Spring Break Ready: Packing & Prepping Tips from Meghan

Spring break is right around the corner, and I’m counting down the days until I head to my family’s beach house for a little rest and relaxation! But before I can truly unwind, I always make sure to set myself up for a stress-free trip—both by packing smart and leaving my home in order. Because let’s be honest, there’s nothing worse than coming back from vacation to a messy house and chaos!

Here are some of my tried-and-true tips for getting everything organized before you head out:

Packing Tips: Less Stress, More Fun

✅ Plan Outfits Ahead of Time – Make a list of the attire you will need for each day. Instead of tossing in random pieces, I plan full outfits to avoid overpacking. Bonus tip: Stick to a color scheme so everything mixes and matches easily!
✅ Roll Your Clothes – Roll your clothes to make the most of the space in your luggage. Some people love packing cubes, I’ve never used them though. 

✅ Have a Travel Bin – I keep a bin in our linen closet with travel size items. When it’s time to back my bathroom bag, I pull from there and then just add the few other items I need. 

✅ Don’t Forget the Essentials – Chargers, sunglasses, sunscreen, a good book… Make a quick checklist so nothing gets left behind!
✅ Pack a "First Night" Bag – If you're arriving late, having PJs, toothbrush, and the next day's outfit easily accessible means no digging through suitcases when you're exhausted.

Prepping the House: A Smooth Return Awaits

🏡 Tidy Up Before You Go – A quick sweep, emptying the trash, and dishwasher makes all the difference.
🛏️ Fresh Sheets for Future You – There’s nothing better than coming home to a clean, cozy bed.
🛒 Clear Out the Fridge – Toss anything that might expire while you’re gone so you don’t come back to unpleasant surprises.
🔒 Check Doors & Windows – Do a final security check to make sure everything is locked up tight.
💡 Set the Mood for Your Return – A little trick I love? Leaving out a fresh candle or schedule a light to turn on before I get home - it makes the transition back so much nicer!

With just a little planning, you can set yourself up for a trip that starts and ends smoothly. Whether you’re heading somewhere warm or just taking a break from the usual routine, I hope these tips help you enjoy your time away!

What’s your go-to travel prep tip? Drop a comment and share!

Valentine’s Without the Clutter: Simple Ways to Spread the Love ❤️

Valentine’s Day is a sweet holiday, but let’s be real—between the candy, cards, and little trinkets that come home from school, it can quickly turn into a mountain of clutter and waste. While the thought behind those Valentine’s is always appreciated, the sheer volume of tiny tchotchkes can feel overwhelming (and a bit cringeworthy for anyone trying to keep things simple and sustainable).

If you’re navigating what to do with all those random goodies—or looking for thoughtful, low-waste ways to celebrate—this post is for you. Here are a few practical tips to handle the influx of Valentine’s Day treasures and some ideas to celebrate the holiday in a way that truly spreads the love. ❤️

If your kids come home with an assortment of random goodies, don’t stress! Here are a few ways to handle the influx without letting it take over your home:

1. Let Them Enjoy for a Day
   Give your kids the freedom to enjoy their Valentine’s loot for a day or two. After that, it’s time to decide what stays and what goes.

2. Pick a Few Favorites
   Have your kids choose 5 items to keep—whether it’s their favorite stickers, a small toy, or a treat they love. The rest can be tossed or donated without guilt.

3. Sort & Organize
   Incorporate the practical items into your home: snacks into the pantry, stickers into the craft bin, and Play-Doh with the rest of your collection. Let the random items go.

4. Donate Unused Items
   If the trinkets are still in their packaging, consider donating them to your child’s school for treasure boxes or other incentives.

5. Tidy as You Go
   As you find stray items around the house or in the car, don’t hesitate to quietly toss them. A clutter-free home is a happy home!

Simple Ways to Celebrate Valentine’s Day

If you’re giving Valentine’s this year, keep it simple! We grabbed $4 boxes of Bluey Valentine’s for my kids to hand out, each with a sticker included. Since my daughter has a broken arm, I’ll be addressing all 45 of them myself—talk about love in action!

When it comes to your own children, consider celebrating with meaningful moments instead of “stuff.”

• Write a heartfelt, homemade card with lots of hearts.

• Share a small piece of chocolate as a sweet treat.

• Plan a special outing, like a trip to Gelati Celesti or Shyndigz for dessert.

What to Avoid
While they may be adorable, our kids don’t need another stuffed animal, a Valentine’s-themed book you’ll only read once a year, or a piece of jewelry that won’t last. Focus on creating memories rather than accumulating more “things.”

Happy Valentine’s Day!
Remember, it’s all about spreading love—not clutter. Here’s to celebrating simply, joyfully, and maybe with a little less waste this year. ❤️

How to Get Kids to Do Chores (Without the Nagging)

Ah, chores and kids. It’s the eternal struggle of every parent. You want to teach responsibility, keep your household running smoothly, and maybe—just maybe—catch a break yourself. But let’s be real: getting kids to willingly do chores can feel like an uphill battle.

Here’s the good news: it doesn’t have to be a constant tug-of-war. With the right strategies (and a little creativity), you can raise more independent kids, gain some extra free time, and even turn chores into something your kids won’t dread.

Top Chores Our Kids Actually Do

Every family’s list will look a little different. We poled our followers and here are some of the most age-appropriate chores their kids help with regularly:

• Unloading the dishwasher: It’s quick, straightforward, and easy for even younger kids to manage. Plus, who doesn’t love fewer dishes piling up?

• Sorting laundry: Turning socks into pairs is basically a matching game. (Pro tip: give them a time challenge!)

• Feeding the pets: Our kids love the feeling of taking care of our furry family members.

• Clearing the table: Bonus points if they manage to wipe it down afterward!

• Taking out the trash: It’s simple, satisfying, and teaches responsibility for the spaces we share.

How to Make Chores Fun (Yes, It’s Possible)

The key to getting kids on board is finding out what motivates them and turning chores into something they can enjoy. Here are some ideas that have worked wonders:

• Let them choose: Give your kids the freedom to pick their chores. Frame it as, “Choose something that helps the family.” This empowers them to feel in control and more invested.

• Turn on the music: A cleaning dance party can transform tidying up into a mini celebration. Bonus: you might even find yourself enjoying it too!

• Gamify it: Use timers, points, or friendly competitions to make chores feel more like a game. Who can fold the most shirts or sweep the fastest without missing a spot?

• Incorporate a reward system: Whether it’s earning stickers, screen time, or a little extra allowance, find out what motivates your child and use it as a gentle incentive.

Tools That Help: The SkyLight Calendar

One of our favorite tools we’ve seen for keeping track of who’s doing what is the SkyLight Calendar. It’s a family-friendly digital calendar that’s easy for kids to understand and follow. Assigning chores to specific days and seeing it displayed in real-time makes expectations clear for everyone. No more "I didn’t know it was my turn!"

Photo from Skylight Calendar’s Website

The Big Picture

Ultimately, chores aren’t just about keeping the house clean. They’re about raising kids who are independent, capable, and know the value of contributing to something bigger than themselves. By participating in keeping the house tidy, kids learn to appreciate and value their living space. They see firsthand the effort it takes to maintain a home and grow a sense of pride in the spaces they help care for.

By making chores fun, approachable, and meaningful, you’re giving your kids skills that will serve them for life—and you’re making your own life a little easier in the process.

So, start small, get creative, and remember: you’re not just teaching your kids to unload the dishwasher. You’re teaching them to show up for their family and themselves. And that’s a win for everyone!

Our Favorite Books to Inspire Organization

 As many of us strive for more streamlined and intentional living in 2024, I thought it might be helpful to share some inspirational reads that have personally resonated with me and align with the principles of The House Finch.

More than Enough by Miranda Anderson

Miranda, a local author, not only provides insightful tips but also champions the idea of embracing fewer physical possessions to make room for more quality time and enriching experiences. Her perspective on decluttering and simplifying aligns well with our mission to create harmonious and functional living spaces.

The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo

A classic in the realm of organization, Marie Kondo's book offers practical advice in an easy-to-read format. Her philosophy of keeping only items that "spark joy" is a timeless principle that resonates with many seeking a clutter-free and joyful living environment.

The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning by Margaret Magnusson

Despite its seemingly morbid title, Margaret Magnusson's book is a thoughtful guide, particularly beneficial for those over 50. It emphasizes the importance of decluttering while we are healthy and alive, sparing our loved ones the burden of dealing with our belongings later on. It's a compelling reminder of the value of intentional living.

Atomic Habits by James Clear

While not directly related to organization, Clear's "Atomic Habits" is an excellent resource for cultivating positive habits. It offers valuable insights into understanding and transforming your habits, which can be instrumental in maintaining an organized and clutter-free home.

I hope you find these recommendations valuable and that they provide the encouragement, tips and motivation you're seeking on your organizational journey. Should you want to borrow any of these titles, I am happy to loan my copies out to you for a month! Just shoot me an email to request one. If you have any questions or if there's anything specific you'd like help with, please feel free to reach out. We're here to support you in creating a home that reflects your vision of order and tranquility.

Wishing you a wonderfully organized and fulfilling year ahead!

Happy New Year!

Meghan

Drop Zone Disaster?

Is the entrance to your home a mess? Do you have piles of paperwork on your countertops and jackets lying on furniture? Are you constantly scrambling to get out the door when your family members can’t find their belongings? Raise your hand if you can relate to any of this? Click here to read our best practices for having a drop zone that isn’t a disaster.

Here are our top 5 tips to having a drop zone that helps your family find the things they need and even put them away!

1. Have a home for shoes & some guildines for what shoes get to live there. In our home we have a shoe rack next to the door we use most. Adults get space for 1-2 pairs of shoes and kids have bins for socks, shoes, mittens, etc. While it doesn’t always stay this tidy, 30 seconds of work can have it reset.

2. Don’t feel like all of something has to fit in one space. Our home has three spaces for jackets because that’s how things fit. Adult jackets in front coat closet near door we don’t use often. One jacket for each child lives on the dowel hooks above and extra coats go on command hooks & hangers in nearby closet.

3. Make it EASY for your family to put things away. Consider hanging hooks lower than usual so your kids can actually reach them. Let Command Hooks be your friend and a temporary solution for your kids while they’re little. There are plenty of nice looking Command options these days. Label things by person if need be so it’s clear for everyone when they’re cleaning up.

4. Have homes for paperwork and mail. We use magazine boxes as a temporary landing zone for everyone’s paperwork.

5. Make a list and create homes for additional items that are constantly brought in and out of your home. This might include keys, sunscreen/bug spray in the Spring/Summer, hats/mittens in the Fall/Winter. Then determine where they should go that make sense. On a tray, in a basket, on hooks, etc.

We hope these five practical tips will help your drop zone stay tidy!

Pantry Organization Best Practices

Pantries are a space that seems easy enough to tackle, but for some reason you never end up dealing with it. Here are our top ten best practices when it comes to setting up systems for this high trafficked space in your home.

Turntables

These help you keep condiments up high, but still be about to reach them.

Cohesive Bins

White bins limit visual clutter and look cohesive.

Decanting Cereal

1. Organize a stocked pantry. Shop BEFORE you organize and make sure the food you have on hand is at capacity or most of what you usually have on hand. What could be worse than organizing this space perfectly, only to have your spouse make a huge Costco run two days later…

2. Follow expiration dates. While these dates can be controversial, I tend to follow them for one reason. If something has been sitting in your pantry for two years that is a sign you don’t need it and are very unlikly to use it. Toss it and change your shopping habits moving foward to only purchase items you will use.

3. Turntables are back! Also referred to as lazy susans by some of the older generation, these are great for condiments, spreads or even cans. Tuck them into an awkward corner and maximize that space.

4. Coordinate containers for a streamlined look. Go with white bins or baskets to create less visual clutter or clear ones if you want to easily see what is in a bin.

5. Decant only if you are willing to spend the time to maintain the system. Decanting is the new work for taking things out of the original packaging. If you want a beautiful pantry, decanting can help, but only take things out of boxes/bags if you plan to spend the time to restock as often as you empty these containers. Personally I only choose to decant flour/sugar into large glass containers and cereal into OXO Pop containers.

6. Heavy items low, light items high. Makes sense right, wouldn’t you rather have a roll of paper towels bonk you on the head than a can of seltzer.

7. Most frequently accessed items should be within arms reach. Middle shelves for high frequency items, low shelves for snacks for little people (if needed), and higher shelves for rarely used categories.

8. Store a collapsible stool nearby. These are easy to store and so helpful to safely reach those higher nooks.

9. Create zones. Groupings of like foods will help everyone find what they need when hungry or ready to cook. Once you’ve grouped items, find the appropriate sized container and make a section for it on your shelves.

10. The more people using your pantry, the more important labels are. There are lots of ways you can label things, I bet you have options lying around your home. My favorite easy method uses binder clips and index cards cut into the desired size. You can also use small white gift tags, purchase clip on labels or write directly on a container.

Common Pantry Zones to Consider:

• Breakfast

• Dinner

• Pasta

• Cereal

• Spices

• Condiments

• Sauces

• Canned foods

• Bread

• Potatoes

• Spreads 

• Paper products

• Lunch boxes

• Snacks 

• Bars

• Pouches

• Bagged snacks

• Boxed snacks

• Backstock

• Sweet 

• Salty

• Baking

• S’Mores

Comment below with your top tips for keeping an organized pantry! If this was all too daunting we’re still happy to come organize your pantry for (or with) you!