Keeping The Kitchen Clean

Today I have prepared for dinner today, we are having a Roast Chicken dinner and never been this organised and had to clean the surfaces a few times to maintain hygiene as Kitchens can have lots of very bad bacteria if its not kept clean.

So the first tip is:

1#Clean as you go: I find it saves me so much time and can enjoy my dinner without having so much to clean at once.

2#Change the sponge and cloths: These can really spread germs and so make sure they are damp but not soaking as excess water can turn to mold. I keep the sink clean and dishwasher. Make sure you descale the dishwasher and sink. The best thing to descale the sink is salt and lemon for sinks and I also use kitchen spray. 

3#Clean glasses separately if you washing up by hand: They can tend to be cloudy and have marks around the rim so wash first and dry with a washable cloth and you can use vinegar for utensils to help clean these items. I have been told to clean them properly and so working on as they can have water marks.

4#Clean the floors on a daily basis: They can have all kinds of dirt on it and be build up with crumbs and other bits of food and so will sweep and either I do it or my husband does to help fight germs and wash it. We use a spray mop and dustpan and brush. Keep rubbish in the recycle bin and general waste separately and are cleared and bag up food left over and thrown for collection by the dustmen, which is for us is, on Tuesdays. 

5#Clean all areas and sort through. Do a regular clean inside and outside the cupboards and do a declutter and go through what you have got like plates, cutlery, glassware and appliances. Are they in good order or need to go and be rid of. 

It can be challenge but seeing a clean kitchen it helps you feel fresh and use what you have and making the most of your kitchen and cook without worrying about getting dirty. Bit by bit goes a long way. 

I hope this blog is helpful and there will be more to come.

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X 

Getting Organised 2025

I like to cover this because my Organisation habit have changed, as I see bags that I need to clear out and store them somewhere. I have been making plans. I have kept some of my sons work at school that he has been bringing home and not sure what to do with them. I feel sad throwing them away. Getting organised is something I have always battled with because of keeping things. 

At the moment I am sorting out my room in Epsom. I have used under bed storage and it sorted out a place for my PJS and some clothes. My husband ordered me some hangers to hang more clothes up and then it is stripping my bed and I have got a second hand cabinet from my mum and step dad and will have a bedside table again which I have missed. This has place to store bits and a draw too.

I have file boxes which is good for storing papers and ordered ring binders as  I used one to store letters and school reports and so going to use these new folders to make him a new one and go through his older folder. 

When it comes to getting organised I like to check out Pinterest for organisation ideas and the room I have is small, so can't store too much. 

I have suitcases that have bits in and once I have cleared the storage in the closet then these will be going in the shed, this will make more space. The one question I ask myself is "When is a good time to get it done?" #I will answer do it now and I have got to sort the top of my closet.

Many would probably say "Do it in one go". For me, this makes me dread it. This is why I do it one bit at a time and small changes is helping me make sure it is done for bigger changes, such as a room is my own little nest and will make me love it more.

It  is good to have a room where it is functional and hung up more clothes yesterday. I have easy access to them, my underwear and socks with bras and leggins. I am trying to get out of wearing leggins all the time, so will be wearing more trousers and dresses. Yet practical. I play many sports with my son and I do Parkrun and see my son play rugby on Sundays.

I have a ruck sack which stores all that I need and this comes with me I travel to and from my home in Wimbledon. The black one I have I take when I once a week go to a coffee shop to write and picking up shopping. I would like a better place for them. 

The one thing I have done that has made me be vigilant is go through my finance each week and stuck at it and so careful with my money. Unsubscribing from retailers and other companies I no longer interested in. This includes Youtube and need to go through my photos again. 

I use Notion, Notebook, google calendar and diary. Really helps me stay on track. 

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X

Having Simple Systems to stay organised to reduce waste

Hello and welcome! I love systems that help me to get each day tasks done and I make sure I have planned my week for Monday using Notion, my everyday Project Planner notebook and in my diary and like to write it down so it stays in my brain and when thinking of ideas to grow my content to make sure that things are done. 

Tip#1: Set a place where the bits you need for the day is easily accessible and where your main room is. 

Tip#2: Have your everyday items in the room spend most of your time in. Ours is the Living room. We make sure my sons school clothes are there for my son and  can put his uniform on and not make it a scavenger hunt.

A Meal we had to use up food we had Waffle with Maple Sauce, raspberries, banana and frothy cream

I am looking for some more storage and had a good declutter over the weekend, but going to use for the time being my suitcases to store bits in.  I have a stack of notebooks, as I write a lot and have a place that is easy to find and grab them once I finished with the ones I am using. I have journals, like a writing one and a personal journal and a Journal APP on my phone that I use a lot. 

It will mean the floor will be clear and making sure that if I want something ask myself: 

Will it fit into my system? Will it cause clutter? Will it reduce the pile? 

I write so having a good set of notebooks is a must but not to purchase anymore until I use what I have got and can serve many purposes. I like planning meals for the week and so today I set up a Meal Planner template on Notion aswell as a printable because I like to put the meals I plan to have the week stuck on the wall in the kitchen and if my laptop breaks or my phone I've got a back up system.

Each week I check the fridge daily and check to see what has to be used and plan meals around the items we have and check the food cupboards. 

There was a time where I'd buy spices but then never used them so had to put them in the bin, so I am quite aware of knowing that I am going to use an item up. I like to have tin vegetables, aswell as fresh and love fresh fruit and tinned. I like to have soups, pasta and things like noodles, stir fry sauces and do my maths when shopping. I am particular about some foods like I Heinz Ketchup, soups and spaghetti hoops and my husband and son like their baked beans. 

I also have systems for my son as he now is in charge of setting the table for dinner and I tidy the the table for dinner. 

Tip#3: Choose a day to have a massive declutter. This frees up space so you can set up systems and I have decided on Wednesday to have a declutter, as it is bugging me having so much.

I want to get my son a desk for his bedroom as he has a Keyboard which is currently on the windowsill and not used. We are going to, (my husband and I) go through his toy cupboard in the Living room and he has a stash of books that he has not read and never read and too young for him now and see if we can sell them or donate. 

I can organise his clothes and go through item that are too small and a better system to store his clothes, but the one thing I do is have a change of clothing in the Living room for my son to grab and put on. My son is a bit fussy about clothes as he doesn't like Polar shirts, but understands that he has to for school or anything top that has a hood. 

We did manage to persuade him wear a pair of jeans rather than tracksuit bottoms all the time but can make a fuss if it is new item and different to what is normally wears. I wonder how many parents can identify with that? 

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Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X 

Where can you reduce clutter in your life

So first off  I love notebooks, clothes and shoes...it feels good to confess. I bet there are others out there who read this blog, who are nodding. I have reduced it though and have decluttered. I use the one in and one out method and declutter one item at a time. 

Picture of the Garden when we were clearing out our shed 

When I declutter these are areas I start with. What's is to be used, can be donated or handed down to a family member, or to sell. 

When organising, it is good to look at what are the areas that you battle with the most. A great way is to ask for help. My mum is always decluttering and this is not just physical things, but like emails, subscriptions, documents no longer needed and tidy up my desktop on my computer or on my phone. 

It is good to go through your food cupboards and fridge. If there is a odour in your fridge? If yes then it is time to have a sort out and to help have a long lasting relationship with your fridge is by having a regular sort out and take note of food to be used.

Go through what's got to be used first, second and third and lay it out so the items that have a shorter life span is put at the top or front unless it is meat at which case, is placed at the bottom away from other items to stop contamination. Eggs don't need to go in the fridge but any dairy like butter, milk and cheese should be in the fridge and jams sealed, along with juices you bought from the fridge in the supermarket and any left overs food, like food that was in tins, left over meals and stock items in the freezer and helps to make the food last longer.

Then there is cleaning cupboards. Make sure the cleaning sprays and detergents are somewhere safely stored and where your kids can't have access to, depending on age and are properly sealed and are labelled and use different cloths for different areas and things used daily and this is not just cleaning cupboard, make the items accessible to you and if you have different floors in your home, you have items placed somewhere on each floor to save you time in keeping your home clean, in a safe place. 

Muddy shoes on a unused magazine or newspaper, near a door that leads to outside, like use the corridor or garage, to avoid the mud spreading into your home and when the mud falls off the shoes, boots on the mag and newspaper, you won't need to scrub the floor where they shoes are located and you have a bin or bucket to clean the shoes, boots and trainers with. 

The washing machines and Dishwashers, the less mugs, water bottles, utensils and serving equipment the less decluttering you have to do. I no longer by ornaments, they gather a lot of dust along with jewelry or glasses. Not saying we never have company but with less, the less you have to worry about. 

Something I tell myself when I see a nice mug or want another t-shirt or fancy kitchenware. 

I do a regular clean of the draws and we go through medicines that we have, place to store batteries and keys. Have the keys in a pot, draw or cupboard and again, easily accessible. It is amazing how you can accumulate batteries and keys. If they are no longer needed then take to be recycled. There are recycle bins for clothes, shoes and bags in some supermarkets. There usually in the carparks. 

So lets get ready for Spring and time to declutter. 

Many thanks for reading, 

Carrie X 

Getting Organised in 2025/Using my time Wisely

 As I write this blog I have a lot of clutter in the Living room windowsill and got bags that need sorting through and doing lunch. It the new year where I want to make changes and go through what is important to me right now. 

Today is my last day of the Christmas Holidays, my son has an inset day so making the most our time together and planned to go to Morden which we did and now having a nice lunch. Tomorrow it is back to normal routine so going to use my time wisely. 

It means getting my sons school uniform ready which my husband has put out ready thankfully I ordered him some new shirts for school and PE Shorts and so it all done and not having to rush which I hate.

My son is very demanding at the moment so it is challenging to get bits done and so do little bits. Just now put the shoes in the living room to the shoe rack in the Corridor by the front door. Seeing clutter does make me want to curl up in a ball and snooze but its not going to clear its self and so if I clear one item it is still contributing to having more of an organised space. Check out this printable for tips on organisation: When you feel overwhelmed.pdf turning the things off and at the weekend went through my subscriptions and deleted ones I was not using and taking off APPs on my phone. 

I journaled and wrote down random thoughts and ideas and goals. What I would like to do in 2025 and starting new challenges and experiences. 

My son starts rugby again. Yesterday was when it was supposed to start but due to the weather it got called off and so we went on a bus ride instead and picked up a few bits for dinner. We stopped for a coffee and spent morning putting make up on whilst watching something on my youtube on my phone as when I go to Wimbledon where I live with my mum and stepdad, putting make up on as we had friends over for dinner and in the evening organised my Notion planner and going through my tasks uncompleted. 

This morning I did my cheat sheet that I post each week on a Monday but have made changes by posting on my blog site Everyone Can build a castle as I was posting it on two of my sites my parenting blog, see the link if you liked to check out my Cheat Sheets: https://everyonecanbuildacastle.com/2025/01/06/new-cheat-sheet-for-2025-it-is-planning-to-build-your-life-to-be-better-than-ever/

The other thing I do is make sure I take breaks from my laptop and a good chance to get other bits done and soon I will be making dinner so I will spend this time listening to something, like music, podcast or audiobook. 

So lets get organised and start 2025 on a good note and getting back to the usual routine, now Christmas is over and now in a new year.

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X 

  

When you have a lot of responsibilities

It really is a funny time of year as my motivation to get things done gets harder. I feel more tired and I know it is just my body adjusting to the season because of the change of daylight. Yet I have to get up making sure my bed is made, look after my son to help make sure he is ready for the day and getting few tasks done before my son's taxi arrives to take him to school. Then once he is at school pop out if I need to pick up any groceries or other items, work on my content and then be ready for when my son returns and tidy and clean up after breakfast, lunch and dinner. 

Meal we like to have shops and vegetables and mash potato 

Having a lot of responsibilities comes stress, so I take my time and give myself less to do on each day and like I am clearing out my closet and just by doing a bit each day I can already see the room take shape and have more space so I can organise my clothes. The items that has been stored, my craft items in the closet, is to go in the shed we have in our back garden which is going to be where I will be doing my crafting. 

So I am focusing on what I can do still to work towards these plans and each morning I have been working on another book and finding secondary schools and means putting other things I want to do on hold and do what I can. 

I will wash up through out the day as I don't have a dishwasher so wash by hand and that we have all eaten and that my son has his schools clothes ready along with his clothes to change into when he comes home from school.

Divide the tasks, going through what is your main focus? This time of year I do a reset programme, called, Autumn reset to get certain tasks complete to prep before the festive season and focus Christmas and holidays leading up to it and do this reset from September to October. Check out my blog Everyone can be build a castle. 

Divide your year up into quarters. we are now in the last quarter for 2024 and I use Notion to plan, google calendar and notebook. 

To plan meals I use a planner and put this up on the kitchen wall and when it comes to shopping go through what is to be used in a food cupboards and fridge, to check your essentials, like ours is bread, milk, tea bags and coffee, food, like cereal, fruit and what we drink all of the time and plenty to make a meal out of. 

So spend sometime just going through what is the first thing you want to do and put on some good tunes, audiobook or a podcast and lets spend time getting our lives together. 

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie  X 

  

The Ten things I do to stay on top of organizing my life

There is always a good time to organize and get your life together and I like to do things that help me stay on track of my life and manage it in a way I don't get overwhelmed. 

1. Make sure that my bed has been made and that my son is okay and my clothes are laid out for the day ahead.

2. With laundry I do get help with that, but if I still got laundry to be done I do it in the mornings and then it is done and rotate my clothes, so it all gets worn, if not then it is given away and like to do a regularly declutter of my clothes and toiletries if I see something that is in good condition see if someone else may wear or use them or if there is any wear and tare when checking my clothes, they are dispose of but try to fix clothes now if I can, to try an eliminate waste, to stop adding to landfill.

3. Do a meal plan and think of different meals and check my fridge and food cupboards of what we have in terms of food and groceries and that it all gets eaten. 

4. Prep dinners. Like cutting up the potatoes, vegetables and meats. 

5. Go through my finances each Sunday and check my bank account daily.

6. Planning the week ahead and doing spending plan

7. Clear any dishes washed and put things away

8. Made sure I clean on area a day of my homes, as I live in Epsom and Wimbledon, to look after my son and making sure he is ready for school

9. If my son is unwell like he was this week, make sure I take note of when he has had medicine and his temperature.

10. Take breaks from my phone and laptop to focus on spending time with my son and loves it when we watch a bit of TV together and so I make sure we have that time as children grow up so fast that its those moments that I feel are important. 

I hope that this blog helps you and please follow then you won't miss a post,

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie  X 

Buying Stuff I do not need

I keep getting urges to buy more clothes and notebooks, when I don't need to so I have done a mood board of  items I am going to buy this year to limit it. 

 A Picture from today and want to spend my money to have a coffee and write, rather than a top I no longer need.

I am one of those that will put things in the basket and not buy anything and create wish lists as this makes me really decide if I need it or not and limit what clothing I buy and save for day trips to places, during school holidays or at weekends, for household products. I going to be buying pillows and a new bed sheet. 

To get reminded of what I have I do watch decluttering programmes and Youtube videos and I have filmed me decluttering as stuff is stuff, and so now I am trying to make the most of what I already have, and it feels good to use up what you got before buying anything else. 

Also what is important. Does it better to have nice bedding or buy another jumper because it is cheap? 

It is a decision that I battle a lot with, because I like buying clothes, so before I buy anything more going to have another declutter of my wardrobe and see if can find the items I want secondhand and I do want to change my style a bit. 

How do you shop for clothes? Please leave a comment below, as I like hear others and how they organise their life to help me not be bogged down with stuff. 

I am buying more of what is a good investment, example I have bought a pair of Swimming shorts as I take my son swimming and will be going swimming again once a week when my son is at school and check Better Gyms as you don't need a membership to book to us the facilities and take my son in the holidays, as he has been having swimming lessons, so want him to practice and such a good skill and not have a fear of water like I did. 

So buying items that I know is practical and will be worn and would like to stop wearing leggins all of the time, and save my money towards having a holiday and buy one or two items per year and not every month and now I am debt free check out my Financial Living Youtube channel: Life and Money - YouTube and so want to save and build my income, so I can save for a good holiday and want to go to more concerts and go to another music festival. So I have to decide what it important to me to be able to do that and don't a lot of clothing, and also focus on my health and looking after my body and mind, buy not buying things I don't need. 

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X 

Living in chaos and getting your stuff together

Do you feel that life is chaotic? Not knowing where to begin? I do put things off but I bite the bullet and just do it. You never going to write a book if you don't write or spend time outlining it or having a clean bathroom and not want to look at it so you keep the door closed and not using it to go for its purpose.

Storage for books and regularly go through them and any books that we kept donate, sell or hand them down so another child can enjoy them.

Clear the main areas in your home that is the place where you spend the most time in and the areas you need to use weekly like our bathroom, where we get ourselves clean but that not going to be possible if you can't actually get in the bath because it has a load of stuff in it.

So start with one area like the bath which you use most of the time and the toilet.

We use is the Living room and the Kitchen a lot so we clean this areas first and then clean the rest of house afterwards and main station points, like the dining table, fireplace and windowsills, then the floor and the kitchen the hob, kitchen sink and oven.

I at the moment see that one of my windowsill in the living needs tidying again and staying on top of it can be hard but not impossible to do. 

Clearing it up will take two second so as I write this blog I got up and sorted it out rather than keep looking at it and now I don't have to think about it, and so now can focus on my son eating his breakfast and getting ready for the day. 

Getting out of chaos and organise one area whilst you children have the breakfast, can literally help with wellbeing and a little does go a long way along with tasks that take up the most time, like cleaning the entire house in one day. I prefer to break it up and as thinking about doing it in one day puts me off and why it doesn't get done and like not cleaning the food cupboard all the time, but just taking a two minutes to check to see what is to be used and what I can get by as it is Saturday shopping day, that we can use up that helps to keep it tidy and is laid out so it can see everything.

Then there is bags. I am a bag clutterer and find it hard to keep them tidy so I will make sure that before I use a bag that I go through it and any recipes is in a little purse to put them in or with my Filofax which I use to go through my finances and that I go through what I have in them and if I can downsize on some days and I have been good I have stuck with my main handbag for about two years and not bought a new one and feel good about that. 

When it comes to rooms I will go through my clothes once a week to go through them and what have some clothes in Epsom and in Wimbledon so go through what I have that I can keep in Epsom and what I can keep in Wimbledon. I like having a sort through and rotate my clothes and anything that I know I am not going to wear, goes. 

So just taking two to ten minutes to just go through different places can help control the chaos. 

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X 

Ten ways I organize my life

I like systems, having a good routine and planning. Please believe me when I say I am not organized, but because of that I have implemented systems to help with that, by:

A picture of when we decluttered the shed as mentioned in this blog 

1. Getting up before anyone else. My life changing habit for 2024. It means I can listen to some chill out music, have a nice cup of tea and start working on my laptop, doing some writing and planning without disruption. 

2. Tidy up. I like to spend time washing up any dishes from the night before, and my husband puts some laundry on or I do this myself and making sure we all have breakfast and are dressed, we have brushed our teeth and got dressed for the day, and sorting out my clothes for the day.

3. Money. Check out my Youtube Channel where I share how I manage my money: https://www.youtube.com/@mywayofliving1602 I check my bank account everyday and each Sunday and Monday I go through what I have spent that week and track it on a spreadsheet . I will do a spending plan for the week and for the month, and making sure I pay money onto my credit card, as did get into debt, but now clearing it. I put money into my sons bank account and put money into my savings. I do no spend days, and do a no spend challenge in January and this has really made a huge difference in how I manage my money.

4. Shopping. As a kid my mum would shop on Friday and often me and my brother would be super hungry which can increase what you buy, and play up. So I make sure I have eaten, and my husband will do his grocery shopping on a Saturday morning when it is less busy, but rarely takes a list. I always make list and shop in the mornings in the week, as I like using this to build up my steps and then have the rest of the day to get other bits done.

5. Garden. My husband deals with the garden, but I do like to have a place to sit and do some writing out there during the Spring and Summer and play football with my son, and keep the table out there along with the goal, and this year had a declutter of the shed, which I would recommend to do, as it can become a dumping ground. When it Wimbledon my mum and step dad take care of that, but my son will help, and thinking of getting some flower pots again. 

6. Bags. I have cut down on the bags I own, but my bag is something that needs to be cleared out. This doesn't always get done, but make it a must that I sort it out and put my receipts into a small plastic folder. I do like to have a bum bag for short trips out and going to start using this again in the summer and the weekends, because I don't need to carry a lot unless filming for youtube vlog channel: Typical London Gal.

7. IT and the internet. To organize my days, weeks, months, quarters and for the year I will use OneNote which is a free Microsoft programme, my diary, journal and begun to use google calendar again. Every Monday I plan for the week ahead and for each day. I will have a clear out of photos, tidy up my Pinterest, any images of videos stored on my laptop that I no longer need and google photos, same with emails and documents and downloaded items. 

8. Journal. Every evening now I will write down what I am happy about each day, and if I want to express my feelings and thoughts. It is a good way to lift weight off your shoulders and everyday using my journal app on my phone too.

9. Reading. I love to read, and so I make it a must that I do some reading, and not going to buy anymore until I have read the books I have got and do read several books at the same time, especially self help books and I do write reviews, check out my Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/thetypicalLondongal/my-current-books-i-am-reading/book-reviews-my-recommended-reads-other/ I also have a Wordpress site too where I write books reviews: My Books & Stories – Reading is the food for our writing (wordpress.com I store them in a bookcase, in a walking closet I have in Wimbledon, in a ruck sack in a plastic draw unit. I have joined libraries and can help with storing so many, but I like having a good selection, and is so important as it helps us to grow, and if you like writing then get reading as this will help you.

10. Exercise. I am lucky because in Epsom my husband has a treadmill, weights and I keep my exercise mate there too, or I will make sure I do some walking, and I put my clothes which are mainly fitness on and then there is no excuse and I like going for a morning walks and indoor workout in the afternoons. 

So I hope this blog helps you to organize your life. You can be alerted of when I post on this site if you select subscribe I try to write a blog on this site each week and I also have a Pinterest board where I share these posts and shares others content that have helped me in organization, so see above and just put in Organize 4 the better. 

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X 

5 Things to help organize on a regular basis you can do in the kitchen

Hello and welcome. If you'd like to be notified on my blogs on this site, then please follow me. 

I have been going through what needs to be eaten and did a meal plan, but as always changed my mind and big believer in using what you have already got before buying anything else and when things must be eaten first and making simple meals, Breakfasts, lunches and dinners. 

Foods I have donated for the local foodbank

Here are 5 things to help organize on a regular basis you can do in the kitchen.

1. Do a regular stock take of the food you've got and if there is cans that are not going to use, but are in date, donate them. I each month now do a monthly donation of food to the local foodbank in Wimbledon and feels so good to make a difference. I go through the fridge, work top where we keep fruit and cans of drinks and the food cupboard. 

2. Go through your kitchen ware and if you have dupes get rid of and donate, or anything that you've never used. Anything with chip or a crack get rid of, unless you can fix or know someone who can fix it, and repair them.

3. Change your sponges on a regular basis and put these with cleaning products and near the sink, and same with cloths and scrubbers. 

4. Have a home for your appliances that you can easily get to it and gets used, and not all over the worktops, but underneath where it will be used and can pull it in and out of its home and not forgotten about. If you still don't use it but in fine condition see if it will of use to someone else, and put it up on Facebook Market place.

5. Put your recipe books in a cupboard you can reach and where you can take out, along with a folder with printed recipes of meals you like to make. Any recipes not used or books donate, sell or recycle.

These are so simple to do and going to make a series of blogs and help you have a more organized home and life.

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X 

Organization 2024

So already I have myself set up at the dining table in the Living room in Epsom and have a desk I use in my bedroom in Wimbledon. Its a different set up and so I have to make sure I have bits I need and split my living there and here in Epsom, but is well managed. I now take myself off from my laptop at the weekend and focus on spending time with my son. I may vlog but take a break from my blogs and books and having the time with my son it important to me, as you never get that time back. 

My desk set up in Wimbledon

If you would like to check out my vlogs then here is the one I published today:

https://youtu.be/rx5CM2_mqGU

These last few days I have now started to work in the morning and take breaks to put away the breakfast bowls, cups and plates and have one to two cups of tea in the morning and like popping out in the morning to get my steps in and run errands.

I am writing a book on organization as I am not organized, but introducing good positive habits that has made a difference in helping me to be organized and set my day on a good start and ready for each day. 

When it comes to meals I do plan but I do a list of meals I want to have because I do change my mind and it is what I am in the mood for, like tonight because we are going away at the weekend and have used up most of the food we bought, we going to have a Pizza evening. Not a takeaway. The food shopping is shared, my husband will by the majority of it, and I will buy the extra bits and batch cook. So for my lunch today for example I have left over chicken, and it saves a lot of money and shop wisely.

I now changing the way I budget when it comes to budgeting that suits me better and have a monthly budget on things like food and will be realistic. Do what works for you.

Things change and it is what working presently that will helps me to continue to evolve each year, for my future self, and keep growing and learning. 

Today I am going to be sorting out the shed in the garden. Exciting. So going to end blog. I hope it helps you to organize in 2024 and keep the meter running.

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X 

Having a good declutter you will feel so much better

 At the weekend I sorted out my mums ottoman, which had books, toys and bits and pieces of items from some games and one of my favourite things I like to do is going through what's been used and what gets used a lot to rediscover some games we've played with and what we haven't and play with them and what suits the age range of items, that can be given to somebody else, or what my nieces and a friend we know will use them when they come over.

My desk in Wimbledon that I like to clear and organize to stop clutter 

I did this with my son, but he then left me to get on with it. Yes thanks son. 

It was a random, not planned at all. Having a clear out can really help mentally and physically, because it is less to think about and less to sort out and not taking ages to find anything because of clutter. So just a good clear out can do wonders.

When it comes to decluttering have sections and watching the programme on BBC 1 Sort your life out has given me motivation and going to go through my clothes again and have a closet in my bedroom in Epsom to clear so going to spend time this week going through that and be real. What use can I get out of the stuff I own and that I have no care for anymore. 

Have items that you not sure about in one section if you have toy pieces or games, a pile to go and you can donate if in good condition or pass it to someone you know who might like it or to sell, and what you want to keep and have homes for items you want to keep.

If you collect things that is fine, I used to collect teapots, badges and football programmes and loved them, so if there are important items that you really don't want to get rid off then create a home for them and put them where you an see them, because of out of sight and of mind, they can be forgotten and gathering dust and I love created displays with photos, ornaments and fits with who I am and would like to be discovered one day and who I was by the stuff I own and have items I know I can pass down to others and that don't effect their value. 

My in-laws had a lovely collection of pictures framed of Rock and Roll singers and had a lot of memorabilia and loved their home. You can bring your personality in your home and what will lift a home. When my nan was alive she had pictures of family displayed and decorated plates on the wall or shelf and was right for the people they were.

I love displaying pictures and would like to create a gallery of pictures and collages and photobooks of pictures I want to keep to build memories and be given to those important to me rather than sitting on my phone doing nothing. You may not be into that at all, and that is fine, make your home your own.

Create a good atmosphere like playing an audiobook or music, with a drink and take your time.

I hope this blog helps you and if you also have tips then share by leaving a comment below.

Many thanks for reading

Carrie X 

Do we consume too much?

I feel we do. As I write this blog I am thinking about a mug I saw in TKMaxx that I want to buy and soon we will going to ASDA's to pick up a few bits and thinking about buying an item of clothing and ordering a top from Amazon. 

If you not checked out my Youtube channel, then check this one out:

It is time to cut down, and I will be doing No spend January, and that means using my money on the essentials, such as food, bits for my son for when he returns to school. So, going to go through what I already have and use up and checking that his school clothes still fit him, because he is growing so fast, but no spending on items that I don't need, and can wait.

When it gets to this side of Christmas I get sick of spending, and so doing No Spend January helps me to do that, and save.

The problem with me is that I get bored, and the only thing that fixes that is buying something, but then I am spending money for the sake of it, I feel I have wasted it, and could have been saved for more important items. 

So going to change up my wardrobe of what has been worn and what I have not. Shop my wardrobe basically, and packing for when I am in Epsom, and wear what I have already got. I am so glad we had a quiet Christmas, and didn't over do it. 

Before the new years though I will be buying a jar of coffee, as I am running out in Epsom, and some face wash. So a few bits I need to get, but enough of what I need, and will get me through the month. Not meaning that after January I can go on a shopping spree, in fact it will be the opposite, and doing No spend days. 

I am going to challenge myself to make sure that before I buy anything that I already have and run out. This means my toiletries, clothes, food and buy less snacks, and go snack free. 

There will be temptations, but make sure I have a break between meals, and that I eat food that properly fills me up. 

So, going to keep going through of what I have got and save. I am going to pay of my credit card, and save so we can have a holiday this year, and a proper one. 

Why not join me in use up what we got and consume less.

Many thanks for reading, 

Carrie X

Ten things to Organize on a regular basis if not each day or week

So soon we will be entering into a new year and means that we have to take down our Chrisstmas decor and get ready to get our homes back to normal and organized. 

I went through my presents that Santa got for me to give to family and my Christmas Ornaments were smashed, and so will need to make sure that I can replace these in a different place before the next Christmas. 

My desk in Wimbled when it has been cleaned and tidied on a regular basis

So, here are 10 things to organize on regular basis if not each day or week:

1. Clothes. I travel a lot because I live in Wimbledon but spend a lot of time in Epsom too, and because of the trains and buses issues, been staying in both places and so living out of a bag. So I go through clothes not worn, and so before I buy anything else make sure I wear what I have already got. Check my Youtube channels My way of living, where I have talked about using up what you already got: https://www.youtube.com/@mywayofliving1602

2. Toiletries. I have plenty of shower gels, toothpaste and skincare, that I don't need anymore and organize them so what I have, gets used, and don't get forgotten about and store them to see what I have got and bought a new toiletry bag to store make up and toiletries to carry around with me when I travel, and keep them altogether so I don't forget them.

3. Stationary. I love a notebook and did a video about how I can live in Notebook a few years ago: https://youtu.be/f6YVEziXlA4 and so for my Autumn Reset sorted out my notebooks and kept what I wanted out of them, and put them into a folder, and so make sure I use once again what I have, and still buy plain notebooks, to help write notes as I do have a Filofax but it can be quite heavy to carry around. So I will make sure I have plenty of pens, a ruler and scissors and file cards and post its. 

4. Presents. Yes, after Christmas where should your presents go? I find they can add to clutter but have them in a room that you can display them, and an area they can take them off, like low shelf, and if it is money or a gift card, put it on a board where you will see it and remember to use it. If it is bedding then it is time to strip the beds and wash their existing sets and if it for children have them help you, depending on age. and word: If they are still toilet training, I would wait, and explain that they can go on the bed, but they have got to keep the bed dry.

5. Books. I love books and would live in a house of books, along with notepads, because I love to read and so I have some on a book shelf and then in a storage container, and not bought anymore until they have been read. and I have used Library but find it hard to renew them, and so visit Charity shops and books shops, but make sure I go through them and are stored in a place that they won't get super dusty.

 6. Money. I make sure each week to go through my finances and check my account everyday and use my filofaxt to help stay on track and a spreadsheet on Excel and budget, along with doing spending plans and budget on different areas where my money goes on a regular basis. 

7. Bags. I decluttered my bags and wanted to have minimal amount. I use a handbag, but will go through my bags, to clean them and keep tabs of what is in them and that they are easy to carry, but trying not to overload them, but can carry multiple items. 

8. Food. I make sure I check the fridge and cupboards to see what needs to be replemished, and I don't have to buy so much food, just bits to add or if we need bread or milk. I like to go through what needs to be cooked food and make sure it all gets used, and trying to eliminate wasting food. 

9. Equipment. Take things not used off the work tops and have a cupboard just for them, that you can easily lift out and put back in. Clean out your toasters, as they can build up crumbs inside. I put my laptop away on the table I use as a desk, ready for when we have dinner and then can bring back to the place on the table, to continue using laptop. I no longer have my phone near my bed and that has made a real difference in getting a good nights sleep. 

10. Draws. Yes they can get clogged up, and the main ones for me is, cutlery draws, trays, fridge draws and odds and sods. So junk draw. I have a hack, and that is to put tin foil in the draw, if you don't have any draw inserts as this can really reduce the time to clean them. If you have craft paper, you can use this too. 

Please put in the comments of the things to organize on a regular basis. 

We can have a lot of clutter so having a sort out can make a huge difference, with our minds and that everything has a home. 

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X 

 

Good ways to use what you have got

So before you begin to buy anything, do an inventory, and if it helps write it down, or do it, by viewing  of what you've got. See what you have and how much of the items you have, and if you will be using it again, or shop around to see if you can still get a good valued product for less, than what you usually pay, and still be a good product. 

I find writing it down helpful or keeping it on my phone using my note app, to be helpful, and doing a regular declutter, or review on items. I bought some salads from ASDA for my lunch in the week, and was horrible, and feel this was a lesson for me to make my own. 

Go through the things you watch or listen too. As I am writing this blog, catching up on some Podcasts I still have to listen to, and create a playlist and can help with concentration, and being productive. 

Challenge yourself. I love a challenge and going to do more, and has helped me in terms of my finances, having a no spend month, which I am going to do next January, like I did last year. I want to do more to help build my confidence and grow my content, to help my community and followers even more. 

Build up your skills. If you are bored doing the same thing all the time, learn something that can help build on the skills that you already have, and if you like me have enrolled on online course, get these completed first before enrolling on more. 

Use up your cash and change. Before buying anything by card, try and use cash instead that you have in your purse and now I do this, has helped me manage my finances and save. I have some ideas of how I am going to save me even more, and use my change, that I saved and on things I like to buy. 

Exercise and use everyday things. You don't have to buy fancy equipment, and you may have items in your home you can use, like stairs, chairs and floor space. I have a set of dumbbells that I keep in the living room, and so in the afternoon will pick these up and do some exercise but you can also use bottles of water and tins. If you a garden, in the summer workout outdoors, and a kick about with your kids is still exercise, so use a football if you have one or in Epsom my husband has a treadmill I can use, rather than going to the gym. I do like pay as you go gyms which we have in Epsom and plan to do this again, just to get out as it can get boring, working out indoors and spread your wings.

So I hope you find this helpful and going to do video on this too, and start thinking about Christmas, if you like me have only started now. You be surprised on how much you save, and still buy those memorable gifts and make time to spend it with those you love.

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X 

How I organize 2023

It has been a while since I wrote anything on this blog, I have been working on my Wordpress blogs and this is because I have created some different programmes to help support people, like my Life Coaching programme "Summer Project 2023" check out my blog site where you will find these blogs, and may find them helpful. https://everyonecanbuiildacastle.com  and now doing my Autumn Reset to get tasks I need done completed and again blogging on the blog site above. 

Now I am back and have created a more functional way to organize for 2023. 

I am using a Filofax again and watching Terri Savelle Foy she talked about having everything in one place, and so wanted to give it a try, but it is very bulky and for birthday I was given a 2024 diary and it is a nice size, but until I can use the diary I am going to use my Filofax and when I don't feel like carrying my Filofax,  will organize digitally and I am liking the system I use now to keep tabs on my blogs, books and videos, along with my son and other things I need to keep reminding myself of. 

For digital planning and organizing I am using OneNote and calendar templates for my son to keep record of my son's school dates on Word and appointments I have, and another for planning my writing, on Excel, and working really well for me. 

I plan the night before, for each day and go for a walk in the morning has helped me be organized this year as it not good to be on my laptop all day and it sets me up, and tomorrow I have to stay in part of the day as my husband had purchased a new sofa and so need to be here for that to be delivered, so depending on what time it is delivered will use the treadmill to walk and do some indoor exercise. 

Getting back into my fitness has helped because it can take a while for me to wake up. 

I have come to realise that I like getting up early now and not doing anything on my laptop in the evening or limit the amount of time I spend on my laptop at night. It can be easy to go my laptop so  don't go straight on to it until my later on in the morning and gotten errands done first, and in between.

So how are you organizing this year and what you use I would love to know. You can leave a comment below. 

Please check out new book, which is a novel called Mum&Me, and is about Elizabeth living with her mum and see things very differently and Elizabeth's mum is obsessed with TV shopping channels and online, but often not what she actually ordered. It is available in Kindle and Paperback.

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X 

Having Reset days and tips on having a reset

I never knew what this was until I was introduced to it via Youtube and now apply it with everything I do and began last year to create a programme called the Autumn Reset, where I go through unfinished tasks, to get unfinished projects completed before the winter and Christmas. I post this content on my main youtube channel, which is gonna change, as this channel will be all weekly or weekend vlogs, but you can see my videos from last year on this channel, and so just put in Autumn Reset and you should find them. 

For me it is about getting my life together and making changes to my life that works for me presently and that I can stick too, to make sure I get stuff done and have time to myself too. 

My first tip is to go through your computer to check out what needs to be finished and setting a deadline to get them done and planning. I have filmed some videos on my Youtube channel   https://www.youtube.com/@typicallondongal/ and my blog site: https://everyonecanbuildacastle.com 

Same thing with doing a make over of your house or a room, doing the garden or doing a declutter and altering your habits to help stay on top of things. 

Go through the most important first, to the second most important to the items that can wait and be done at a later date, but to still get them done. For me that is creating online courses again. Not that I feel I have to do it, but want to teach my skills I have learned to help others, but I want to have other things finished first.

I want to focus on my next book and have this published, getting my son ready for his new school in September and paying off my credit card. 

Tip 2 is to keep it simple and go through the tasks that take less time. Now many I have watched about getting items completed, do longest projects first. For me that makes me want to hibernate and procrastinate, and so I find doing the smaller tasks first to then do the bigger items next is better and I know I am going to get them done. 

At the moment I am spending time with my son who has finished school for the Summer Holidays and so on mum duties making sure we have plenty of fun, using the evenings to write and get tasks done in terms of my content and doing errands. 

This is the reality of life that some things have to be pushed to another day as I want my attention to be focusing on my son and today started to get his uniform ready for when he begins at his new school. 

I have been taking my son swimming to help him practice as my son has been doing swimming lessons at the weekend, so want to help him continue to develop in swimming and is getting more confident with swimming as he has his last lesson for this part of the year, but I don't want to lose what he has learned and the same with his reading and writing. 

Tip 3, Delegate duties to your kids. I wrote a blog on my parenting blog about if Kids want to do chores let them: https://theparentingadventurestipsandtricks.wordpress.com/2023/07/14/if-your-child-wants-to-help-with-the-chores-let-them/

This will help them to be independent and so have them help with washing dishes and tidying their bedrooms. Henry makes his own bed and is now gotten interested in cooking and putting the dishes away. 

He decided to do that on his own, and is good to help them develop these skills, as they do need to learn how to look after themselves. 

It all part of their growth and lifts the weight of your shoulders, and like this week I cooked dinner so his dad did the washing up. That is setting a good example for your kids and have it as a family thing. 

Tip 5, start on one area at a time and I watched a brilliant Youtube video today, a cleaning video and I loved her method because she was writing and ticking of areas as she completed each one. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9hP449qQxU I thought it was really motivating and will follow her method of tidying the home and getting all clean and tidy again. 

We can get so caught on mess, like my Laundry basket at the moment, so tomorrow I will be tackling the laundry, and we can ignore it, but it will just build and build. 

I am going to see if I can get all my laundry done, and will be a blessing to see my laundry basket empty. 

So I hope this blog has helped you and lets work together to reset and finish those endless tasks. 

Many thanks for reading, 

Carrie X 

  

Getting it all done

Life can be on top of us and feel that there too many things to do and not enough time to get it all done. I like making lists and creating new habits to stop me from feeling that I am behind. Example I do a tidy up of one area each day, make my bed and get dressed.

Anything that can be done the night before helps, like having my shower at the end of each day helps, in that I don't have to have one in the morning, but put my body spray on with deodorant before putting on my clothes for the day. 

The first place to begin in planning and scheduling. I use my diary I got from TK Maxx and OneNote. I have tried several ways, but now I feel I have a good set up and going to see if I can use my Filofax of having everything in one day. I will let you know how I get on with that and if it works to be more organized and productive as that is what I am going for. The idea came from @TerriSavelleFoy

I want to change from being a hoarder to a minimalist, and own less but have more in terms of saving money, have more space and have a clearer working station where I use my laptop and often change is all we need. 

Sort one area a day, rather than doing it all at once if you do have a busy schedule, time yourself and make it into a challenge. Watch Youtube videos on cleaning and tidying and getting it all done. Good for motivation and potter.

I love pottering around and just going around the home to clear any clutter to dust and reorganize. I can be disorganized, but getting better and setting a time to tidy in the mornings has really been a game changer. 

Take time to read. I like to read before bed and because of the weather at the moment going to sit in the garden and read for a bit, and almost finished another book, a video will be made once completed. 

I set my challenge of reading a book a month but because I don't tend to read when my son is on holiday as we are usually out somewhere, been difficult to keep up, but I am not disappointed, and will pick it up again. 

So got some more things to do and so going to leave this blog here and will be writing more so keep checking and have a great day.

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X 

Managing my money

 It has been a real up and down when it comes to me and money and would try to avoid looking at it and so now I check my bank account everyday and write down everything that has gone in and what has come out and got this tip watching a guy name Grant Cardone and if you don't know who he is, then "Hello where have you been?" the man is a billionaire and everyday he still checks his bank accounts, and I don't use any special system, I use a spreadsheet on Excel and a notepad. 

Check out this video I did for my channel My Way Of Living: https://youtu.be/PcJCQ2LrypA

When I was a kid I would hide money and forget about it. My mum got worried about it so cleared and looked for it and I had over a £100 and this was in the 80's as a kid and I was a super saver and then when I first went to America, I began to spend a lot of the money I had and then when I began working I would be out a lot, I began to follow a rugby team every week and stay over at my friends places and buy a kebab or a Chinese and before I knew it my Money went it became a love hate relationship. 

I became reckless and it has taken a lot of heartache to now have money again. Chasing every penny can cause stress and so now I make sure I manage it and this year by being more vigilant, have paid off one debt and that was a amazon credit card and now paying my other credit card. 

Being debt isn't fun, and feels like it is hanging in the air for it to drop and hit you in the face to realise I need to take charge now and still buy the things I want but in moderation and make sure I get rid of items that no longer I felt had a place in my life  and items that do.

I check and go through my budget and money spent each week and make sure I save as much as I can and pay money into my son's account and cut down on spending on clothes and toiletries because I have enough and there are some items I want to buy in terms of clothing and get ridding of items that have gotten too big and worn, and I buy second hand like books and clothing. The stop I wore today was a second hand and finding items that will last and not get worn straight away and make sensible choices. 

Before I fell pregnant I was made redundant and did get redundancy, tried to get a job but my tummy was growing and survived on Maternity and then in back in 2014 I decided I wanted to go back to working and did a bit of work in a Tescos, which I didn't like the managers of it weren't very nice and then got a weekend job which worked better and was on low wage and so used my credit card and it s dangerous cycle to be in, and so now I never want another credit card, and save for the dreams I have as I want to take Henry on a proper holidays and half term was tight but we did manage to do a lot that was free and went to the seaside at the weekend, and not want more time away and near a swimming pool and I no longer want money worries and going to continue to build my blogs, youtube channels and continue to self publish on Amazon, and I am not doing those for the money but because I enjoy it and now want to work outside too, to help with the goals I have and plans. 

You can't let money control you, but you be in control with money and not have a constant fight with it, and build my wealth and invest in my sons dreams too.

Lets do this together and lets build our lives to get our life on track and stop the fears we have financially and I want to give money to charity each month, and invest in doing fundraising walks and runs again as I want to use my money to make a difference too.

So gonna leave this blog here, and let me know what your one financial goals do have and if you have tips too, leave them below in the comments. 

Many thanks for reading, 

Carrie X