Claiming Simplicity | Simple Life, Natural Living, Cooking from Scratch, Intentional Living, Save Money, Simple Systems

5 Simple Strategies to Manage Your Workload When You Feel Overwhelmed With all the Tasks That Need to be Done as a Busy Mom Trying to Simplify Life

Hello!

Feeling overwhelmed by the tasks you need to complete is a common experience especially as a beginning homesteader and busy mom, but there are several strategies you can use to manage these feelings and stay on top of your work:

1. Prioritize tasks: Start by making a list of all the tasks you need to complete. Then, prioritize them based on urgency and importance. This will help you focus on the most critical tasks first and avoid feeling like you need to do everything at once.
2. Break tasks down: If a task feels too big or complex, break it down into smaller, more manageable pieces. This will help you feel like you're making progress and give you a sense of accomplishment as you complete each smaller task.
3. Set realistic goals: Be realistic about what you can accomplish in a given amount of time. Don't set yourself up for failure by trying to do too much too quickly. I honestly try to fit too many things into a day sometimes and it gets frustrating, so I have been working on being more realistic with my goals because I am not superwoman and neither are you….even though we feel like it sometimes!!!!!
4. Take breaks: It's important to take breaks throughout the day to recharge and refresh your mind. This can help you avoid burnout and stay focused on your tasks.
5. Get organized: Use tools like calendars, planners, and to-do lists to help you stay organized and on track. This can help you avoid feeling overwhelmed by keeping everything in one place and breaking down your work into smaller, more manageable pieces. I know I have mentioned this before, but I used to buy a calendar every year, but I am a visual person, so for me it it the weekly calendar on the fridge for the whole family with what is happening and meals and then my phone alerts on the calendar is what  I do best with because I would use the paper planners at the beginning of the year, but didn’t follow through all year, so they just didn’t work for me~plus I didn’t have them with me all the time like I do with my phone if I need to add an appointment or activity.

 

Remember, feeling overwhelmed is normal, but there are things you can do to manage those feelings and stay on top of your work. With these strategies, you can approach your tasks with a clear mind and a sense of control.

 

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Blessings!

Monica

Is Convenience Better? What I Learned the Last Few Weeks About Saving Money, Buying Quick Convenient Foods and The Difference Between Eating Real Foods and How it Makes You Feel

Hello Friend

There have been many lessons already learned in these first few weeks of living in the fishhouse and I am sure looking forward to getting settled even though we will have so much to do to get everything ready for the animals at our new home!  I’m looking forward to it and even though it is alot of work, it is work we really enjoy! Making our homestead to fit our needs and designing it all can be overwhelming at times and I’m sure we will end up changing some of it eventually, but we want to make it as convenient for winter for us and the animals as possible!

One of my biggest takeaways from this whole move is that food affects your whole body and well being.  We don’t have much storage right now for fresh produce and I haven’t been making sourdough items and cooking from scratch much at all  and boy does it make a difference in digestion, sleep, and energy.  Just even in these short few weeks, we can feel the difference.  My teenagers even made a comment about how they feel when eating more pasta, bread from the store and convenient foods like bagels,waffles, chips crackers and pizza that we didn’t make from scratch.  We have not been sleeping as well and it is amazing how in this short time, we are feeling more joint pain and bloating.  I’m a big believer in food being our medicine in so many ways, but even more so after this experience.  

Another take away is that our grocery bill has more than doubled, so if you want to save money and have less food expenses, I really suggest you learn how to make at least a few meals from scratch each week!  It will make such a huge difference in your grocery budget.  Remember, I don’t do anything complicated and I cook very simple meals, but it will help your health and your budget if you start now!  Are you interested in learning how to make meals from scratch?  If I get enough people that want to learn, I will put some meals together and do some videos to walk you step by step so you can see how easy it truely is!!  I want you to save money on food because there are so many other things you can do with your money not to mention how many health benefits there are to eating real homegrown food.

 

I just want you to be aware of what you are putting in your body and take note of how it is making you feel because it really does affect your well being in so many ways.

 

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Have a great day!

Monica

 

5 Tips to Culinary Uses, Growing Conditions, and Health Benefits of Rhubarb that Beginner Homesteaders Should Know

As our rhubarb is getting ready to harvest-well, my neighbor’s rhubarb is ready to harvest and she is going to let us have as much as we want because they still have a bunch from last year and my parents have 1 plant at their house and I was going to split their plant and plant at my new house, but I did see they have a plant as well-thank goodness!!  Rhubarb is really hard to kill and very easy to split and transplant if you ever find someone that will share with you.  It does take a few years for it to grow into a large plant and it does like rich black soil.  We usually fertilize it with either chicken poop or cow poop in the fall.  I  don’t know about you, but I love me some rhubarb crisp, so I thought I would give you some tips today about rhubarb!!  If you have not tried it, you are really missing out!

 

Rhubarb is a unique and versatile plant that is often used in culinary preparations due to its distinctive tart flavor. Despite its frequent use in desserts, rhubarb is actually a vegetable rather than a fruit. Its long, thick stalks range in color from pale green to vibrant red, with the redder varieties generally being sweeter and more flavorful. Rhubarb leaves, on the other hand, are toxic and should never be consumed.

Rhubarb is native to Asia, specifically China, where it has been cultivated for medicinal purposes for centuries. Today, it is grown in various regions around the world, including North America and Europe. It is a cold-season perennial plant that thrives in cooler climates, as it requires a period of dormancy during winter to grow successfully. Rhubarb plants typically grow in large clumps and can reach heights of up to three feet, with each stalk being harvested individually.

One of the most popular uses for rhubarb is in baking, particularly in pies, tarts, and crumbles. Its tartness adds a unique and refreshing contrast to the sweetness of other ingredients, creating a delightful balance of flavors. Rhubarb can also be cooked down into sauces and jams or used to make delicious beverages such as rhubarb lemonade or infused spirits. Additionally, rhubarb can be enjoyed in savory dishes, often paired with meats to provide a tangy element to complement the richness of the proteins. Its versatility and distinct taste make it a beloved ingredient in both sweet and savory culinary creations.

 

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Happy Harvesting!

Monica

Is Your Life Feeling Chaotic and Out of Control? 3 Ways to Change That Feeling of Overwhelmed to Organized and Peaceful

Here are 3 ways to change the feeling of overwhelmed to organized or peaceful.

I believe if you know the main things that are happening within your week, you will have more peace and feel more organized.  Take a look at your week on Friday or Sunday for the following week so you are prepared for the upcoming events.  Write down anything you may need and if you can, have this written down where the whole family can see it.  It will make it smoother for the whole family.  

Next, as you know I believe in having less stuff because it is easier to manage, but also having a place for everything.

Do you have areas of your home that are like that all the time?  What is one area you can work on right now to help you have more peace and less overwhelm so you don’t have to feeled as stressed out as you are right now. Simplify your even one area of you home and you will feel completely different!

And last, make sure are taking time for yourself.  Im talking about going for a walk or getting outside for some fresh air every day at least for 30 minutes.  I have not been able to get out and work on the yard and the garden and I can really tell the difference.  God made this beautiful earth and all of our surroundings for us to enjoy, so go outside without your phone or a podcast and just thank Him for all He is and everything He has given you.  This practice of being thankful along with getting outside could really change your mindset and help you have a more positive attitude, so head outdoors right now if you can.  If you have kids, make sure they are getting outside each day as well.  

 

I want you to put at least one of these 3 things into practice right now and watch your life go from chaotic and overwhelmed as a busy mom to having less stress and more peace!

 

Thanks for listening!

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Blessings!

Monica

Homesteading, Simple Living, Saving Money, and Frugal Living are Becoming More Popular and The Truth is That Living Intentional and Slow Living are so Rewarding

Hey Friend!

I just wanted to reflect on this simple living lifestyle and intentional living.  I say slow living sometimes, but honestly, sometimes-or most times, it isn’t slow, but it is very intentional. I think slow living is not sitting in front of the tv, but spending time doing things you enjoy doing.  I thrive on getting stuff done and learning all I can in so many different areas.  There are just so many many techniques and skills and everything can be tailored to how you want to live.  Do you want to become somewhat self-sufficient? 

I don’t believe we can be totally self -sufficient, but we can make as much as we can on our own so we don’t have to rely on the grocery store and that will help save quite a bit of money and also help you to have more nourishing foods for your body.  If you haven’t started this homesteading journey, what are you waiting for?  I would love to answer any questions you may have, just shoot me a message!

 

Tell me all……I want you to reach out and let me know what you are enjoying, what you would like to hear more of or just come and say hi!  Thanks for blessing me with your presence! 

 

Thanks again to everyone who added a rating and review and if you have not, just scroll down to the stars and where it says write a review!  It will bless others that it may reach! If you are new here, make sure to subscribe so you don’t miss an episode!

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Blessing~

Monica

Ready to Learn Everything You Need to Get Started Raising Chickens? 7 Simple Must Have Supplies Needed to Start Raising Chickens Now to Save Money Even if You Have Never Raised Chickens Before.

Happy May Day!!!!!

Thinking about starting your own backyard chicken coop and raising chickens, but feeling overwhelmed by all the supplies and information you need to get started? Don't worry, I've got you covered! In this episode, I'll cover the essential supplies you'll need, so you can be confident and prepared as you embark on this exciting new adventure. 

 

First, you will want to have a place for them to stay.  You can make a chicken coop out of recycled material and it doesn’t  have to cost money or be fancy.  You know what an advocate I am of making something look nice without spending alot of money!  You will want to make sure predators can’t get into the coop, it has good ventilation, and they are protected from the elements.  If you don’t have a place for the chickens to free range, you will alos want to make a chicken run so they can be outside.

 

Second, you will want to have a layer of bedding on the floor for the chickens so their poop can dry out faster and it will be easier to remove.  You could use pine shavings, leaves, or even straw.  They do also make products that reduce odor, but I can’t recommend any as I haven’t tried any of them.  It might be worth it in the winter especially when they don’t spend much time outside and the coop stinks quickly!

 

Next, get a chicken feeder and hang it off the ground from the rafters if possible.  This will help from having the chickens scratch their feed all over the ground and they won’t waste as much.  I suggest getting a large feeder and fill to the top and you have to feed alot less often.  You will also want to buy feed specifically for egg layers, or if they are meat chickens, get the feed specifically for meat birds.  We buy our chicken feed from a local feed mill, but you can also mix your own feed which is even better for the chickens.  Our chickens eat alot less feed in the summer because we open the coop door in the morning and they eat all day and clean up the bugs in the yard all day and then they go back to the coop at evening time.  It is the end of April today and we had more snow-it was incredibly beautiful here for a NOVEMBER day, but like I have said several times in the past month-hopefully this is all the snow we get because our chickens would sure like to be out more as well and they don’t like to walk in the snow, so they will stay in the coop instead of coming out.

 

The Fourth thing that is super important is a chicken waterer.  They always need to have access to water, but in the summer and hot weather, you want to be extra careful to make sure of it.  We have a few waterers, but our large watering container you fill up, put a cover on and flip over and we keep that up on small wooden box to help keep all the dirt out because with all their scratching, they do get dirty quick, so you will want to give them fresh water every day.  In the winter, you may want a heated waterer if you have temperatures that get below freezing just to make sure your chickens have water.  We do like to add a few tablespoons of  apple cider vinegar to their water for added immune support, but we don’t do that every day.

 

The fifth item you will want if you have laying hens and  want to find your eggs are nesting boxes.  You only need 1 nesting box for every 4-5 chickens and you can easily make those out of common materials most likely around your home.  Pinterest has many great ideas for DIY nesting boxes!

 

Dust baths are something else you will want to have so the chickens can naturally prevent external parasites.  This is another item you can find great DIY dust bathing ideas on pinterest and can be very inexpensive if you dont have dry soil for them around your yard.  They just need enough area to spread their wings and ficker dust all over their body.

I am so confident that you will find out that raising chickens is simple and easier than you may have thought and I am so excited to hear from you if you decide to get them and get started!  

Here is Some Important Information if You Plan to Raise Chickens as a Busy Mom and You Are Stressed Out Thinking About Adding More Responsibilities on Your Little Homestead

If you are planning on raising chickens, this episode will give you some important information about them to give you peace of mind as a busy overwhelmed mom because I know…..it is just one more thing to take care of!

 

Really, truely caring for chickens can be simple.  Caring for chickens involves providing for their basic needs including food, water, shelte and you are going to want to do your research before you get some!  I want you to come away from this episode today feeling confident that you can raise your own backyard chickens and it is not difficult.

 

I would really suggest that you find someone that is selling or giving away  larger chickens if you are just getting started.  There is just a little bit more work to raising baby chicks that are just hatched.  We have gotten several chickens from different people that were moving and giving them away or they were selling some to reduce their flock and this was nice for us when we got started even though they were not all laying anymore, they still took care of the bugs in the yard which I appreciate!  And they really are so fun to have around!

 

Chickens are not needy at all-Keep them fed and watered and they will be fine!  If you are going to be gone for a few days, they will be ok as long as they have access to both.  We don’t feel tied down with chickens, we can still go away for a couple days and not worry a bit about them unlike other animals,  but if we do go away longer than that, we will have someone come over every few days and make sure they have water and feed.

 

It is simple to raise chickens and they don’t take much time out of your day to care for at all!  Keep them fed and watered and gather eggs!  Every once in a while you will have some chickens picking on other ones, so you might have to deal with that, but really, for the most part, they are super simple!

 

I can’t wait for you to get started!  I have one more episode coming that I will give you everything you need to start raising chickens so you can get started right away!

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Have a Blessed Day Friends!

Monica

Protein is Such an Important Piece of Your Diet, but it Can Get Expensive. 3 Simple Tips to Get More Protein in Your Diet on a Budget as a Busy Mom

Hey There! 

I hope you are having an awesome Monday!  I can’t even believe this, but we are almost to 100 episodes, so I am so excited to be giving away a few $25 amazon cards when we hit the 100th episode!!!!!  The only thing you need to do to be in on the drawing is add a 5 star rating and review and take a screenshot of it and email me at monica@claimingsimplicity.com.  I will read your reviews and announce the winners on the 100th episode!!!!!!!  Get your rating and review in now!!!!  I can’t wait to hear from you!!!!!

Getting more protein in your diet on a budget can be challenging, but it's certainly possible with some smart planning and food choices. Here are 3 tipsto help you save money.  

1. Incorporate more eggs into your diet.  Eggs are excellent sources of protein and are generally more affordable even since the prices have gone up in price in the last year.  There are so many different ways to make eggs.  Since we do have chickens and have our own eggs, when we get more than we can eat, I will make up eggbakes, breakfast sandwiches, bowls and breakfast wraps and freeze them.  This is such a great way to use up eggs, but also have the convenience of breakfast already ready on busy mornings when you don’t have time to make breakfast.
2. Another great way to get more protein on a budget is buy in bulk: Purchasing larger quantities of protein sources, such as chicken breast or ground beef, can save you money in the long run. You can portion them out and freeze them for later use.  We usually buy ½ beef when farmers around us are butchering, and if you have the space to raise your own chickens-that is another way to cut cost and you probably won’t buy chickens from the store after that because homegrown taste so much better! Also, to save money, if you are buying meat from the store, you can opt for cheaper cuts of meat: Cheaper cuts of meat like chicken thighs, ground beef, and pork shoulder are just as nutritious as more expensive cuts like chicken breasts or steaks, and they often have more flavor. Slow cooking or marinating these cuts can make them tender and delicious.
3. Plan your meals: Planning your meals ahead of time can help you choose more affordable protein sources and prevent waste. You can also use leftovers to create new meals and save money.

This is just a start of how to save money and reduce grocery expenses for protein, but it can save you quite a bit of money over the years.

Hugs!

Monica

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Can You Live a Simplified Life Without Being a Minimalist? 5 Additional Ways For You to Simplify Your Life

Can You Live a Simplified Life Without Being a Minimalist? 5 Additional Ways For You to Simplify Your Life

As I have been packing up our house to move, it made me realize that I would never be called a minimalist because when you homestead and preserve food, you do have alot of items.  I have simplified my life so much that it seems very minimal and simplified, but I honestly didn’t even think about all the things we do have because everything had it’s place, but once you are packing and packing and packing, you realize quickly the amount you have.  I wouldn’t say that we have anything in excessive amounts and I do get rid of anything we are not using, but canning supplies and jars can add up over the years, but we do use them over and over each year.

It is possible to live a simplified life without being a minimalist. While minimalism is a popular lifestyle trend that advocates for living with fewer possessions and reducing clutter, there are other ways to simplify your life.  

For example, you could simplify your life by:

1. Cutting down on unnecessary commitments and obligations.
2. Streamlining your daily routine and eliminating non-essential activities.
3. Focusing on what's truly important to you and letting go of things that don't matter.
4. Prioritizing your time and energy on people and activities that bring you joy and fulfillment.
5. Cultivating mindfulness and being present in the moment.

The key is to identify what aspects of your life feel overwhelming or cluttered and find ways to simplify them in a way that feels authentic and sustainable to you.

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Love ya friend!

Monica

Do You Want to Raise Chickens in Your Backyard? 5 Benefits of Having Your Own Chickens When You Are a Beginning Homesteader

Hello! 

I am going to warn you right away…..we are talking about chickens and they can be an addiction!  They are so fun to watch and I love having fresh eggs every day and  I dont ever want to run out, so I like to get some new chicks each year and now we are up to about 24 chickens.  Some are not laying daily, but they are so beautiful and they sure are good bug pickers, so I just can’t get rid of them!

Before we get into todays episode, I want to remind you that I will be doing a drawing and giving away $25 amazon cards with my 100th episode because I want you to know how much I appreciate all of you.  

Have you thought about getting chickens, but are not even sure if it would work for you.  I just want to give you the benefits of raising your own chickens.

Chickens are the first animal I would suggest when beginning your homesteading journey.  Here are __ benefits to having your own.

One of the most obvious benefits to having chickens is having access to fresh eggs.  Chickens can lay eggs almost every day and the eggs you collect from your chickens will be much fresher than the ones you buy at the grocery store. Home-raised eggs are considered to be much healthier and alot more flavorful.

Another thing I love about chickens is that they are natural pest controllers!  They eat insects, slugs, snails, and even mice and snakes!  This can be very helpful when you have a hobby farm, live in the country or have a garden.  My favorite thing they like are woodticks, so we have had so very few woodticks the lst several years which is so very nice!

If you have a garden, you will find out what a great fertilizer chicken manure is!  It is high in nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium which are all important nutrients for plants.

Keeping Chickens can also become part of a larger self-sufficiency strategy.  By producing your own eggs and raising meat chickens, you can reduce your dependency on grocery stores.

There are also so many educational benefits to raising chickens, especially if you homeschool your kids!  It can teach valuable lessons about responsibility, animal care, and where our food comes from.

And one of my favorite benefits to having chickens is the entertainment they provide!  They are just so fun to watch because they each have their own personalities and watching them interact with other chickens, animals and caretakers is such enjoyment.

Overall, chickens can be a fun and rewarding experience that provides many benefits including a source of fresh eggs or meat, helping with gardening, and educational and sustainability benefits.

Website:

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Have an incredible day!

Monica