, I talked about how to recognize if a command centre would be beneficial for you and your family (did you take the quiz? How'd you go?). It really is an essential zone in our home, and I'm excited to show you our new one in today's TV episode.

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How to decide if you need a command centre in your home

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How to decide if you need a command centre in your home

6 years ago, my son arrived in this world, and I began my new role as a stay-at-home Mum. What an amazing experience! I loved being home full-time with him [most of the time!] and felt extremely blessed to be able to have so much 1-on-1 time with him before returning to part-time work.

Although I was loving life, and felt that I adapted fairly well to our new routines and way of life, one thing that took me quite of bit of getting used to was the fact that I was spending each and every day in my home. Being surrounded by our 'stuff' and constant household chores definitely took some adjusting. And there were certain areas of the home that really began to frustrate me, that I knew I had to do something about, as the mess and clutter was staring me in the face each and every day!

One of those areas was a small section of kitchen bench-top, which had always been used as a 'dumping ground', from the moment we moved into our house. I used to be great at clearing it each day, but a new baby seemed to bring a lot of extra 'stuff' and less time to deal with it all, and this spot quickly became out of control.  

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Battling paper clutter? This is your first step {Q & A}

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Battling paper clutter? This is your first step {Q & A}

If you looked around your house right now, how many paper piles would you see?

Is there that one big stack on the end of the kitchen bench or table?

Are there several stacks in the 'hot-spots' of your home (i.e entryway, kitchen, home office)?

Do you have paper-related tasks waiting in a specific spot that require your immediate attention?

Or do you have effective paperwork systems that are actually working to keep the paper piles at bay?

If you're battling paper clutter, and feel like those paper piles are starting to take over your home, you are not alone my friend! And in today's Q & A, I'm answering Michelle's question on this exact topic, and sharing the first important step you need to take in getting it under control.

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12 Of The Best Organising Systems For Your Family

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12 Of The Best Organising Systems For Your Family

Do you ever find yourself lying in bed at night, going through all the things you have to do the following day, week or month? I always think of the movie 'I Don't Know How She Does It', where SJP is lying in bed at night going through all of her tasks, and nearly having a nervous breakdown at the very thought!

Having an organised approach to how you run your household can take a bit of work initially to set up, but once you've got great systems and routines in place, it will make life so much easier, I promise! Today I'm detailing 12 of the best organising systems for your family - I use all of these on a daily or weekly basis. These systems help me stay consistent with my organisation, and have all but gotten rid of the nightly listing sessions!

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How to plan your meals - 2 simple strategies

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How to plan your meals - 2 simple strategies

Can you relate to this scenario?

You arrive home from work, or a day out, and both you and the kids are starving. It's getting close to dinner time, and you've been wondering all day what on earth you could make for dinner, but you're not even sure what you have in your fridge. You want and need something quick and easy, but also nutritious and fulfilling.

But as you stare into the empty fridge, you're at a loss at exactly what to make - you are SO not one of those people that can whip up an amazing meal with just 3 ingredients. The stress kicks in, the kids are starting to lose it, you're feeling so tired...

Sound familiar? Wish you had an easier, less stressful approach to your evenings?

The answer, my friend, is meal planning.

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Why batching your chores is the best approach

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Why batching your chores is the best approach

A friend asked me this question the other day, and today I wanted to put it to you for a bit of fun - if you could choose between having a full-time cleaner or a full-time chef, which would you choose? Tough choice, right? Both would be pretty amazing, and free up so much extra time in the day!

For me, I think I would like to go with a ‘task-master’ - someone who could handle all the tasks that are part and parcel of running a busy household (I know, I know, I’m cheating…). Be it vacuuming, cleaning the bathrooms, emptying the bins, mopping, dusting, or one of the never-ending laundry cycles. Or the ‘chef’ side of life, with nightly dinners, preparing lunch-boxes and snacks, or the daily kitchen clean-up. There really is a lot to maintain when you are raising a family and running a household! Which is why I want to talk to you today about a handy little method called 'batching' - it could be a real game-changer in terms of your consistency with all these tasks.